How often do i need to change the oil in my volkswagen passat?

Hi! I have a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. I had previously thought that I need to change my oil ever 3 months or 3000 miles. I read online today that I only need to change my oil every 5000 or at least once a year. Can someone clarify that for me? Thanks a million!|||Follow the manual. VW built the car they would be the expert on how to take care of it properly. They don't see any benefit to recommending a shorter interval since they don't do oil changes. But if they make them too far apart and cars start breaking down they will get a reputation for poor quality and if its under warranty it would cost them a fortune to fix them all.





Nobody except the oil change places recommend a 3k/3 month interval. Its in their best interest to convince people to do it as often as possible because thats how they make money.|||the manual says:





5,000


10,000


20,000 %26amp; every 10,000 miles thereafter





However, engines is prone to causing excessive fuel dilution (and burning oil) from the direct injection system..... when the oil is has excessive fuel dilution, the protective properties of the oil go down the drain, causing long term wear to the engine. Best to do it every 5,000 miles to be safe.





Quoting the manual again... use a oil that meets VW502.00 specification and it is good year-round|||I would suggest twice a year, with thinner oil in the winter and thicker oil in the summer.


That is mostly because of the difficulty starting in cold weather.


Since most people put on about 12,000 a year, that would be about every 6,000 miles.





However, if I had a turbo charger, I would use synthetic and then only change oil once a year.


That is because a turbo charger really needs the best possible oil, and really good oil is not effected by weather as much.|||Hi! I own and love my '06 VW GTI. It has the 2.0 liter turbocharged engine.


You did not specify which engine your Passat has, but most Passats sold have the 2.0 turbo .


My manual states to change oil every 10k.


Thats about once a year for me. I am not comfortable with this. So I change my oil and filter every 5k.


It only costs me $75 to let dealer do it for me. So I believe an extra $ 75 per year is not going to bankrupt me. Think of it as cheap insurance.


I tell myself that its mainly for the turbocharger, but even if it wasn't a turbo , I'd still do it.


I just clicked 60,000 miles on my GTI and its stronger than ever! I want to keep it that way.


Well, thats my opinion; hope it helps.