Oil Guzzler

kriss_boy

My car drinks about a litre of oil every 1500 miles. Speaking to other owners its actually the norm and not a big deal as you just stick a 6L container in the shed and top it up every couple of months. Its good for the engine too.

Problem is when I sell the car Im worried it will deter buyers. Buyers that will only end up buying the same car from someone else to learn the same thing.

Just wondered if I should mention it when selling the car. The guy who sold me it didnt mention it and it will deter some buyers.

pendulum

Of course you don't mention it. You don't mention anything that might scare a buyer off or give a negative impression of what your selling unless you can't help it. You don't have to tell them and there's no strong moral reason why you should either if its normal for that design of engine. 1L per 1500 miles isn't terrible.

Homersimpson

According to Jaguar the maximum oil consumption on a 4.2 S-Type R which I used to own was 1 litre every 1000 miles. The car actually didn't use 1 litre every 12000miles though.

What sort of car is it that that oil consumption is normal? If its a 7litre 1950's american thing with 150k miles they possibly. If its a 2.0 mondeo then it sounds like the engine needs some attention.

Is it under the warranty? I once hear of a guy many years ago who had a new Rover SD1 V8 which used to use lot of oil, the dealer said if it used more than a litre in 1000 miles they would change the engine but any less and they wouldn't. The dealer filled the engine to maximum and told the customer to come back in 1000miles, after a 1000miles the customer checked the dipstick and it had dropped substantially but not quite a litre so he took out the sump plug, dropped some oil out and took it back. The dealer fitted a new engine and it was fine afterwards. Probably one of those urban legends but might help if yours is still under warranty as 1500miles/litre is not really on for anything modern.

oldagetraveller

"Many years ago" would suggest it could be pints and not litres?
Be honest with a potential buyer if they specifically ask about oil consumption, otherwise don't volunteer the information. If they ask about anything and are misled that could come back and bite one's bum at a later date!
My vehicles handbook does suggest an up to consumption (can't recall the exact figure but it is something horrendous) but it uses nothing between changes.
You don't name the vehicle but that consumption might be quite normal.

computershack

kriss_boy wrote: »

My car drinks about a litre of oil every 1500 miles. Speaking to other owners its actually the norm and not a big deal as you just stick a 6L container in the shed and top it up every couple of months. Its good for the engine too.

Problem is when I sell the car Im worried it will deter buyers. Buyers that will only end up buying the same car from someone else to learn the same thing.

Just wondered if I should mention it when selling the car. The guy who sold me it didnt mention it and it will deter some buyers.

Some new cars specify 1L per 1000 miles consumption. It is up to the driver to ensure that they do weekly checks of oil, water and tyres so if it runs out of oil it is because they've not checked them in several weeks so thats their problem.

Sidmon

I'm thinking it's an Alfa Romeo!

bunking_off

Mercedes consider anything up to 1 litre of oil per 1000km as acceptable on a Smart ForTwo...hard working little engines drink oil.

harveybobbles

Honda have replaced quite a few of their 2.2 diesel engines as they use a LOt of oil in the first 12 month. So much so that the engines have seized...!

6 cylinder Audi's used to use a lot of oil.

jaydeeuk1

Older toyota VVTI engines can use 1 litre / 1000 miles and considered 'normal'.

big_mortgage

defo an Alfa Romeo! i bought £45 of fully syth every two months!

kriss_boy

Its a 3 series BMW, apparently the owners manual states a litre every 1000 miles!!!

I've spoken to other guys on the internet too and many require the same, some dont. Annoyingly enough my garage insist it requires one type of oil, and the majority of the internet guys on the BMW forum state another.

I think the garage state its 10/40 but most owners use 0/40 or something like that.