Looking for motor oil recomendations

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1. 2004 Subaru Outback, 3.0 H6 with 85,000 miles
2. Manual specifies: ILSAC GF-3 5w30 or 10w30
3. Central Virginia
4. I usually drive pretty easy. I get on it every once in awhile.
5. My daily commute is only 5 miles or about 15 minutes of stoplights. I may get up to 45mph. More city driving on the weekends with occasional highway travel.
6. No known issues with the car.

I recently purchased the car and absolutely love it. I am fanatical about maintainence and taking care of it. I have been working on taking care of all the routine preventative maintenance and have started to do a little research on lubricants.

Over the summer I used Mobil Super 10w30 and Subaru oil filters. I generally change at 4k since I consider all the city driving to be "harsh conditions". Honestly I picked the oil off gut feeling. I didn't do much research. I am thinking about using 5w30 over the winter to aid in protection for cold starts.

I would like to get some suggestions on which 5w30 oils might be good for this particular vehicle and conditions. And maybe some insight on whether a 4k OCI is appropriate.

I have been weary of using synthetic oil purely based on the lore that it will be more likely to weep and leak in older cars not designed to run them. I realize that this might not actually be the case and could be convinced to try one.

Thanks for all your help.
 
Since you are doing a lot of short trips, I'd use a good dino oil like mobil or pennzoil yellow bottle, havoline etc. The only way to know if 4k works is to drive a typical oci and send off an oil analysis( UOA).
 
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The Mobil Super family of oils is fantastic. Great protection at great prices.
I am running Mobil Super Synthetic 0w20 in my 1999 Taurus with 99k on it. No leaks after switching from Mobil Super 5000 5w20. Car runs whisper quiet on both.
I have run Mobil Super in many vehicles with great success. I see no reason to spend more money for pricier brands.
Stick with Mobil Super 5000 or switch to their synthetic. You will not be disappointed.
 
The kind of low mileage you do might warrant less than 7500 mi (BTW what does the manual spec?) but modern oils are very good even for severe stop and go driving.

How many miles do you drive a year? I would probably set up changes on a schedule, maybe twice a year. Put a 5-30 syn blend for the winter and then change in the spring to 5-30 dino.
 
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Originally Posted By: datech
(BTW what does the manual spec?)

How many miles do you drive a year?


Manual specifies 7500 mile OCI or 3750 miles for severe driving conditions (ie city driving)

I drive roughly 10k miles a year due mostly to road trips and weekend travel.
 
Good Advice all around. Pick any Popular Dino Oil that you are partial too and do your 4k mile OCI with your subaru filter. If your curious about your selection of oil due a UOA as spasm3 stated.

I myself am partial to synthetics--->I have used them since I was 16--> I don't know it's a sickness.

Will they cause leaks in your subaru? I can't answer that! Are synthetics better? If your only going 4K mile OCI? Synthetics would be a waste of $$$.
 
I had good UOAs with Valvoline conventional 5w30 at 5000 miles when I lived in Chesterfield and commuted to Richmond, same type driving you described.
 
PYB, QSGB, MS5k, are all good choices. The H6 is a solid engine. 5k should be no problem with any SN 5w30. That fits your 10k yearly milage nicely.

Check/change your PCV valve if you have not already.

Nice car, enjoy.
 
Thank you all for the advice. I appreciate it. I think I am going to go with the Mobil Super 5w30 and stick with a Subaru oil filter.
 
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