ULflyer

I'm confused. Various vendor sites list both type filters as fitting my '20 Q3, however the OEM is a cartridge. Do they both work?

MP4.2+6.0

? In turn I am not sure of terminology here. The "cartridge" (or filter element) goes inside the "canister" plastic housing you reuse. Thus, circular and referencing same thing? What it is not is the old spin on metal type self contained ones.

See basic pics from my 2020 Q3. Filter is right next to dipstick on North America/Continental Europe passenger side of motor, inside the plastic canister with the big hex head molded into top. In the top down motor picture you see it toward lower left. You just grab the decorative large plastic engine cover and pull up to get to this access. Starting from front edge is easiest. Fill is toward the back. I usually just make up a one time "funnel" cone from a few sheets of paper in access situations like this, and then just dispose of it afterward to avoid more cleaning and solvents. Our garbage co picks up old oil and filters for recycling, so very easy.

S4'ed

The filter is a 'bare" paper filter element, and the black plastic filter "cup"/housing is reused. The all-in-one traditional metal-can filters were used on the previous gen Q3, up to 2018.

ULflyer

Thanks guys for feedback; exactly what I wanted to know. I guess what confused me is that several vendors, even when I put in current vehicle info, would shoe the all metal spin on filter. I do have a Mann bare paper (HU6013z) and Edge 508 oil for its first oil change which I'm planning at 5K miles. Do any of you recommend an earlier change? I was dumb enough to pay for the Audi Care 10/20/30/40 and will use them at the appropriate mileage, but have not decided if I should do changes in between. I'm inclined to think every 5K may be worth while.

MP4.2+6.0

I intend to do a first change at 1500-2500 mile type range. Until 2017, Audi used 5,000 for its first interval (which it used to include), then every 10K. There is no demonstrable change by Audi that occurred to motors or oils in line with that, so it really seems to just be cheapening of what they provided. And for 2020, I guess they got rid of that first free service interval (2019's had it at 10K), so they cheapened it again. My basic first change metric starts back at old school, which was 500-1000 miles after any full rebuild or heavy internal engine work (heads, etc.). Way back when Audi suggested a first interval at 15-2500 miles IIRC, so that has stuck with me. In practice, new motor tolerances and fuel calibrations are much tighter, so less clear it is needed. But it doesn't hurt. Lots of old posts and folklore around about supposed Audi break in oil btw, which is obvious to me for various reasons they don't use and probably have not for at least decades.

Service interval for USA models with fixed intervals is every 10K OR one year. Realize in Europe on variable intervals if it has the oil quality sensor, they can go up to 24 months and 30K km with relaxed driving conditions. But there is also eco Green Party type pressure to do that in the Vaterland. Also part of how the pretend eco oil filter cartridge came to be on Audi's and VW's...which uses probably 3x the nasty solvent to clean up for a bit of used metal in the spin on other type. On 2013 Q5 I found I could sort of work it to do an AC interspersed with my own, sometimes at about 7.5K in between; other times 5K in between. If you look at AudiCare itself, for 2020's, you actually have 60 months and until 52,500 miles to use it up. I played with timing on both my 2013 Q5 and 2015 S8 to optimize around my own oil changes, saving the oil related receipts for DIY's if any question ever came up about the 12 month or 10K mile intervals relative to the records Audi could see.

As far as the motor, I am comfortable at 10K intervals, though would be more comfortable if it were the 504 oil that was spec'ed. But I prefer to do an initial one, and then try to manage about 7500 miles if the AC intervals work out reasonably. Thus here, 2500 and then 10K make good sense to me for starters. On my S8 4.0T where that motor design has some known oiling issues with turbo bearings connected with what seems to be a really buried oil screen that Audi botched and then parts revv'ed...and about 575 true stock HP...I am more comfortable at 5K and with 504 oil, which is spec'ed for that motor though dealers tend to cheap out with 502. When I exit warranty on Q3, I may go to a 504 spec oil. Also subtle, but on Q3 it is 6 quarts of oil for 2 liters of mid range turbo motor spec and state of factory tune. As far as dilution of either particles or fuel, or additive pack deterioration, that is generous. My four liters of S8 with twin and serious boost and consequently higher HP per liter does it in only about 9 quarts IIRC. My 2013 Q5 2.0T Hybrid with similar gas side motor HP to Q3 did it with somewhat smaller fill than the current Q3. All sort of pointers on the oil side that the Q3 may have some subtle oil capacity advantages to make a somewhat longer interval more reasonable.

S4'ed

If you intend to keep the car past 50,000 miles, I would change it every 5000 miles max. The factory oil change interval of 10,000 miles is too long.

TurboBlue5150

Question about your engine pic with cover removed. What is the hose on the far right going into the gold canister? Is that a fuel pressure regulator??

ULflyer

Most likely that is what I will do. After all, it will only be about one change a year, or approx $60, since I can do it myself. After the 40K Audi Care is up, I'd probably do changes every 7500.

ULflyer

Whoops, meant to quote S4'ed comment about 5K oil changes. Don't see an edit feature here................

MP4.2+6.0

Item on the far right near the engine air pump should be the high pressure fuel pump (HPFP). Actually it is pot/cast metal type material, but lighting + camera added that hue. A hose like that is either fuel feed or maybe a vapor type vent line--that also need to be rated for fuel. Parts diagram I pulled is below.