modwad

I know everyone has their favorite. In any case, for those of you "in the know", is there any brand/viscosity that I could walk in to a "chain store" like Autozone or Pep-boys and get w/o ordering?
My car is coming up on it's first 5k, and I'm going across the country in July and want to have it ready to go.
Thanks!

coolnesh

research them on the mobil website, see what suits you best and the weather conditions you would use them in.

the above should be available in autozone.

Audi Junkie

This seems to be a widely misunderstood subject. To go a full 10,000 miles, you need an extended-drail oil. This takes two forms: mfg specs like VW 503.01 and Mercedes 229.3 and there are diesel-rated oils which work as well or better. I would add any 15w-40 to that list if climate allows and every 5w-40 except Valvoline Synpower. My best advice is forget about counting miles use a 6 month change interval up to 9000 miles and a good oil. German Castrol Syntec 0w-30 is widely available at AutoZone, I use it.

All are otc oils except Motul which is easy to get.

1) German Castrol Syntec 0w-30 *A3
2) Mobil 1 SUV 5w-40
3) Motul *A3
4) Mobil 1 0w-40 *A3
5) Syntec 5w-40 *A3 (dealer oil) (not Long-Life)
6) Saab Synth 0w-30 aka Euro M1 Polar Long-Life only $3.75!
7) Kendall Full Synth 5w-40 *A3
8) Syntec 5w-50 *A3
9) Syntec Blend 10w-40 *A3 *=(ACEA A3-rated)

Amsoil is great if you like that kind of produkt.

Mercedes 229.3 oils available in USA:

Amsoil SAE 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil
Amsoil 10W-30 Synthetic
Amsoil Series 3000 5W-30 Heavy Duty Diesel
Castrol Formula RS Road and Track 5W-40
Castrol GTX7 DYNATEC 5W-40 NOT VW Dealer oil
Castrol Formula SLX 0W-30 *Available at AutoZone MUSt say "Made in Germany" aka "GC"
Castrol TXT SOFTEC PLUS SAE 5W-30 *BMW Dealer oil
Fuchs Silkolene Pro S 5W-40
Fuchs Silkolene Pro S 10W-50
Fuchs Titan SuperSyn SL SAE 0W-30
Havoline Synthetic DS 0W-30
Kendall GT-1 Full Synthetic 5W-40 *Widely available
Mobil 1 0W-40
Mobil 1 5W-40 Euro NOT the "SUV" oil
Mobil 1 5W-50 Euro (first fill SLR-McLaren)
Motul 8100 E-Tech 0W-40 *Available in USA
Motul 8100 X-cess 5W-40
Pennzoil Synthetic European Formulation 5W-40 *Available at ABC Auto in PA, NJ
Pentosin Pentospeed 0W-30 VS
Quaker State Full Synthetic European Formulation 5W-40
Schaeffer Micron Moly 5W-30, 10W-40 *Bobistheoilguy.com
Schaeffer Supreme 7000 5W-30, 10W-30, 20W-50
76 Pure Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-40 *USA
Shell Helix Plus S SAE 5W-40 (Ferrari Dealer oil)

avlubes.com
autobahnfluids.com
audiquattroparts.com
bobistheoilguy.com (Schaeffers's oil)<ul><li><a href="http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=1">http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=1</a</li></ul>

Audi Junkie

Mobil 1 30 weight? In a Honda, yes. In an Audi, no. 0w-40 meets specs, 5w-40 is better, but not 30 weight! In Mercedes' specs it is cautioned against using M1 30 weights and they are not sold in Europe at all. Do you still want to recommend it for an Audi?

HiTEC

That would be my choice for an off the shelf oil.

bhvrdr

I say go with an oil that has the best numbers to suit you for your driving conditions. Can't go wrong with M1 if looking for convenience and a pretty good oil. 15w-50 for extreme heat or racing, 0w-40 otherwise.

https://forums.audiworld.com/a4gen2/msgs/109633.phtml

https://forums.audiworld.com/a4gen2/msgs/290159.phtml<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a4gen2/msgs/288149.phtml">https://forums.audiworld.com/a4gen2/msgs/288149.phtml</a</li></ul>

Audi Junkie

Cold-cranking is all owners have to worry about. 0w-40, 5w-40, 10w-40, 15w-40 all work. A heavy 30 is ok too, but not Mobil 1 or really any other 30 weight "synth" they are on the very thin side of SAE 30. Someone should not be recommededing it especially when Mercedes warns against using it.

bhvrdr

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but rather become confused and irritated trying to follow some of these oil experts (the oil drop and other archives) who seem to change their mind more often than I go through a set of tires. I have chosed to stick with the highest protection values I can. The HTHS numbers for Mobil 1 are a great deal and Redline reports even better numbers. I run a 15w-50 because it just makes me feel better having better VI, Flash point, and HTHS numbers than the rest. Audi doesn't recommend this oil, but it seems to surpass all of the necessay numbers providing an exceptional level of protection. I'm just a lay person when it comes to oil analysis, so I have to stick with the numbers, since the experts opinions seem to change all the time. Cheers! Mike

https://forums.audiworld.com/a4gen2/msgs/290159.phtml<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a4gen2/msgs/290159.phtml">https://forums.audiworld.com/a4gen2/msgs/290159.phtml</a</li></ul>

Audi Junkie

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/27563/bmw.jpg"></center><p>
Yep, it is a confusing post though. I've always said use 40 weights. As far as 50 weights go, my well-known BOSCH mechanic runs only Syntec 5w-50 in both customer cars and competition race cars. He says he needs the film strength of a 50 in his S6 with 26lbs. I have seen good results with it as a regular service oil in Moribundmans 110k 12v with 10k intervals, pics prove no sludge or varnish. As for M1 15w-50, I have gotten into a bunch of trouble repreating my mechanic's line that his custom-build engines running M1 15w-50 will blow while ones with Syntec 5w-50 will not...under the exact same conditions (data logging to back it up) The scene is his shop, the floor littered with blown Porsche turbo engines and the car next to us has a jug of red-label M1 visible throught the rear glass. "See" he says, "that stuff is crap"...crank hardware blasted in two. Would you believe the guy? Check my pic poster of the Porsche Club Event at Watkins Glenn, he seemed to be very well known there.

Anyway, my thinking on the M1/Syntec SAE 50 issue is that M1 15w-50 is actually a "wide spread" oil, judging by it's -49f Pour-Point it could pass a 10w or 5w cranking test! So, Castrol actually honestly marketed the "wide spread" oil as a 5w-50 and, for marketing, Mobil tapped into the public's thinking that "narrow" is better while their blend is actually "wide". What I am saying about HT/HS value as not being higher-is-better is that I would definately not use SAE 50 in a Honda..unless it was nitrous as the film dimesion required is achieved by a SAE 30 or 20 weight, not by climate though. Higher in not always better, there is a used analysis of a Honda with 15w-50 and there are unusual wear metal issues.

Remember, the SAE viscosity is actually a measure of it's resistance to the force needed to eject the oil from the metal surfaces, higher is better *when* that can happen, rather than rely EP additives. Also, read up yourself on HT/HS, just use search on the oil forum, it has been disscussed in technical terms of harmonics and oscillations of millionths of seconds. Audi's FSI in Europe calls for Castrol SLX 2, a special low HT/HS oil for their psyco-extended 60,000km drains. There is more to it all than can be discussed here.

PS the awesome PTG V8 M3 runs Syntec 5w-50, something to think about.<ul><li><a href="http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=005119#000018"> http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=005119#000018</a</li></ul>

bhvrdr

Thanks for the info. It's all so jumbled up, though. You get one guy who swears by a certain brand and formula and another guy who says it's crap and they both appear very reputable and experienced. I've run 5w-40 and 15w-50 and never really noticed much of a difference between the two except that I slept better using the 15w-50 for racing (placebo, but it worked). If I go with a high quality oil like Redline, my research has indicated that the higher VI, HTHS, and Flash Point are all very good indicators of the oils suitability, as well as the Noack (spelling) data in regards to the quality of the base stock. Is this info. pretty good? Thanks in advance. Cheers! Mike