New Car, now need some opinions...

[Jeffs2006EvoIX]

Hello folks, after a long departure from BITOG site I am back in to ask for advice. I recently purchased a 2013 VW GTI and VW does off the free service for the car but give 10K oil change intervals. Sounds good right? Well not really, since I have owned Turbo Charged cars now for over 16 yrs I have and refuse to change the oil every 10K miles regardless of brand. Why? Turbo motors tend to shear oil for one, GDI motores (which the GTI has) also tend to have higher fuel contamination levels ironically, and finally from little time I have researched already seems folks have had mechanical issues and very poor used oil analysis on the 10K schedule. To rememdy the problem, techs just say to change the oil more often, so I was thinking every 5k seems more realistic. Of course I will do my own research and used oil analysis as I have on my past cars. I am here because I have never been a "Castrol" fan and VW has this oil as factory fill, and uses it in their scheduled maintenance. Now, their oil says Castrol Edge OE 5w40 on the bottle and its a gold bottle, where as the Castrol site says you can use Castrol Syntec Edge SPT 5w40. So are these oils the same? Just bottled differtly? Or are the physical charactoristics actually different? I was thinking of running Mobil 1 0w40 but seems that oil doesn't fair well in the 2.0 TSI motor either from what I have read. So just getting feelers out for any advice on what to use for this car. Would like something that does have the VW stamp on since the car is under warranty. Would like something I can get over the counter if possible, I was thinking the Pennzoil Ultra 5w40 since its rep is to keep things as clean as possible and since when is clean a bad thing? haha.

Any advice is welcome and VW owners with their own experience I would really like to hear from, especially if you have the 2.0 TSI motor.

Thanks Everyone...

Jeff

 

[dparm]

Castrol SLX Professional is not available in stores under a different name. It is a different oil, and a rather mediocre one at that.

I'd just get whatever VW 502/505 oil is on sale whenever you change it yourself. Mobil 1 0w40, Castrol Edge 5w40, Valvoline SynPower 5w40 are the three big ones.

 

[UNC017]

I'll admit to a slight anti-Castrol bias, so count my vote for the Mobil 1 0w40.

 

[JHZR2]

Id say that Pennzoil Ultra 5w-40 is a good choice. I assume thatyoull provide the dealer with the oil when you go in every 10k? And youll take a used oil analysis every inbetween?

 

[Jeffs2006EvoIX]

I can get Pennzoil Ultra 5w40 would that be a good choice? I was going to go with the Mobil 1 0w40 but seems its not so popular in the VW world that I have read thus far. You know there are always people saying good and bad things about anything, but I have read more bad than good on the Mobil 1 though. Which I find odd. Syntec I am not sure why, but I just dont get good vibes from it. Never have. Nothing against Castrol, it just has always seemed like the kid in class that tells on everyone. You don't hate him, but for some reason you just don't like him, haha.

Jeff

 

[Tdbo]

Change it yourself every 5k and take it to the dealer on the 10's

 

[dishdude]

I have the same car, just gonna have the dealer change it every 10k and dump the car at 30-40k for an ATS. I'm at 7k on the FF and it hasn't used any oil.

 

[Jeffs2006EvoIX]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Id say that Pennzoil Ultra 5w-40 is a good choice. I assume thatyoull provide the dealer with the oil when you go in every 10k? And youll take a used oil analysis every inbetween?


No, I will change the oil myself every 5k miles. Hellen Keller can change oil on this car its so easy, I will just keep receipts and use OEM filters.

I know I don't have to, but the VW dealer is an hour away, plus my time? Just peace of mind changing it myself every 3-5K miles and do it myself.

Jeff

 

[Jeffs2006EvoIX]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
I have the same car, just gonna have the dealer change it every 10k and dump the car at 30-40k for an ATS. I'm at 7k on the FF and it hasn't used any oil.


In your case that would be fine, for me? I plan on keeping this car, so I want to make sure it lasts. Maintenance is key to any longevity on ANY car. I realize BITOG loves promotes EDI's but for me, its just cheap insurance to change the oil more frequently. I guess Im a little old school, but hearing of some issues that has arouse? I am curious why VW still does 10K services.

Jeff

 

[Jeffs2006EvoIX]

Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Change it yourself every 5k and take it to the dealer on the 10's


This was a consideration. I only drive about 10K a year, so I was thinking every 6 months change it myself and every other oil change go to the dealer. I was thinking of running Pennzoil Ultra 5w40 though, while they use Syntec 5w40, I could use the Syntec too as spec'd but as previously posted, I just am not a Syntec Fan.

Jeff

 

[friendly_jacek]

If they use syntec, you should use syntec too. Changing additive pack a lot can produce transient oil consumption and even wear issues.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: Jeffs2006EvoIX

Change it yourself every 5k and take it to the dealer on the 10's


This was a consideration. I only drive about 10K a year, so I was thinking every 6 months change it myself and every other oil change go to the dealer. I was thinking of running Pennzoil Ultra 5w40 though, while they use Syntec 5w40, I could use the Syntec too as spec'd but as previously posted, I just am not a Syntec Fan.

Jeff [/quote

Didn't know you were an hour away from the dealer until I saw your response to another post. Not worth hassle. Just do it yourself with whatever oil you prefer that meets VW specs.

 

[Jeffs2006EvoIX]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
If they use syntec, you should use syntec too. Changing additive pack a lot can produce transient oil consumption and even wear issues.


I was curious about this. Is it true? For example, my Lancer Evo 9 came from the factory with M1, but after the mods and HP, TQ went up, I switched to Redline, had no issues at all. In 60K miles of DD use, hundreds of hours on the dyno, and track time, I never had to add oil. Not once.

Then again, this is my first VW so I am not sure what the charactoristics of this particular engine are.

Jeff

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: Jeffs2006EvoIX
Hello folks, after a long departure from BITOG site I am back in to ask for advice. I recently purchased a 2013 VW GTI and VW does off the free service for the car but give 10K oil change intervals. Sounds good right? Well not really, since I have owned Turbo Charged cars now for over 16 yrs I have and refuse to change the oil every 10K miles regardless of brand. Why? Turbo motors tend to shear oil for one, GDI motores (which the GTI has) also tend to have higher fuel contamination levels ironically, and finally from little time I have researched already seems folks have had mechanical issues and very poor used oil analysis on the 10K schedule. To rememdy the problem, techs just say to change the oil more often, so I was thinking every 5k seems more realistic. Of course I will do my own research and used oil analysis as I have on my past cars. I am here because I have never been a "Castrol" fan and VW has this oil as factory fill, and uses it in their scheduled maintenance. Now, their oil says Castrol Edge OE 5w40 on the bottle and its a gold bottle, where as the Castrol site says you can use Castrol Syntec Edge SPT 5w40. So are these oils the same? Just bottled differtly? Or are the physical charactoristics actually different? I was thinking of running Mobil 1 0w40 but seems that oil doesn't fair well in the 2.0 TSI motor either from what I have read. So just getting feelers out for any advice on what to use for this car. Would like something that does have the VW stamp on since the car is under warranty. Would like something I can get over the counter if possible, I was thinking the Pennzoil Ultra 5w40 since its rep is to keep things as clean as possible and since when is clean a bad thing? haha.

Any advice is welcome and VW owners with their own experience I would really like to hear from, especially if you have the 2.0 TSI motor.

Thanks Everyone...

Jeff


Running Castrol 0W30 (GC). No issues at all!
Might switch for summer months to this new Castrol 0W40 (BC).

 

[bluesubie]

I would use Pennzoil Ultra 5W-40, GC, Syntec 0W-40 (if you can find it), Syntec 5W-40, or Mobil 1 0W-40 all with confidence regardless of their popularity or how I think that they may perform. I would take a used oil analysis sample at 5-7.5k miles and then make the determination to extend the OCI. Although, if you're definitely not going to go to the dealer every 10k, I would just change it every 5k without a used oil analysis.

-Dennis