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2018 GTI 0w40 or 5w40 ?

Tsi7

Ready to race!
Location
Ontario, Canada
it's honestly all the same shit... get VW approved full synthetic 502.00 oil (I don't think 502.00 rating is anything but synthetic anyways) and you'll be fine

I used to be that guy wondering which grade oil and brand is best blah blah... if it's on the manufacture approved list, it should be fine...castrol, mobil 1, liqui moly, etc... they probably all have their unique strengths and weaknesses but unless you're racing or live in extremly hot/cold temps, I really do believe you won't be able to tell the difference.

I picked up four 5L jugs of castrol edge 5w40 edge SPT for 27 CAD (roughly 20 USD)... that's what's going in my car till I run out, and then i'm gonna get the next cheapest 502 5w40 rated oil I can get my hands on
 

ManInTheClouds

Ready to race!
Location
OK
it's honestly all the same shit... get VW approved full synthetic 502.00 oil (I don't think 502.00 rating is anything but synthetic anyways) and you'll be fine

I used to be that guy wondering which grade oil and brand is best blah blah... if it's on the manufacture approved list, it should be fine...castrol, mobil 1, liqui moly, etc... they probably all have their unique strengths and weaknesses but unless you're racing or live in extremly hot/cold temps, I really do believe you won't be able to tell the difference.

I picked up four 5L jugs of castrol edge 5w40 edge SPT for 27 CAD (roughly 20 USD)... that's what's going in my car till I run out, and then i'm gonna get the next cheapest 502 5w40 rated oil I can get my hands on

Some are better than others though.

Dealer Castrol 5w-40 meets MB229.3 but not .5.

Whereas German Castrol 0w-40 meets MB229.5, which is a more stringent specification.
 

Tsi7

Ready to race!
Location
Ontario, Canada
Some are better than others though.

Dealer Castrol 5w-40 meets MB229.3 but not .5.

Whereas German Castrol 0w-40 meets MB229.5, which is a more stringent specification.

Again, not saying they're aren't differences amongst and brands and even "models" amongst the same brand.

But, the reality is 95% of mk7 owners will never see a difference amongst the brands unless their cars are exposed to conditions which the car wead not mad le for (like I said, very high or low temps, tracking, extended idling, etc)

This isn't a bmw m3 v8 that takes 10w-60...we're talking about a golf

At the end of the day, this of course is just an opinion of mine based on previous experiences and knowledge gathered over the years... People choose to do what they want with their cars, time and money :)
 

Wrath And Tears

Go Kart Champion
Location
Azusa, CA
Car(s)
17 Sport, 99 E36
Again, not saying they're aren't differences amongst and brands and even "models" amongst the same brand.

But, the reality is 95% of mk7 owners will never see a difference amongst the brands unless their cars are exposed to conditions which the car wead not mad le for (like I said, very high or low temps, tracking, extended idling, etc)

This isn't a bmw m3 v8 that takes 10w-60...we're talking about a golf

At the end of the day, this of course is just an opinion of mine based on previous experiences and knowledge gathered over the years... People choose to do what they want with their cars, time and money :)

That oil is crazy fucking expensive. Like the oil itself cost more than the total oil service on other cars.
 

Tsi7

Ready to race!
Location
Ontario, Canada
That oil is crazy fucking expensive. Like the oil itself cost more than the total oil service on other cars.

I checked out of curiosity because I know such an uncommon oil can't be cheap...to my surprise the local german parts shops around my area have liqui moly and motul 10w-60 for around 60 bucks CAD (about 45 USD) for a 5L jug... Not bad actually
 

Tsi7

Ready to race!
Location
Ontario, Canada
I was trying to decide what oil to get, too. The GTI owner's manual says 5W40 or 5W30 that meets VW spec (502/3/4 00). Castrol Edge 5W40 fits the bill. I picked some up today.

Is it -40 in Ottawa all the time? No it's not... so you're good with 5w40 (and no, -40 with windchill doesn't count)
 

Tsi7

Ready to race!
Location
Ontario, Canada

Wrath And Tears

Go Kart Champion
Location
Azusa, CA
Car(s)
17 Sport, 99 E36
I checked out of curiosity because I know such an uncommon oil can't be cheap...to my surprise the local german parts shops around my area have liqui moly and motul 10w-60 for around 60 bucks CAD (about 45 USD) for a 5L jug... Not bad actually

Ah yeah totally, I was thinking the BMW branded oil. Pretty sure it's like $20/L from the dealership. Online I see it for about $12/L so not as bad, but still nuts.
 

Tsi7

Ready to race!
Location
Ontario, Canada
Debating if i should use 0w40 or 5w40... Here are my top two choice after all the reading from this forum.


I was trying to decide what oil to get, too. The GTI owner's manual says 5W40 or 5W30 that meets VW spec (502/3/4 00). Castrol Edge 5W40 fits the bill. I picked some up today.

Hmmmm

sounds to me like you were debating whether to use 0w40 or 5w40... so I told you that Ottawa doesn't get to -40 all the time.... I think that's relevant to the topic and making a decision on which oil you should use. Sorry if you can't read between the lines or don't know the difference between a 0w40 or 5w40 weight and how 0w40 would be much more useful in extreme cold :)
 

Audi Junkie

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
PA
Generally, 0w-40 will be a better newer formula than 5w-40. The one area where 5w-40 is a winner is in the HD heavy duty diesel truck oils, like ROTELLA or especially Chevron DELO 5w-40 with it's high HT/HS and flashpoint. FP or volatility is the most important spec to compare if using in a DI engine.

Lots of fanboi love for Liqui Moly, but it's nothing special. In fact, many grades don't actually have the mfg specs on the label, merely "recommended for" or meets the requirements of..." No way on Earth should people pay extra for imported oils, when we have the best oils at the best price in the USA.

5w-40 is best for a track car or in extreme heat. 0w-40 is best in extreme cold and or short trip driving. Really, any oil in these grades are fine for a Euro turbo engine. VW 502 is an old and antiquated spec. The best mfg, the one to look for is MB 229.5. VW 504 is an even higher spec, and is NOW advisable to use in the USA since our gas is now ultra low sulphur. High sulphur gas affects the lifespan of the oil if it's low/mid SAPS (sulphated ash). The upside of VW 504 is it can reduce intake valve deposits. I use 1/2 can of CRC GDI cleaner spray every Spring to keep deposits in check.

Best approach is to do a UOA lab report on your chosen used oil. Rarely do you have any abnormal wear. So, I tell people to select a brand they like, because Grandpa used it or whatever. Then pick 0w-40 or 5w-40....you're done. Mobil 1 0w-40 is a safe and easy bet. However, Castrol Edge 0w-40 with the new titanium additive pack has legit mfg specs, and is literally cutting edge tech, while Castrol 5w-40 (dealer drum oil) is an old lame formula.

Pennzoil has some excellent oils, available widely. I just bought some Valvoline 0w-40 for the novelty, $4q at WalMart.com. If you want the most stout oil w/high HT/HS Delo is an easy call. Don't worry about VW 502, an oil like Rotella or Delo exceed it by so far it is not even funny. Just don't let it run low, adding 1/2q at a time for top-off is ideal.

Again, ANY 0w-40 or 5w-40 is fine.
 
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