# castrol 5w40 or mobil 0w40 for the winter????



## boxylooks27 (Jun 21, 2008)

my 98gti vr6 has 140k i used 5w40 but i heard that for winter time a ligther oil wold be better. Should I change it? or change to 0w40 would make any difference ? here in jersey gets freaking cold


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## pturner67 (Dec 27, 2002)

*Re: castrol 5w40 or mobil 0w40 for the winter???? (boxylooks27)*

I do not know the definitive answer on this...but...5w40 will be great for all year usage...in the VR6 engine, a 0w oil might actually be too thin...when I had a VR6, I was told 10w40 and ran that with no issues...it might be dependent on the climate though since I lived in Atlanta at that time and it was warmer there


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## boxylooks27 (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: castrol 5w40 or mobil 0w40 for the winter???? (pturner67)*

yes i think i'm going to stick with the 5w40 een thou i have alreay 6qts of 0w40


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## jdrumstik9 (Nov 7, 2008)

*Re: castrol 5w40 or mobil 0w40 for the winter???? (pturner67)*

Actually, 0w-40 is the only Mobil1 oil that is approved by VW - so if you want to use Mobile1 you've got to use 0W-40. That's what I've been running i my 24v since finding Syntec is a 50/50 shot around here.
I might be wrong, but it seems to me that it gets pretty cold in Germany and that's where they approve all these oils, so VW pretty much just approves 0 and 5W-40, no 30s.


_Modified by jdrumstik9 at 10:02 PM 1-28-2009_


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## rodhotter (Dec 24, 2003)

the first number is the cold viscosity, any real full synthetic 10w flows extremely well in the cold, castrol syntec is NOT a real full synthetic, an 0w would be useful in alaska but overkill mostly, but it won't hurt in milder climates


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## StoicDude (Apr 17, 2002)

It really doesn't matter which one you want to use. 0w or 5w will work really well. 
VW approves plenty of xw-30 oils, just take a look at the global list of oils or even take a walk to the dealership. Their SLX professional ol LongLife III oil is a 5w-30 oil. 
SInce you are out of warranty, you really don't need to stay true to the VW approved oils, but they are good oils. If you have been running the same oil for 140 000 miles, just stick with it.


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## kickinkz (Feb 18, 2009)

look in your owners manual....5w-30 covered a wide range of temps....I think most of the manufacturers recommend that...my Grand Caravan and Trailblazer take the same.


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## sting (Oct 6, 2001)

*Re: castrol 5w40 or mobil 0w40 for the winter???? (boxylooks27)*

I have a 99 MkIII 2.0L... I'm using Esso XD-3 0w40... no problems so far... just got the car recently. I've gone about 2K KM, oil level
Had used this oil previously on my 2000 Jetta 2.0L AEG, with no problems. It is a group 4 synthetic... and someone in the last year must have figured out it was a pretty good oil, because it used be almost hidden on the Wal-Mart oil rack for $23 for 4L, and now its $35!!! I checked the spec sheet, and its basically the same as the Mobil 0w40.
In my 2000, I'd even used it during the summer without issue.


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## norcaldubn (Nov 7, 2007)

Ive been using Mobil 1 0-40w in my 94 Golf Sport since Feb 2008, and its great.. I wanted to use 5-40 but i couldnt find a place that sold it thats local and convenient. Motor had about 129k when i bought it... now has about 144k now.
I change my oil every 3-4k miles. Only prob with that oil is my small oil leak has gotten a little bit bigger, esp in the summer time. I just did a tune up on my mom's 97 Jetta with the same oil and hers has a Knock now at idle.. so im prob gonna go with a thicker oil.. i guess the OBDII's like thicker oil. Either that or becuase her Jetta only has 85k miles..


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