"I've put LongLife III FE 0W30 in my car, so I've got the best oil, right?" I hear this sort of thing all the time at the workshop. One person is looking for LongLife 5W30, another has read about LongLife-04, and someone else just checks whether the bottle says 0W-30. And that's where things go wrong. You can buy a brilliant engine oil, spend good money on it, and still end up with something that's wrong for your engine. Because what really matters isn't the big writing on the front of the bottle. It's the manufacturer's approval the oil carries. Let me explain how to choose the right LongLife III 0W-30 oil without having to become a mechanic yourself.
What do VW 504 00, 507 00 and LongLife III mean?
Think of an oil approval as the manufacturer's permission to use that oil in a particular engine. Just because a bottle says 5W-30, costs a lot or comes highly recommended doesn't mean it's right for your car. Your engine has specific requirements, and the oil needs to meet them. Here are the approvals you should know about.
- VW 504 00 – an approval for petrol engines. If your engine specifically requires it, this is the number you need to look for on the bottle.
- VW 507 00 – an approval for diesel engines. These oils have a low ash content, which is particularly important for the DPF (diesel particulate filter). If your diesel has a DPF and requires this approval, don't experiment.
- LongLife III – an oil that meets both VW 504 00 and VW 507 00. That's why you'll often see both numbers on the same bottle.
- VW 505 01 – an approval for diesel engines with unit injectors, also known as PD engines, without a DPF. Getting the correct approval is especially important with these engines.
- VW 508 00 and VW 509 00 – approvals for newer engines, associated with LongLife IV 0W-20. That doesn't mean you can pour this oil into any older engine. I've explained it in detail here: can you use 0W-20 in an older engine?.
There's something else that often confuses people. LongLife-04 isn't a VW approval. It belongs to another car manufacturer. Similar names don't mean the oils meet the same requirements. If you'd like to understand these labels in more detail, have a read of VW 504/507 and LongLife explained. The idea is simple: know what you're buying instead of trusting a nice-looking label.
How do I know which LongLife III 0W-30 oil is right for my car?
The answer is simple. Open your service book or owner's manual and check which oil approval the manufacturer specifies for your engine. Don't go by what your neighbour puts in his Passat or what somebody recommended in a Golf owners' group. Even if that oil is perfect for their car, it doesn't mean it's right for yours.
If you're not sure what the service book says, or you can't find the information, send us your car's VIN. We'll check it and tell you exactly which approval you need. I'd much rather spend a few minutes checking now than have us wondering later why your engine isn't running properly. You don't need to memorise every approval number. You just need to know which one your engine requires.
What's the difference between 0W-30 and 5W-30?
This is where a lot of people get confused. They look at the numbers and assume one oil must be better than the other. In fact, the first number tells you how the oil behaves when it's cold. 0W-30 flows more easily at low temperatures than 5W-30. But that doesn't automatically mean you should switch from one to the other.
If both oils have the correct approval for your engine and the manufacturer allows both, you can use either suitable option. But here's the important bit! Don't choose your oil based on those numbers alone. You could be holding two bottles that both say 5W-30, yet they're designed for completely different engines. That's why I always check the approval first and the viscosity second. It's a simple way to avoid an expensive mistake.
What are the most common mistakes when choosing engine oil?
Let me tell you about the mistakes I really wish people knew about before buying oil. Not because choosing engine oil is some complicated science, but because there are so many labels and promises out there that it's easy to get caught out. And your engine couldn't care less what the salesman promised you. It has to run on whatever you've poured into it.
- You choose an oil that says "suitable for VW 507 00" without checking whether it actually has official approval. "Suitable for" and "approved to" are not the same thing.
- You put oil without the required low ash content into a diesel with a DPF. That puts the filter at risk. And remember, that filter is there to trap soot from the exhaust gases.
- You put VW 508 00 0W-20 into an older engine that wasn't designed for it. Just because an oil is made for newer engines doesn't mean it's better for yours.
See what all these mistakes have in common? Every time, someone trusts a label or another person's recommendation instead of checking what their own engine actually needs. And that's exactly what I want you to change about the way you buy oil. Don't buy based on what you've heard. Buy based on the correct approval.
How often should I change LongLife III 0W-30 oil?
I'm very clear about this. For cars driven in Bulgaria, I recommend changing the engine oil every 10,000 km or once a year, whichever comes first. It doesn't matter whether you're using LongLife III 0W-30, 5W-30 or another correctly approved oil. And every time you change the oil, you change all the filters too: oil filter, fuel filter, air filter and cabin filter. No exceptions.
I know you'll read all sorts of things about extended service intervals. But manufacturers' recommendations take environmental requirements into account, not just what's best for the engine. I'm interested in what's best for your car under the conditions we drive in here. I've explained my reasoning in detail in when to change your oil and service parts.
WARNING! Just because the bottle says LongLife doesn't mean you should drive 30,000 km on the same oil in our conditions. The correct approval matters, but changing the oil on time matters just as much. Don't wait until your engine starts rattling or burning oil before you think about servicing it.
Which genuine engine oils meet these approvals?
To make things easier, here are three specific examples. They're not interchangeable just because they're all engine oils. Each one is designed for engines with particular requirements. First, find out what your engine needs. Then choose the right bottle.
Tip from Kris Mladenov: Before buying engine oil, compare the approval on the bottle with the one in your service book. If they don't match, don't put it in your engine, no matter how wonderful someone tells you it is. If you're unsure, send us your VIN and we'll check it for you. A quick check now could save you a lot of trouble later.
I hope you've found this article useful! If you have, I'd love you to share it with a friend who drives a VW, Audi, Škoda or another car from the group. My mission is simple: when I know something useful, I want more people to know it too. Because the right information helps protect your car. And when you get things wrong, you're the one who ends up paying for it out of your own pocket.
The solution in our shop
Genuine Longlife III FE 0W30 oil 5L
Genuine LongLife III FE 0W30 engine oil with VW 504 00 and VW 507 00 approvals. Suitable for engines that require these approvals, including diesel engines with a DPF that specify VW 507 00.
View in shop
Genuine SpecialD 5W40 Volkswagen diesel oil 1L
Genuine SpecialD 5W40 engine oil with VW 505 01 approval. Designed for PD (unit injector) diesel engines without a DPF that require this approval.
View in shop
Genuine LongLife IV 0W20 oil G S60577M2 1l
Genuine LongLife IV 0W20 engine oil with VW 508 00 and VW 509 00 approvals. Intended for newer engines where the manufacturer specifically requires these approvals.
View in shopRead more
- Routine servicing
- Genuine VAG parts and accessories
- VW 504 507 Engine Oil: What LongLife Really Means
- VW 508/509 0W-20 Engine Oil: Can Older Engines Use It?
- VAG Oil Change Interval: When to Service Your Car
Frequently asked questions
What is LongLife III?
It's an engine oil that meets both VW 504 00 and VW 507 00 approvals. It's used in engines where the manufacturer specifies these approvals.
Can I use VW 507 00 oil in a petrol engine?
VW 507 00 itself is a diesel engine oil approval. But if the oil also carries VW 504 00, and your petrol engine requires that approval, you can use it.
What's the difference between 0W-30 and 5W-30?
0W-30 flows more easily in cold temperatures than 5W-30. Either can be right for your engine, provided it has the required approval and the manufacturer allows its use.
Can I drive 30,000 km on LongLife III oil?
I wouldn't recommend it in Bulgaria. Change your engine oil and all filters every 10,000 km or once a year, whichever comes first.