oil burners- mostly German cars

[edwardh1]

consumer reports magazine does an annual auto survey by mailing forms to their readers. the august issue I think, maybe oct, I read it at a friends house today, lists those cars that were said by their owner to burn oil, that being a quart or more between oil changes/quart every 1000 or so miles.
the top 30 listed in the magazine were mostly BMW, especially the v8s, and many Audis and a few VW few volvo and a few Subaru.
what causes this oil burning?

 

[Jetronic]

low shear stable oil in the US, combined with lon oci?

 

[JTK]

It's generally blamed on low-tension piston rings or oil control slots or holes not lined up properly to name a few. FWIW, I own a 2014 Subaru that requires top-ups between 6000mi OCIs. Frustrating, but I'm under the hood enough where it's not a major deal for me.

 

[OVERKILL]

This was previously discussed.

 

[edwardh1]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
This was previously discussed.


where please, I think the subaru one was.

 

[lubricatosaurus]

Originally Posted By: edwardh1
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
This was previously discussed.


where please, I think the subaru one was.


Use the "site:" command when googling.
subaru oil consumption site:bobistheoilguy.com
typed into the google search box

 

[OVERKILL]

https://www.google.ca/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=RM4KVt6VEKuC8Qf6yqrABg&gws_rd=ssl#q=site:bobistheoilguy.com+consumer+reports+oil+consumption

 

[stchman]

High end German cars like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche are normally high maintenance machines. People don't buy a car like that for its trouble free driving(if they were that concerned about that they would have bought an Accord or Camry), they buy them for the status and such.

Cars of that caliber are normally towards the bleeding edge of performance and those kinds of cars require more frequent maintenance.

 

[Y_K]

Originally Posted By: stchman
High end German cars like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche are normally high maintenance machines. People don't buy a car like that for its trouble free driving(if they were that concerned about that they would have bought an Accord or Camry), they buy them for the status and such.


I wouldn't stress status differentiator alone as they are fun to drive. Their Total Cost of Ownership sucks, no question about, and for the cost one is entitled to a better reliability. Again, they are fun to drive and some sport fine quality materials, metal skin and paint jobs.. if you can afford a good toy - enjoy it.

 

[hattaresguy]

None of my Mercedes ever really burned any oil, they sometimes leaked it though.

Total cost of ownership for what you were getting was quite good, so good in fact I'm looking forward very much to my next one.

I have found Mercedes parts to be cheaper than Toyota parts and easier to get than American ones once they age a bit. American OE support once past 10 years is horrible.


Most peeps that [censored] about high end cars have never actually owned one. Of course Audi's and VW's burn oil they are the junkiest of the German cars. BMW has always been well BMW, now Porsche they know how to make a motor. Porsche is probably one of the best if not the best engine builders in the world. Although having said that an M120 stripped down is a work of art; literally a company on Ebay makes coffee tables from the blocks.

 

[DeepFriar]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
. Porsche is probably one of the best if not the best engine builders in the world.


Give or take an IMS bearing failure or tens/hundreds of same. And the stonewalling of the owners (go pound sand) through to and including the class action suit on that. Or how about invalidating warranties of those cars that owners may have subjected to competing their works of art at things as mundane as club events. I find much to appreciate about Porsche, always have, but worship of their products and practices is unwarranted. They're just as small and mean spiritrd as any other similar organization.

 

[stchman]

Originally Posted By: Y_K
Originally Posted By: stchman
High end German cars like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche are normally high maintenance machines. People don't buy a car like that for its trouble free driving(if they were that concerned about that they would have bought an Accord or Camry), they buy them for the status and such.


I wouldn't stress status differentiator alone as they are fun to drive. Their Total Cost of Ownership sucks, no question about, and for the cost one is entitled to a better reliability. Again, they are fun to drive and some sport fine quality materials, metal skin and paint jobs.. if you can afford a good toy - enjoy it.


Reliability?

It seems the more the vehicle costs, the worse the reliability.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
. Porsche is probably one of the best if not the best engine builders in the world.


Give or take an IMS bearing failure or tens/hundreds of same. And the stonewalling of the owners (go pound sand) through to and including the class action suit on that. Or how about invalidating warranties of those cars that owners may have subjected to competing their works of art at things as mundane as club events. I find much to appreciate about Porsche, always have, but worship of their products and practices is unwarranted. They're just as small and mean spiritrd as any other similar organization.


A friend had a 2001 (I believe) Porsche that cracked a head. Basically car was junk because it would cost more to fix than it was worth.

 

[Alfred_B]

Originally Posted By: edwardh1
consumer reports magazine does an annual auto survey by mailing forms to their readers. the august issue I think, maybe oct, I read it at a friends house today, lists those cars that were said by their owner to burn oil, that being a quart or more between oil changes/quart every 1000 or so miles.
the top 30 listed in the magazine were mostly BMW, especially the v8s, and many Audis and a few VW few volvo and a few Subaru.
what causes this oil burning?


My Audi uses a quart every oil change (10,000 miles or one year, whichever earlier). It's annoying but not a big deal.

I occasionally think that there is really no point in buying a German car. Then I try out a Lexus or Acura and end up utterly disappointed with the flimsy feel of these cars and the unpleasant interiors.

 

[DeepFriar]

Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Originally Posted By: DeepFriar

. Porsche is probably one of the best if not the best engine builders in the world.


Give or take an IMS bearing failure or tens/hundreds of same. And the stonewalling of the owners (go pound sand)


A friend had a 2001 (I believe) Porsche that cracked a head. Basically car was junk because it would cost more to fix than it was worth.


Unfortunately that was the case with many an IMS bearing, the engine was toast.

But back to the thread. I had both W116 and W124 cars (as MB's prices accelerated away from my income growth at the time) and both only used a quart between 5K mile OCI's. These were my first 8 quart cars, another German characteristic. A lifetime of paying attention has indicated to me that historically German cars tend to use a little oil by design philosophy. Japanese cars, for whatever reason, do not. Just my observation.

 

[DeepFriar]

Quote:


I occasionally think that there is really no point in buying a German car. Then I try out a Lexus or Acura and end up utterly disappointed with the flimsy feel of these cars and the unpleasant interiors.


That bit of German DNA as well as their general operating feel are addictive I agree. They spoil you pretty effectively. But that has to outweigh the economic value questions that include long term reliability.

 

[stchman]

Originally Posted By: Alfred_B
I occasionally think that there is really no point in buying a German car. Then I try out a Lexus or Acura and end up utterly disappointed with the flimsy feel of these cars and the unpleasant interiors.


I've been in quite a few BMWs and while they have nice interiors, they are by no means the end all be all of interiors. I quite frankly find BMW interiors somewhat meh.

 

[MCompact]

I've never bought a BMW for its interior, although the extended leather in my 1988 M6 was pretty nice- even the headliner was leather.

 

[DeepFriar]

I agree, BMW's are a bit severe especially in the lower reaches. Hard to beat Audi for interiors at any price. Simply elegant.

 

[fdcg27]

Okay, and so?
We've had eight German cars over the years.
All consumed noticeable amounts of oil and developed oil leaks as they aged, in contrast to the Japanese and American cars we've had, most of which did neither.
If you have a car that you find has some consumption, then you just check the oil level now and then and add oil as needed.
Neither a good nor a bad thing, simply something you have to do.