Golf mk8.5R news, questions and chat

[Booth11]

1 hour ago, Parky-SPP said:

1500km I believe the manual says

It does.  There’s guidance for first 1000km and then 1500km

 

[Booth11]

Bit more opinion and info in here (applies to 8/8.5)

 

[AHG]

As per the oil change question, it’s important to know that all engines are ran in on the test stand at the engine factory in Hungary (before they are installed in the car), so there shouldn’t be massive metal particles accumulated or anything like that.

 

I did mine at 3k km, but only because I needed a top up and accidentally put 0w-20 (VW 508) and only then realized that’s not the one (0w-30 & VW 504), and read online that these two should not be mixed.

 

So I ran to the shop the next morning to get an oil change with original VW oil, and the correct one this time.

Had that not happened, I’d wait until the first year or 15k km are done.

 

But if your fingers itch to do it, and you have the goods at home, go for it.

If you don’t mess it up spectacularly, I fail to see how it can hurt. 

[Booth11]

@Suki  I echo what @AHG says about modern engines and their running in prior to leaving the factory).  With all my Rs and latter day GTIs I have never felt the need to do an early oil change but instead stuck to the annual oil change and never had an issue.      

 

However, if it gives you peace of mind and as you've bought the oil and filter, seems a sensible thing to do.         

[Suki]

For the sake of £75 for the oil and oem filter, it's worth the 45 minute job!

[Aaron7]

When I picked my car up at the dealer, I asked the VW technician who was showing me around the car about running in periods? He said they’ve received no guidance from VW on this at all? he said these engines are run in from factory, he said drive it like you stole it lol, just for peace of mind though I still took it easy and didn’t really cut her loose till after 1500km..

[AHG]

It’s VERY good that you did

any machine assembled needs run in
 

(and appalling that the tech did not RTFM)

[Deep Blue]

I can’t remember where I read it, but there were posts about the R/VW backs of the key fob?

 

My R wagon arrived today, and both of my keys have the R logo on the back, but I was

sent 2 spare backs with the VW logo on as well. Is this common?

[Jay Psi]

27 minutes ago, Deep Blue said:

I can’t remember where I read it, but there were posts about the R/VW backs of the key fob?

 

My R wagon arrived today, and both of my keys have the R logo on the back, but I was

sent 2 spare backs with the VW logo on as well. Is this common?

I had both spare backs in the glove box as well, but mine had the opposite (VW logo fitted, R logo spares). I hope it is common; the option is good to have.

[Nighthawk]

Yes they all come with the VW badge first, but along with that the factory provides the R ones.

 

How you get your keys depends on the dealer or the person handling your car has made the effort to swap them out for R ones instead. 

[nn7man]

R backs fitted here from Doncaster, VW originals away in the wind!

[Kingkong]

Accidentally posted this in the wrong forum!

 

Anyone find launch control to bit hit & miss? Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't?

 

ESC off, then race/nurburgring mode. This seems to be what people on YouTube do.

 

Sometimes I get the launch control active notification, but half the time it doesn’t activate at all and it feels like I’m about to destroy the gearbox/clutch.
 

Am I doing something wrong? 

[AHG]

I think it’s only in Race mode

Not sure

 

Make sure your are in S not D, and seat belt is on. 

[Suki]

On 13/11/2025 at 12:56, Suki said:

For the sake of £75 for the oil and oem filter, it's worth the 45 minute job!

Back on the subject of a 1k mile oil change, I just hit 1007 miles and did the oil change this afternoon. Personally, I have never done an oil change on any car with just 1k miles on it, but plenty of changes with run-in cars at 2k or 3k, so I know what to expect. What surprised me was how dark the oil was. Inspection of the filter showed up a few microscopic specks, which I expected; the filter was clearly doing its job. All of the contaminents too small for the filter to catch was clearly making the oil quite a bit darker than expected, so I'm glad I didn't wait another 11 months before the change. The idea that you run the car in for 1k miles and then let it rip with such oil in it makes no sense to me.

[AHG]

I changed mine (‘22 8R) after 2k miles and 7 months
and the oil looked very clear (almost like new)

I think it is visible in this picture

You may want to check for any wear issues
if yours is dark and opaque after 1k miles