Recommendations for new volvo 2012 s60 t6 r-design

Status
Not open for further replies.
We're off the oil topic a bit, but hey...that's BITOG!

I would go synthetic as recommended. You'll find that you can get a better price on resale. As far as trading in whil resale is high? well...I am of the opinion that: the cheapest method to owning a car is to keep it forever...then my annual depreciation is near zero...

My signature proves that mentality...I've only sold a few, and I did get more for my '85 TA when I could prove that I used M1 exclusively...

To the fluids, the OM on your car probably spells out a few of these, but here's my advice:

7500 miles/12 months oil & filter
15,000 miles/24 months for air filter (do the cabin filter at the same time)
30,000 miles: trans & differential
every 2 years: brake fluid (flush it)
PS fluid - every 5 years or 60K.
Coolant - every 5 years or 60K (I know, Volvo says coolant is for life...I don't buy it...).

at nearly 10 years old, both the Volvos run perfectly and the interiors/exteriors look new. IF you really want to sell this great car after only 5 years...PM me, please!

11.gif
 
Last edited:
Hmm, so I checked the oil for the first time today (driven about 100 miles since picking it up from the dealer), and it was at the min line... I added half a quart. When I went to add oil, I noticed some thin smoke coming up from the oil reservoir (not billows of it, but some vapor or smoke). No strong odors. At the time I had only driven a mile and a half to pick up the oil, and the car had been parked for 5-10 minutes while I was inside to get the oil (and then I drove it half a block to a less busy area to add the oil).

I'm going to get in touch with the dealer about it, but anyone have any advice? I assume this isn't normal... (I assume the dealer would have had it at or near the max line...)
 
I would only use synthetic, and I would change it at 7500 miles every time.

I have been using Castrol Gold Edge because I was impressed with the specifications and ease of finding.
 
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Morik - Volvo's changed the oil specs a few times, most recent OM that I've seen (2007) recommends a A5/B5...your manual may not make that recommendation, but the TSB that came out a few years ago for sludged engines (same basic engine family as yours) required an A5/B5 to be used after the repair...so I would go with that from the start - lots of good brands out there that meet that spec.

As far as viscosity, the 2007 OM allows for a 0W30, 5W30, 0W40, 5W40 with the 0W30, 0W40 and 5W40 all having a higher temp rating than the 5W30, which was only good to 30C...or 86F... So, given your year-round anticipated temp range (I went to college in Mass...I know what to anticipate...), I would go with the 0W30 (GC) or the 0W40 M1. The other recommended brands in a 0W30 and 0W40 are good too.


I don't understand... how can an oil only be good to 86F? What happens after that? I mean, from reading around on the main site, it sounds like ideal circumstances for an oil would be constant 212F operating temps, so why would it be a bad thing to be a little under that? I understand why being a lot colder than that would be bad--the oil thickens up and doesn't lubricate as well, but why would 86F be "too warm"? Or am I misunderstanding?



Originally Posted By: Astro14
IF you're using the dealer (and they only offer Castrol) to change the oil, make sure that you get the 0W30 Castrol that says "Made in Germany" on it...otherwise, you're not getting the GC...Most shops will use whatever oil you bring in to change it...but they don't charge much less to do it that way, so it can be expensive.


The dealer uses M1 5w30 for their synthetic. I asked and they said it would be about $35 charge for the synthetic. (For about 8 quarts)
Or I can bring my own.



Using the M1 5w30 would be nice for convenience, or one of the oils I can order online (amazon or direct, e.g., amsoil) would also be acceptable for convenience. I don't really want to have to call around to various places when its time for an oil change to hunt down a particular oil. The M1 0w40 isn't A5/B5, just A3/B3 (at least from what I saw on the site... , which isn't the extended drain interval, right? Is that a concern for 1 year OCIs?

Would amsoil's 0w30 signature series be a good oil for this car? I only saw one recommendation for it, but it looks like an easy to find 0w30 oil with pretty good specifications.

What factors would I want to consider when choosing between a 0w30 and a 0w40? Or would either really be pretty much the same for me, and only a super enthusiast is going to want to dig down into the differences?
 
Last edited:
Mobil 1 5w30 EP.

Since you're not going to be driving the car hard for long periods of time, you don't need a 40-weight.

Since your normal daily usage is only a 10-mile commute, the oil will not get up to temperature long enough to boil off the products of combustion. You need an oil that can neutralize the contaminants.

I would dump the Castrol GTX and put in a synthetic ASAP. With me it's automatic: turbocharged gasoline engine, put in synthetic oil.
 
Originally Posted By: Morik
Hmm, so I checked the oil for the first time today (driven about 100 miles since picking it up from the dealer), and it was at the min line... I added half a quart. When I went to add oil, I noticed some thin smoke coming up from the oil reservoir (not billows of it, but some vapor or smoke). No strong odors. At the time I had only driven a mile and a half to pick up the oil, and the car had been parked for 5-10 minutes while I was inside to get the oil (and then I drove it half a block to a less busy area to add the oil).

I'm going to get in touch with the dealer about it, but anyone have any advice? I assume this isn't normal... (I assume the dealer would have had it at or near the max line...)


The smoke you saw is most likely vapors from moisture and the combustion process and a not fully warmed up engine. Once the engine is fully warmed up you will not see this.

Volvo engines in general are pretty durable. Mechanical failures are very rare, at least from friends and family experience. A good synthetic oil and a moderate change interval will make that engine outlast the next 3-4 owners. Mobil 1 0w-40 would be perfect in your application, as would GC 0w-30.
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Mobil 1 5w30 EP.

Since you're not going to be driving the car hard for long periods of time, you don't need a 40-weight.

Since your normal daily usage is only a 10-mile commute, the oil will not get up to temperature long enough to boil off the products of combustion. You need an oil that can neutralize the contaminants.

I would dump the Castrol GTX and put in a synthetic ASAP. With me it's automatic: turbocharged gasoline engine, put in synthetic oil.


What about all the people saying to wait at least 2k-3k miles before dumping the castrol?

I'm basically a total newbie with all this stuff, except with what I've read and researched recently. So, my (unsubstantiated) theories are:

A) since engines used to require break-in periods, it was necessary to keep non-synthetic in there during this period (wasn't able to find a satisfactory explanation of why). The suggestions to keep the non-synthetic in there are holdovers from this mindset, and there really is no need for a non-synthetic.

B) even though the manual doesn't say there is a break-in period, whatever reason the non-synthetic oil was used when engines did have a break-in period still applies (or likely still applies), and it is better for the engine (or is likely to be better for the engine) to keep the non-synthetic in there for at least a couple thousand miles, even though there isn't a specific break-in period mentioned in the manual.


I have no clue whether either of the two above theories are the most likely. Even if they are the correct theories, and people who do know what they are talking about are debating whether to swap out now vs waiting, I don't know how to weigh the upside & downside. (Swap out now--what is the harm it could do if the people in theory B are right? Leave it in--what is the harm a non-synthetic is going to do over the first 2k-3k miles on a car with my driving conditions vs having a synthetic in there?)


I can't tell if I'm being obsessive, or if this* may actually make a reasonable difference.

*this being the decision as to whether to keep the current oil for 2k-3k miles before swapping, or to swap it now.

And I guess "this" is also whether to swap it to a 0w30, 0w40, 5w30, and what brand... if I pick amsoil, mobil 1, (not going to pick GC because it sounds like it would be a hassle to find)... is it going to make a huge difference for me? Or am I being obsessive?
smile.gif
 
You can run synthetic from the time an engine is new:

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Synthetics/Myths.aspx

The major reason for not requiring a break-in period is the superior cylinder bore and piston ring finishes that are achieved with modern manufacturing processes. Valvetrain wear protection during break-in is not a synthetic vs. conventional issue; it is governed by zddp content. Bearings do not require a break-in period.

Don't worry about being too obsessive with your motor oil selection, this is BITOG and we understand. But seriously, you have spent a lot of money on your new car, it's natural to want to take all reasonable steps to protect it.
 
Well, I guess my only other concern then is the oil consumption. I called the dealer this morning and they said not to worry about the oil being low, that it is normal during the first 500-1000 miles for the car to use some oil, and to just keep an eye on it, and that if it is still going through oil after that to bring it in. (I wonder if I should wait for this to level out before swapping in synthetic)

So, I'll keep an eye on it... still having trouble deciding on an oil. Don't know that I'd want 0w40--why would I want the higher viscosity? Wouldn't I want a thinner oil that will flow better at startup? My engine isn't going to be running hot for very long all that often. And from what I've read, most of the stress on an engine is at start-up anyway, so when I do happen to go to town on my engine, a thinner 30 oil may be a little worse than a 40 for protection at that point, but won't the 30 give me better protection all the rest of the time, every day when I start my car?
 
Last edited:
I've been running M1 0W40 in my 08 S60 2.5T. I've had two uoas done, each at around 7500 miles. Both times the oil held up well and could have easily gone longer. I'm not willing to go longer but like the idea of a margin of error at the regular oci. The 0W40 is an exceptional oil and an excellent choice for these turbo charged cars. You can get M1 0W40 at Wally World for around $6.50 per quart. I also take the oil to my dealer and that's working well for me.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Valvoline Synpower 5W-40. Done.

The Synpower 5w-40 available at retail is a mid-SAPs oil, so extended drains are questionable when using it. Alas, it should be able to handle 7.5K still.
 
I'm still leaning towards the Amsoil Signature Series 0w30--it looks easy to get hold of (just order online), and it seems pretty good from the specs at least, and from a few searches.

The GC 0w30 also sounds good, but as I said, hunting for it would be a pain.

The easiest solution would be to use the dealer-recommended (and cheap) M1 5w30, which the dealer would supply for $35 (approximate price, saying my car takes approximately 8 quarts). But it sounds like people are suggesting that I go with a 0w30 or 0w40, and the amsoil would only be an extra 50-70 bucks a year (depending on how much they charge for shipping), so...

As I said earlier, I'm not convinced on the 40s... from reading around, I don't understand why I'd want to consider a thicker oil. Unless someone can explain it to me, I think I'll stick with a 30 oil.
 
Originally Posted By: Morik

The easiest solution would be to use the dealer-recommended (and cheap) M1 5w30, which the dealer would supply for $35 (approximate price, saying my car takes approximately 8 quarts).


I would highly recommend NOT going with M1 5W-30 or 10W-30.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Morik

The easiest solution would be to use the dealer-recommended (and cheap) M1 5w30, which the dealer would supply for $35 (approximate price, saying my car takes approximately 8 quarts).


I would highly recommend NOT going with M1 5W-30 or 10W-30.



Well, then I'm leaning even more heavily towards Amsoil signature series 0w30.

Anyone think it would be better to swap "right now" instead of waiting a few hundred miles to see about this oil consumption?
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Morik

The easiest solution would be to use the dealer-recommended (and cheap) M1 5w30, which the dealer would supply for $35 (approximate price, saying my car takes approximately 8 quarts).


I would highly recommend NOT going with M1 5W-30 or 10W-30.


Why? Do you know something Volvo does not?
 
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

Why? Do you know something Volvo does not?


Volvo doesn't read the UOA section here at BITOG ... I wish they would.
 
Originally Posted By: Morik
I'm still leaning towards the Amsoil Signature Series 0w30--it looks easy to get hold of (just order online), and it seems pretty good from the specs at least, and from a few searches.

The GC 0w30 also sounds good, but as I said, hunting for it would be a pain.

The easiest solution would be to use the dealer-recommended (and cheap) M1 5w30, which the dealer would supply for $35 (approximate price, saying my car takes approximately 8 quarts). But it sounds like people are suggesting that I go with a 0w30 or 0w40, and the amsoil would only be an extra 50-70 bucks a year (depending on how much they charge for shipping), so...

As I said earlier, I'm not convinced on the 40s... from reading around, I don't understand why I'd want to consider a thicker oil. Unless someone can explain it to me, I think I'll stick with a 30 oil.


It seems like the Amsoil is a lot of expense and bother for a car that is going to get relatively short ocis. Some of the most knowledgeable people around here advocatge M1 0W40 and it's half the price of Amsoil and much easier to obtain. But as we're so very fond of saying around here, your car, your money.
 
SL? Your choice is easy. Amsoil 5W-30 HDD.

Amsoil 5W-30 HDD LINK

I've been involved with Volvo white blocks since the mid 1990's. I've tried different oils, I've had customers running just about everything from 15W-40, 20W-50, 5W-20, you name it. The first conclusion is:

1st) be grateful for a relatively large sump. Yours should be in the 7 qt range. Very important in a turbo with extended drains. These engines burn a bit dirty.

Second: Synthetic oil, no doubt about it. You want an oil that doesn't shear.

Third) HDEO oil. Extra TBN and AW seem key in these engines.

I think the awesome stout base oils and huge add pack in HDD will be your best bet.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top