what can i get away with in vw 2.5?

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Olas
Assumin its same global market 2.5 tcyl that everyone else gets, you could use

0w20, 5w20
0w30, 5w30, 10w30
0w40, 5w40, 10w40, 15w40
20w50

Or alternatively, you can use anything displaying;
VW 501, VW. 502, VW 504, VW 505, VW 507,
Porsche A40
MB 229.5
BMW LL01
ACEA A3B3
ACEA A3B4

Between 0&5&10w30, and 0&5&10w40, you will be able to find an appropriate viscosity wherever uou look.


How is VW502.00 alternative? This engine REQUIRES VW502.00! Everything else is alternative.

 

[JunkdrawerDog]

Originally Posted by wemay
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by jstert


this scenario would be on a road trip with no vw dealer in sight so ordering online for shipment to me sitting in a motel waiting for delivery of vw spec oil or a filter isn't a viable option.

If you are doing a road trip, then presumably you will have lots of hwy miles accumulated quickly. If so, I would not bother with oil changes while on the road. Wait until you get back home, even if it means going past 10k miles. Those 0w40 oils mentioned previously can handle it no problem.


Good advice here. The HWY miles will be easy on the oil.

This. I think this is a safer alternative to rolling the dice with an oil change on the road. Keep a quart or two of the correct oil in the trunk and keep it topped up til you get home to your trusted dealership.

 

[Olas]

Sometimes you buy based on viscosity, but if you cant find the viscosity you want, the LTERNATIVE is to buy based on approval. I gave two choices, each one is an alternative to the other one.


Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by Olas
Assumin its same global market 2.5 tcyl that everyone else gets, you could use

0w20, 5w20
0w30, 5w30, 10w30
0w40, 5w40, 10w40, 15w40
20w50

Or alternatively, you can use anything displaying;
VW 501, VW. 502, VW 504, VW 505, VW 507,
Porsche A40
MB 229.5
BMW LL01
ACEA A3B3
ACEA A3B4

Between 0&5&10w30, and 0&5&10w40, you will be able to find an appropriate viscosity wherever uou look.


How is VW502.00 alternative? This engine REQUIRES VW502.00! Everything else is alternative.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Olas
Sometimes you buy based on viscosity, but if you cant find the viscosity you want, the LTERNATIVE is to buy based on approval. I gave two choices, each one is an alternative to the other one.


Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by Olas
Assumin its same global market 2.5 tcyl that everyone else gets, you could use

0w20, 5w20
0w30, 5w30, 10w30
0w40, 5w40, 10w40, 15w40
20w50

Or alternatively, you can use anything displaying;
VW 501, VW. 502, VW 504, VW 505, VW 507,
Porsche A40
MB 229.5
BMW LL01
ACEA A3B3
ACEA A3B4

Between 0&5&10w30, and 0&5&10w40, you will be able to find an appropriate viscosity wherever uou look.


How is VW502.00 alternative? This engine REQUIRES VW502.00! Everything else is alternative.


What? Can you run down this for us that are bit slower.
How is VW502.00 alternative? VW is specific what VW502.00 approval means. It CANNOT Be alternative to anything else. VW 502.00 is also very specific as what grades that includes, and nowhere 0W20 or 5W20 is mentioned.
VW502.00 is REQUIRED for 2.5 liter engine as any other gas VW engine until few years back. There is no such thing: if you cannot buy something, lternative is VW502.00.

 

[TiGeo]

Still missing why this is even an issue? Why wouldn't you plan ahead and maintain the car so you don't have to deal with it out of town? VW502 00 oils are v. common.

 

[Olas]

You seem to be struggling with language;
when there are several choices, each of those choices is an alternative to all the other choices.

If you are buying oil in a shop and they have two different types of oil, each one is ALTERNATIVE to the other. Regardless of what te OM specifies, 502 is ALTERNATIVE to 505 - its another choice.
Perhaps you misinterpret the word? People argue until theyre blue in the face that water is not volatile Most often this is because they don't know what 'volatile' means.

Used as an adjective, alternative means
"(of one or more things) available as another possibility or choice." - the various alternatives to resolve a dispute

Used as a noun, alternative means
"One of two or more alternative possibilities" - audiobooks are an alternative to reading


So you can see that within the confines of the English langage that we use every day, honda approved 0w20 is alternative to anything rated 502.

The definitions of 'alternative' in the dictionary makes no reference to oils listed in the owners manual. Dictionary definitions are very different to owners-manual dictated warranty compliance.

Clear enough for you?

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Olas
You seem to be struggling with language;
when there are several choices, each of those choices is an alternative to all the other choices.

If you are buying oil in a shop and they have two different types of oil, each one is ALTERNATIVE to the other. Regardless of what te OM specifies, 502 is ALTERNATIVE to 505 - its another choice.
Perhaps you misinterpret the word? People argue until theyre blue in the face that water is not volatile Most often this is because they don't know what 'volatile' means.

Used as an adjective, alternative means
"(of one or more things) available as another possibility or choice." - the various alternatives to resolve a dispute

Used as a noun, alternative means
"One of two or more alternative possibilities" - audiobooks are an alternative to reading


So you can see that within the confines of the English langage that we use every day, honda approved 0w20 is alternative to anything rated 502.

The definitions of 'alternative' in the dictionary makes no reference to oils listed in the owners manual. Dictionary definitions are very different to owners-manual dictated warranty compliance.

Clear enough for you?


VW 502.00 in 2.5 VW is not alternative to anything. Other oils might be (emphasis) alternative.
Is that clear enough for you?
Now, wether dictionaries address issue regarding oils recommended by VW is something I really did not research and I will not. But, manual is pretty clear, VW approves only one specification. Now, in some parallel universe there might be alternatives, and maybe they are even addressed in dictionaries, but in this universe, VW specifies VW502.00 specification for that engine. Everything else is experimentation.

 

[UG_Passat]

Originally Posted by Olas
Assumin its same global market 2.5 tcyl that everyone else gets, you could use


Your assumption is wrong. The 2.5L inline five motor is unique to the US market, it's not the same as say, the Audi TT-RS 2.5 TFSI engine. RoW Jetta's didn't get this engine. the Jetta 2.5L motor isn't a direct injection engine.

The requirement has always been oil that meets 502.00 specification

Also, 502.00 is not an alternative to 505.00/505.01, 505.00/.01 is the diesel complementary specification to the petrol 502.00

just like 506.00/.01 is the diesel complementary specification to the petrol 503.00/.01

just like 507.00 is the diesel complementary specification to the petrol 504.00

just like 509.00 is the diesel complementary specification to petrol 508.00

But... 505.00 is also paired with 501.01 for the for the R8 V10, Audi dusted off the obsoleted 501.01 number just for that engine.

 

[Olas]

Its not about requirements or approvals, its about language.

 

[TiGeo]

Good lord this post..hahahahahaha...grammar/language. VW says the 2.5 takes an oil with the VW502 00 which can be found just about anywhere and can be at your doorstop in a few days if it isn't. If you don't want to use that for whatever strange reason, you can use alternate oils.

 

[jstert]

thanks for everyones' inputs! to reiterate and explain: i religiously dealer-maintain my perfectly fine, non oil burning, 87k mile, 2.5 passat. i like to take extended road trips "of opportunity," no fixed schedule as i'm retired. therefore i might, not will but just might, find myself in the back of beyond needing a 10k mile oil change. if/if i were in this situation what would work and for how many miles on this simple and robust, non turbo, well maintained, vw engine, if no vw dealership in sight? so indeed i started the thread seeking advice on immediate yet decent "tide me over" alternatives.

i should have added that i found myself in this situation once when going far north in the winter. my relatives recommended a trustworthy and well regarded nearby gmc buick dealer. instead, i insisted on trekking to a far off, unknown vw dealer that ended up lying about its work, which they even admitted to when challenged: they advertised oil & filter change, tire rotation, safety and pressure check, fluid top off. i saw that the tires weren't rotated (marks on wheels unmoved), washer fluids way low (had been used up cleaning slush off windshield) and tire pressure unchecked (went from warmer to sub zero climate). service adviser combatively admitted the truth, saying that they are short staffed and usually customers don't ask anyway. yes, i wrote to and phoned general manager but to no useful end. when faced with some lies i doubt the whole truth. the oil looked new at least.

so, to make a long story short, instead of continuing my road trip with an overdue oil change, with oil filter in hand i drive into a recommended, yet non vw, dealership, or maybe some kind of national franchise, and ask for an oil change... what i'm concluding is to look for 0w30 and up, semi or full synthetic, ideally with some euro brand approval. without vw spec oil change it again under 5k. cheers.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Olas
Its not about requirements or approvals, its about language.

Yes, yes. 0W20, but alternative is VW502.00.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by jstert
thanks for everyones' inputs! to reiterate and explain: i religiously dealer-maintain my perfectly fine, non oil burning, 87k mile, 2.5 passat. i like to take extended road trips "of opportunity," no fixed schedule as i'm retired. therefore i might, not will but just might, find myself in the back of beyond needing a 10k mile oil change. if/if i were in this situation what would work and for how many miles on this simple and robust, non turbo, well maintained, vw engine, if no vw dealership in sight? so indeed i started the thread seeking advice on immediate yet decent "tide me over" alternatives.

i should have added that i found myself in this situation once when going far north in the winter. my relatives recommended a trustworthy and well regarded nearby gmc buick dealer. instead, i insisted on trekking to a far off, unknown vw dealer that ended up lying about its work, which they even admitted to when challenged: they advertised oil & filter change, tire rotation, safety and pressure check, fluid top off. i saw that the tires weren't rotated (marks on wheels unmoved), washer fluids way low (had been used up cleaning slush off windshield) and tire pressure unchecked (went from warmer to sub zero climate). service adviser combatively admitted the truth, saying that they are short staffed and usually customers don't ask anyway. yes, i wrote to and phoned general manager but to no useful end. when faced with some lies i doubt the whole truth. the oil looked new at least.

so, to make a long story short, instead of continuing my road trip with an overdue oil change, with oil filter in hand i drive into a recommended, yet non vw, dealership, or maybe some kind of national franchise, and ask for an oil change... what i'm concluding is to look for 0w30 and up, semi or full synthetic, ideally with some euro brand approval. without vw spec oil change it again under 5k. cheers.

Change oil. Use Castrol 0W40 or Mobil1 0W40 (I use in Tiguan Castrol 0W30 or 0W40).
Buy extra oil and filter. If you are going to be in populated area, it is high probability they will have Castrol 0W40 or M1 0W40 in local Wal Mart.
If you overshoot 10k, go to some nice shop, bring oil and filter, let them change while you are observing. Did that many times. I usually tell them to put few oz less so they do not put too much. If necessary I add soon after I check level.

 

[andreigbs]

Quote
to make a long story short, instead of continuing my road trip with an overdue oil change, with oil filter in hand i drive into a recommended, yet non vw, dealership, or maybe some kind of national franchise, and ask for an oil change... what i'm concluding is to look for 0w30 and up, semi or full synthetic, ideally with some euro brand approval. without vw spec oil change it again under 5k. cheers.

You can safely finish your road trip, even if you go over 10k miles on the current oil. I wouldn't risk an oil change at some Iffy Lube in the middle of nowwhere and likely not a place I'll return to in case of a botched job (they're iffy lubes for a reason...).

Having said that, when planning these roadtrips you could always change the oil a bit early and REALLY not worry about it

There are many oils that carry the right VW spec for you, I'm sure you know what they are. Point is, change the oil before the trip if it concerns you or when you get back even if you go over 10K. Unless you're burning it or otherwise losing oil, I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

 

[Olas]

There are numerous ‘boutique' oils that are not approved by the manufacturer - Redline and Motul and Gibbs don't have 502 but are suitable.
If you are dead set on a Grp.v oil but can not find one, you can use something approved by VW as an alternative o your preferred POE based lube.

Even the owners manual uses language, and so is governed by the definitions thereof.

 

[jstert]

thanks folks. i never go beyond 10k miles on a vw dealer oci and my scenario is getting a decent 3-5k mile oci with non vw, and even non euro, spec oil "in a pinch."

for grins and giggles i checked the local walmart for vw spec oil: there wasn't six quarts of same weight and same maker of even any euro spec oil on the shelf, let alone vw 502. lots of other good stuff at various weights. thus my interest in widely available, road trip, "tide me over" alternatives for a non turbo 2.5 l. cheers.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by jstert
for grins and giggles i checked the local walmart for vw spec oil: there wasn't six quarts of same weight and same maker of even any euro spec oil on the shelf, let alone vw 502. lots of other good stuff at various weights. thus my interest in road trip, "tide me over" alternatives...

Both Castrol and Mobil1 are sold in 5qt jugs. Now, there are some Wal Mart's that do not carry at all Euro stuff.
Now, this oil carries ACEA A3/B3 B4 specification, so you will be fine as VW 502.00 is based on ACEA A3/B3 B4:
https://mobiloil.com/en/motor-oils/mobil-1/mobil-1-high-mileage

 

[jstert]

Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by jstert
for grins and giggles i checked the local walmart for vw spec oil: there wasn't six quarts of same weight and same maker of even any euro spec oil on the shelf, let alone vw 502. lots of other good stuff at various weights. thus my interest in road trip, "tide me over" alternatives...

Both Castrol and Mobil1 are sold in 5qt jugs. Now, there are some Wal Mart's that do not carry at all Euro stuff.
Now, this oil carries ACEA A3/B3 B4 specification, so you will be fine as VW 502.00 is based on ACEA A3/B3 B4:
https://mobiloil.com/en/motor-oils/mobil-1/mobil-1-high-mileage


thanks and i truly don't mean to be obtuse, but, in the absence of any euro spec oil, what am i looking for in a max 5k mile oci "tide me over" alternative? i'm pretty sure that the gmc buick dealership that was recommended to me doesn't stock x-w40 euro spec oil. cheers.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by jstert
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by jstert
for grins and giggles i checked the local walmart for vw spec oil: there wasn't six quarts of same weight and same maker of even any euro spec oil on the shelf, let alone vw 502. lots of other good stuff at various weights. thus my interest in road trip, "tide me over" alternatives...

Both Castrol and Mobil1 are sold in 5qt jugs. Now, there are some Wal Mart's that do not carry at all Euro stuff.
Now, this oil carries ACEA A3/B3 B4 specification, so you will be fine as VW 502.00 is based on ACEA A3/B3 B4:
https://mobiloil.com/en/motor-oils/mobil-1/mobil-1-high-mileage


thanks and i truly don't mean to be obtuse, but, in the absence of any euro spec oil, what am i looking for in a max 5k mile oci "tide me over" alternative? i'm pretty sure that the gmc buick dealership that was recommended to me doesn't stock x-w40 euro spec oil. cheers.

Yes, GM dealership will stock Mobil1 0W40 ESP that is made for new Corvette. GM dealership will also stock Dexos2, ACEA C3 oils that are minimum HTHS 3.5cp.
Also, as others stated you can always go Rotella T6, Mobil1 5W40 TDT, Delvac etc. I was just last week in Wal Mart on border between MD and WV on a way from DC to CO, and I always check oils just out of curiosity, and this small place where biggest fun is Wal mart, was carrying all Euro oils.

 

[jstert]

thanks edyvw! dexos2 is just the kind of suggestion that im looking for. i know what you mean about out of the way walmarts...ive been though a few places where walmart was it and only it. cheers.