Oil for 2015 GTI

Pennzoil motor oil
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Originally Posted By: pauliewa


Hi guys, just took ownership of my first VW, a 4 door GTI in manual. Looking for a good oil, preferably a group 4. Owner's manual calls for 5-30 or 5-40. I live near the coast in Northern California. My driving style is somewhat hard and fast. I will be driving 12-15k miles a year, on a blend of city, freeway and rural roads...ie a mixture of short, medium and long trips. Mobil 1 0w40 is out, as the dealership doesn't back that viscosity and thus won't warranty the engine with its use. My initial research has led me to motul xcess 5w-40, though I'm here to hear other suggestions as well.

-Will


Welcome Will.

Definitely follow the manufacturers oil requirements and use an oil of correct weight and which has VW 504 00 approval.

Please see the following link below for all VW 504 approved motor oils.

http://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/audiusa/Documents/Audi-1997-2012-Technical-Service-Bulletin.pdf

Oddly enough the list isn't that up to date and some of the oils listed are outdated as the manufacturers have modified there product lines.

The most readily available oil you will probably find in a 5w30 weight that meets VW 504 00 is Castrol Edge 5w30 and for a 5w-40 Mobil 1. Just make sure the oil says it meets the requirements on the back of the jug/bottle.

Enjoy the car...it must be a blast to drive. Let us know how you like it.
 
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Well, I just spoke with VW national and was told that despite Mobil 1 0W-40 meeting 502 spec, engine warranty issues will not be honored should something go wrong, simply because it is not 5w30 or 5W-40. It's been escalated to someone above whomever I spoke with, so I will update when I hear back from them.
 
Originally Posted By: pauliewa
Well, I just spoke with VW national and was told that despite Mobil 1 0W-40 meeting 502 spec, engine warranty issues will not be honored should something go wrong, simply because it is not 5w30 or 5W-40.

I'd like to hear them explain what it is about a 502.00 meeting 0w-40 oil that they think will cause problems with your engine, and not just regurgitate some dealer policy.

This oil is good enough for Porsche (which VW owns) to be their factory fill, but is not good enough for VW?
 
Does the 2015 include free recommended oil changes by the dealer still? My 2012 did. Interval was at 10k so I would change it at 5k intervals with mobil 1 0w-40. No way would I go 10k with that engine even with mobil 1.
 
Since initially reading this thread, I called and asked one of my buddies who also just bought a '15 GTi to ask him the same... Pauliewa is correct, my friend called his dealership and was advised to only use 5w30 or 5w40. 0w40 will 'void his warranty'. I pressed and he then called VW of America Customer Care 800-822-8982. Same response.
mad.gif
 
Originally Posted By: pauliewa
Well, I just spoke with VW national and was told that despite Mobil 1 0W-40 meeting 502 spec, engine warranty issues will not be honored should something go wrong, simply because it is not 5w30 or 5W-40. It's been escalated to someone above whomever I spoke with, so I will update when I hear back from them.


To be expected... any VW customer service staff will simply confirm what is in the owners manual. They are not in a position to comment outside those specs... and don't expect the next guy to say anything different, on the record.

It would make more sense if somebody just said use an oil that meets VW 502... and if you ever did have an engine failure using Mobil 1 0w40, and the dealer was not co-operative, a lawyer would need about 10 seconds to get them to reconsider...

VW 502 is VW 502... pass or fail. Mobil 1 0w40 passes. End.
 
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Originally Posted By: pauliewa
Well, I just spoke with VW national and was told that despite Mobil 1 0W-40 meeting 502 spec, engine warranty issues will not be honored should something go wrong, simply because it is not 5w30 or 5W-40. It's been escalated to someone above whomever I spoke with, so I will update when I hear back from them.



Hence, the dilemma I spoke of. Someone said you just cannot find a VW oil in the spec required. I would seek out this special oil.....try Redline. I was in a similar dilemma with my transmission fluid where they required unobtanium or serious damage will occur. I found a suitable replacement, but im not under warranty like you.


I think you should find the owners manual oil and buy two changes or two years worth at a time and keep using the same oil, ongoing.

Quattro Pete, yeah dude ive never seen such vagueness. Basically, they want you to use a 5w30, but a 10w30 will be ok above zero degrees. Just make sure the API approves....i like that, they werent being so picky like now with approvals and designated
Petroleum specifications. I usually always run 10w30 since i feel it is better capable of our heat and we dont see much below freezing. And, i figured they pushed the 5w as a cover-all for North America. They do go on to suggest synthetic below -20f.





Might be straying here, but my Saturn said 10w30 was ok to 20f and my truck says 10w30 is good to zero. Does this have something to do with oil passageways?
 
Originally Posted By: legandrex
Does the 2015 include free recommended oil changes by the dealer still? My 2012 did. Interval was at 10k so I would change it at 5k intervals with mobil 1 0w-40. No way would I go 10k with that engine even with mobil 1.


The GTI is super easy on oil. My brother's GTI does nothing but city driving and has no issues doing 10k OCIs. There are a few GTI used oil analysis on this site who claim urban driving and had no problems with doing 10k.
 
I would use Mobil 1 in your place. I typically use Mobil 1 0W-40 even though my car is speced for 5w30 and 5W-40. If you look up my car on my Mobil 1's redesigned application guide it states 0W-40 may be used.

That being said it's totally up to you.
 
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
You can get German made Liqui-Moly Synthoil Premium 5W-40 which is a real synthetic from Napa. Liqui-Moly makes some group III synthetic oils labeled as Synthese Technology.


False. The Synthoil Premium for the North America market is Group III. It's a over priced oil for what it is. It doesn't even meet MB 229.5 spec. Their Leichtlauf High Tech 5W-40 does meet MB 229.5 and you can find it online. Why waste your money on these Euro made boutique oils when you can buy one of the best 40 weight oil in the world for $5.00 a quart?
 
If VWofA doesn't have enough knowledge to know that the Mobil 1 0w40 meets the requirements you won't fare any better "if" there is an issue with the engine. They will pick any weasel excuse to get out of paying out like any other car company out there.. Winning a claim will be long and tiresome no matter who you have on your team. Unless you can get VWofA to change their approved script, its not worth wasting your time and breath trying to prove it to them. You are doing your own oil changes which will be ok if documented to the letter, I wouldn't push it if you place value in your warranty.

Dance to their oil tune until the warranty is over then hire your own band.
 
Originally Posted By: stygz
would you not have the Mobil 1 warranty to back you up?

Possibly, but you would no longer have a single throat to choke.
 
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
If VWofA doesn't have enough knowledge to know that the Mobil 1 0w40 meets the requirements you won't fare any better "if" there is an issue with the engine. They will pick any weasel excuse to get out of paying out like any other car company out there.. Winning a claim will be long and tiresome no matter who you have on your team. Unless you can get VWofA to change their approved script, its not worth wasting your time and breath trying to prove it to them. You are doing your own oil changes which will be ok if documented to the letter, I wouldn't push it if you place value in your warranty.

Dance to their oil tune until the warranty is over then hire your own band.


Even if you used a non approved VW oil, they'd have to prove the oil caused the problem to deny warranty claim.
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc
Even if you used a non approved VW oil, they'd have to prove the oil caused the problem to deny warranty claim.

Sure. And while they're taking their sweet time doing that, you are stuck without a car.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: badtlc
Even if you used a non approved VW oil, they'd have to prove the oil caused the problem to deny warranty claim.

Sure. And while they're taking their sweet time doing that, you are stuck without a car.



Having a good lawyer fixes a lot of things.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Yes, but it's still an inconvenience.


Also an inconvenience for them. They still have to pay people to get things investigated and if they can't prove it not only are they out the cost of warranty repairs but the cost of the investigation. I have yet to hear of a warranty claim denied from using non approved oil. Lots of threats out there, little action.
 
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