Need advice for alternatives for 5-W20 engine oil

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GYGuy81

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May 16, 2010
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Germany
Hello,

Sorry for another 5W20 / 5W30 question.
Last year in November I moved to Germany and took my car with me. It's a 2007 Honda Odyssey EX-L RES with 3.5L V6 i-VTEC engine. Very soon I have to do the 1st engine oil change on my car here in Germany

Since 5W-20 is not very common (and usually not recommended - I read in some German tech forum, because of the higher speed the cars potentially could drive on German streets / Autobahn the 5W-20 is not a good choice because it's too "runny" which could cause serious premature wear and engine damage) in Germany I looking for alternative oils. Honda Germany usually recommends 10w30 or 5W-40 engine oil. I actually was looking for a 5w30 engine oil that meets API-SM specs like Mobil 1 ESP Formula 5w30, Castrol Magnatec 5w30 C3 or Liqui Moly Top Tec 4300 5w30.
Or what about 5W-40 engine oils? There are also 5W-40 oils that meets API-SM specs.

Any suggestion is very welcome!
 
Id run any mainstream 5w30 and not worry about it. ACEA A3 will be a bit more robust, A1 is a normal oil and A5 is a long drain. What you choose depends upon how you drive.
 
A great alternative to 5w20 is 0w20. I would ignore the germans who think their driving is tougher than American driving. This is a meme that is false.

If you can't find a 0w20 I would say a 5w30 would be OK but not as robust as a 0w20.
 
For sustained flat out autobahn runs I agree on the 5w30.

But for anything else the original spec will do. From Death Valley to Cheyenne.
 
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
A great alternative to 5w20 is 0w20. I would ignore the germans who think their driving is tougher than American driving. This is a meme that is false.


33.gif
Yeah, too many places here in the USA to cruise over 100 mph for hours.
 
Tell me of a stretch of autobahn where it is done for 4-6 hours? How about 2 hours? I would say I 10 in west Texas between El Paso and Kerville in the summer is longer more sustained and hotter than anything in Gemany I "Average" 85 mph on this stretch. Or I-40 though arrizona to California through the Mohave Desert.
Time to let go of the fairy tales. German drivers may indeed get to go faster in short burst at higher speeds but they still have traffic and residential areas and city traffic. Similar to saying that All of America is not not wesern State interstate all of Europe is not Autobahn.

Here are the general rules for the autobahn

Driving on famous German Autobahns
General:
There are no tolls to pay on German Autobahns

Strict drink driving laws, only allowing 0.5 per mil blood alcohol

Seat belts front and rear are obligatory everywhere

No hand-held mobile phones are allowed while driving

To hire cars you'll need to be at least 21 years old and hold a valid driving licence and a major credit card

Speed limits:
Speed limits are implemented rigorously, radar traps are frequent

City 31mph/50kph, two laned highway 62mph/100kph

Unless otherwise marked, most motorways (Autobahns) have no speed limit but 81mph/130kph is recommended

Driving license:
Every valid driving licence is accepted

Non-EU (European Union) members need an international driving license or an official German translation

Rules of the road:
If there is no policeman, no signal or no sign indicating the right-of-way, then right-of-way is always given to traffic approaching from the right - This also includes situations where main roads and small side streets cross at uncontrolled intersections

Driving is on the right hand side, overtaking only on the left side

On Spped limits.

About a third of the German autobahn Network (BAB) has permanent speed restrictions. Another half has a recommended speed of 130 kph, which means there is no real limit, unless you are involved an accident, in which case you would be partially responsible due to your excessive speed. On the rest of the autobahn, you may drive as fast as the situation allows. If you crash, you were going too fast. Trucks are limited to 80 kph on every German road, including the autobahn. Driving as fast as you want is really only possible very early on Sunday mornings. At most other times there is so much traffic that you won't be able to go any faster than the guy right in front of you.
There are some SPEED LIMITS on the Autobahn
Actually, there are speed limits in Germany. Approximately 70% of the Autobahn are speed limited. When the autobahn is below standard (such as no shoulder, narrow lanes), there are speed limits. During inclement weather, there are speed limits.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: OilNerd
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
A great alternative to 5w20 is 0w20. I would ignore the germans who think their driving is tougher than American driving. This is a meme that is false.


33.gif
Yeah, too many places here in the USA to cruise over 100 mph for hours.


Cruising for hours @ 100 MPH is a LOT easier than ANY US City durning rush hour...
31.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
Tell me of a stretch of autobahn where it is done for 4-6 hours? How about 2 hours? I would say I 10 in west Texas between El Paso and Kerville in the summer is longer more sustained and hotter than anything in Gemany I "Average" 85 mph on this stretch. Or I-40 though arrizona to California through the Mohave Desert.
Time to let go of the fairy tales. German drivers may indeed get to go faster in short burst at higher speeds but they still have traffic and residential areas and city traffic. Similar to saying that All of America is not not wesern State interstate all of Europe is not Autobahn.


Firstly, I never said all of Europe is Autobahn, nor did I say all the autobahn is completely unrestricted. Just poking a little fun at the absurd notion that typical US driving with its mostly low speed limits could compare with driving race track speeds.

It's been too many years for me to give you the long unrestricted stretches, but there are a few good stretches of unrestricted (bar stau, or weather restrictions), or least there were in the early 90's, in the northwest part of Germany. I used to drive them on my way to Holland, every chance I got to leave the post for a while.

I used to drive the unrestricted stretches at around 200km/h (125 mph). Maybe if you're towing on an interstate, you can come up with that kind of engine load in the US.
 
ANd how long are these "unrestricted"(by other than traffic and congestion) stretches? I would gather that most the driving is similar to anywhere else. Clean highway driving is still easier than Rough terrain or congested city with limited airflow. My jeep For example is typicaly alot hotter at 3mph crawling for a couple of hours offroad than a comparable motor at highway speeds. Yet the 5w20 and 0w20 oils I use give me plenty of confidence.
 
Hi all,

Thanks for all your responses. With my Audi A6 2.5 TDi V6 I used to drive about 150mph on the German Autobahn. Especially evenings and nights. But for the Audi I was using 5W-40 all year long.

Anyway. Unfortunately there is no 0W20 or 5W20 (it's possible to get but very rare and not from known brands).
More common are SAE 0W30, 0W40, 5W30, 5W40, 10W30, 10W40,... Currently I'm looking at engine oils which are API SM compliant. I guess if it is API SM compliant it should be fine (?)
 
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
ANd how long are these "unrestricted"(by other than traffic and congestion) stretches? I would gather that most the driving is similar to anywhere else.


Wish I could give you an exact answer, but it's been too many years and beers (German, of course). If forced to take a SWAG, I'd say a couple hundred miles, with small cities in-between, to give the the engine a few short rests (until the punch-it sign):

EndOfAllRestrictionsSign.PNG

Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
Clean highway driving is still easier than Rough terrain or congested city with limited airflow. My jeep For example is typicaly alot hotter at 3mph crawling for a couple of hours offroad than a comparable motor at highway speeds. Yet the 5w20 and 0w20 oils I use give me plenty of confidence.


I assure you, there's nothing easy on a motor running a car at 125mph, highway or no. A bit of difference, rock crawling and going "on holiday" on the autobahn.

But we're drifting a bit off-topic here and it's unlikely we'll find agreement between us on the matter. So I'll agree to disagree here, and you're welcome to PM me.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: GYGuy81

Honda Germany usually recommends 10w30 or 5W-40 engine oil.


Is that recommendation in writing from Honda Germany or is that a verbal recommendation from a Honda Dealer?

If it is written can you please scan and post it. I'd love to see that.

Out of the common choices you seem to have wouldn't the 5w30 be the closest match. I'm assuming 0w30 over there is thick like German Castrol.
Do Toyota dealers carry 0w-20 in Germany?
 
Just get a good 0w30 or 5w30 and don't look back. Using a 5W-40 is not at all required.

Americans are way harder on their cars than Germans, IMHO. But some words in German are just way more fun than English. Take "Probefahrt" for example.
 
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: OilNerd
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
A great alternative to 5w20 is 0w20. I would ignore the germans who think their driving is tougher than American driving. This is a meme that is false.


33.gif
Yeah, too many places here in the USA to cruise over 100 mph for hours.


Cruising for hours @ 100 MPH is a LOT easier than ANY US City durning rush hour...
31.gif



LOL. The LIE comes to mind during rush hour, or the Southern State Parkway on a Saturday night in the summer. My wife rides the Southern State every Saturday night, about 22 miles IIRC, it is not uncommon for that trip to take 1.5 hours, and if there is an accident 2 hours. I'd rather my car be driven 90-100 mph for that 1.5-2 hours.
 
The German Honda website states that all vehicles get 10w30 or 5w-40 at the factory while the Hybrid Civic and Insight use 0w-20.
 
Honestly, keep using it. For warranty purposes(if your still under warranty) and for the "if its not broken, don't fix it". A 30 weight would be fine if your having a hard time finding the 20 but I am sure if you order online or check other locations should should come across a 20weight in shape or form.

Do the Japanese/Korean vehicles in Europe use a higher viscosity oil?
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
The LIE comes to mind during rush hour


If someone gets a speeding ticket on the LIE it should automatically be dismissed in court.

They should replace the Speed Limit sign with Use 5W-40 and tune your radio to W-BITOG 540 AM.
 
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