I ask the following because I'll likely order a new 2016 Outback with the 3.6l engine before the end of the year. I've searched here, on the web and viewed relevant posts on Outback forums but I can't find a clear answer. I'm likely being a little cross-eyed over the subject but aren't most of us here, to some degree?
1. Starting with 2015, Subaru decreased their change intervals, even with synthetic oils, on all engines from 7.5k to 6k. Some theorize that with earlier generation oil consumption from faulty rings, this new change frequency puts the owner on heightened notice and perhaps keeps the value up on lease returns. The trend is for longer intervals with most everyone else and the oil, like M1 EP, is built for it. Is there a known reason why it's down to 6k?
2. The 3.6l requires 5w-30 syn and I currently run M1 5/30 in my present car. I'd stick with that but it's on the thin side. GC, which I've also used, is thicker but much pricier. The price doesn't offend me but it's a waste to dump it so soon, like Subaru wants me to do. Part of me says use the GC, other parts say use M1 0/40 and a third part of me says use 5 qts of M1 5/30 from the jug and fill the last two qts (6.9 qt capacity) with their 0/40. The car will be run in Southern California and out to Arizona, Nevada or New Mexico. Summer temps around here do exceed 105 plus we have our infamous traffic.
3. The final thing isn't so much of a question but an observation. For their 2.5l flat four engine it requires 0/20 syn but says in the same sentence that a 5/40 syn can be used, among other grades, if I can't get 0/20 for a top off. Seems odd that they'd do that but then again, even some threads here say there may not be that much of a difference between a 20 and 40 grade, except for mileage.
1. Starting with 2015, Subaru decreased their change intervals, even with synthetic oils, on all engines from 7.5k to 6k. Some theorize that with earlier generation oil consumption from faulty rings, this new change frequency puts the owner on heightened notice and perhaps keeps the value up on lease returns. The trend is for longer intervals with most everyone else and the oil, like M1 EP, is built for it. Is there a known reason why it's down to 6k?
2. The 3.6l requires 5w-30 syn and I currently run M1 5/30 in my present car. I'd stick with that but it's on the thin side. GC, which I've also used, is thicker but much pricier. The price doesn't offend me but it's a waste to dump it so soon, like Subaru wants me to do. Part of me says use the GC, other parts say use M1 0/40 and a third part of me says use 5 qts of M1 5/30 from the jug and fill the last two qts (6.9 qt capacity) with their 0/40. The car will be run in Southern California and out to Arizona, Nevada or New Mexico. Summer temps around here do exceed 105 plus we have our infamous traffic.
3. The final thing isn't so much of a question but an observation. For their 2.5l flat four engine it requires 0/20 syn but says in the same sentence that a 5/40 syn can be used, among other grades, if I can't get 0/20 for a top off. Seems odd that they'd do that but then again, even some threads here say there may not be that much of a difference between a 20 and 40 grade, except for mileage.
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