# Having trouble finding 5w40 oil locally at auto parts stores...where do you guys get it?



## GolfR4Life (Jan 5, 2011)

I am not very familar german cars, so I am new to getting the stuff it needs. But trying to find 5w40 in a quality oil like Mobil 1 or Penzoil Ultra/Plat, I can't seem to find it in our weight. I found Castrol Syntec but it isn't as good as the others.

What are your recommendations on where to find it? I went to Autozone yesterday, no dice.

PS, I will not go to Amsoil or Motul as I don't feel like dealing with ordering it and paying the extra when I can get oil that is just as good at a local autoparts store.


----------



## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

walmart for Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5w40

again, walmart for Mobil 1 0w40

and walmart for Shell Rotella T-6 5w40


----------



## cryption (Mar 28, 2006)

I'm anti Wal-Mart but you can pick up M1 0w-40 at any of the auto parts stores. It's often on special with a filter for $30


----------



## rdezsofi (Sep 21, 2010)

I'm anti-WalMart as well....only thing I buy there is the oil. NAPA also carries the good stuff: Lubro Moly.


----------



## dval372 (Mar 20, 2010)

theres some at autozone
its next to the diesel oil, they sell it in 1 gallon containers

i had a hard time finding it the first time

i believe it was rotella

best of luck


----------



## Deadzero2005 (Apr 13, 2006)

VW-TX said:


> *I am not very familar german cars*, so I am new to getting the stuff it needs. But trying to find 5w40 in a quality oil like Mobil 1 or Penzoil Ultra/Plat, I can't seem to find it in our weight. *I found Castrol Syntec but it isn't as good as the others.*
> 
> What are your recommendations on where to find it? I went to Autozone yesterday, no dice.
> 
> PS, I will not go to Amsoil or Motul as I don't feel like dealing with ordering it and paying the extra when I can get oil that is just as good at a local autoparts store.


Ok ok so your not familiar with German cars but you know that Castrol Syntec isn't "as good" as other oils. 

Been using Castrol all my life and have been using Castrol Syntec in my 1.8Ts and never had a problem.


----------



## GolfR4Life (Jan 5, 2011)

Deadzero2005 said:


> Ok ok so your not familiar with German cars but you know that Castrol Syntec isn't "as good" as other oils.
> 
> Been using Castrol all my life and have been using Castrol Syntec in my 1.8Ts and never had a problem.


It's not as good. www.bobistheoilguy.com shows it on all the UOA's.


----------



## cryption (Mar 28, 2006)

Stolen info from saaber:

Also I personally wouldn't use M1 0w40 in this engine. It thins very rapidly. Viscosity loss rates are 18-25% on the 2.0FSI in around 3k-5k miles. Typical manufacturer condemnation limits are 10% viscosity loss (Kv100). We have 24 M1 0w40 used oil analyses for the 2.0 FSI and 23 of those thinned out of grade. The only one in grade had a kv100 of 12.53 and the limit for a 40 weight oil is 12.5 so it made it by only 0.03 Also Terry Dyson the oil expert form Dyson Analysis has been quoted as saying wear control using M1 0w40 on the BMW direct injection engines is only good enough for about 1000 miles or so. I understand this is due to the fuel dilution these direct injection engines dish out. I'm not saying M1 0W40 is a bad oil. All the data we have and Dyson say this oil is a poor fit for DI engines. Also it seems that nearly all the PAO-based VW 502 oils all perform similarly poorly (again based on UOAs and Dyson analysis). This makes sense because they are all built down to the same specification. These oils are tested in Europe where the cars run in lean burn mode which produces less fuel dilution than our cars here in the U.S.


I would recommend a stout, ester-based 5w40. Shear rates can be as low as 10-15% with those oils in around 5k miles, depending on what oil you are using.

Castrol isn't near as good in the 2.0t, but is fine for your 1.8t


----------



## STVR6 (Jul 6, 2010)

Mobil-1 0W40 is easy to find.




VW-TX said:


> I am not very familar german cars, so I am new to getting the stuff it needs. But trying to find 5w40 in a quality oil like Mobil 1 or Penzoil Ultra/Plat, I can't seem to find it in our weight. I found Castrol Syntec but it isn't as good as the others.
> 
> What are your recommendations on where to find it? I went to Autozone yesterday, no dice.
> 
> PS, I will not go to Amsoil or Motul as I don't feel like dealing with ordering it and paying the extra when I can get oil that is just as good at a local autoparts store.


----------



## doctorvw (Apr 7, 2011)

cryption said:


> Stolen info from saaber:
> 
> Also I personally wouldn't use M1 0w40 in this engine. It thins very rapidly. Viscosity loss rates are 18-25% on the 2.0FSI in around 3k-5k miles. Typical manufacturer condemnation limits are 10% viscosity loss (Kv100). We have 24 M1 0w40 used oil analyses for the 2.0 FSI and 23 of those thinned out of grade. The only one in grade had a kv100 of 12.53 and the limit for a 40 weight oil is 12.5 so it made it by only 0.03 Also Terry Dyson the oil expert form Dyson Analysis has been quoted as saying wear control using M1 0w40 on the BMW direct injection engines is only good enough for about 1000 miles or so. I understand this is due to the fuel dilution these direct injection engines dish out. I'm not saying M1 0W40 is a bad oil. All the data we have and Dyson say this oil is a poor fit for DI engines. Also it seems that nearly all the PAO-based VW 502 oils all perform similarly poorly (again based on UOAs and Dyson analysis). This makes sense because they are all built down to the same specification. These oils are tested in Europe where the cars run in lean burn mode which produces less fuel dilution than our cars here in the U.S.
> 
> ...


So what is the "best" oil according to used oil analysis for the 1.8T? People seem to really like Royal Purple and Lubro Moly.


----------



## kungfoojesus (Jan 10, 2005)

lubro/liqui moly are both great. whichever one comes in 0w40 is the one I use (supposedly group 4). pick it up at nappa right off the shelf w/mann oil filter for about $80 per oil change (DIY). Its pricey.

the 5w40 in the US supposedly has same part number, same bottle, but is a group 3 synthetic in the US and otherwise outside. i dunno how true this is but i just run the more expensive 0w40 now and it works great in my 2.5


----------



## doctorvw (Apr 7, 2011)

kungfoojesus said:


> lubro/liqui moly are both great. whichever one comes in 0w40 is the one I use (supposedly group 4). pick it up at nappa right off the shelf w/mann oil filter for about $80 per oil change (DIY). Its pricey.
> 
> the 5w40 in the US supposedly has same part number, same bottle, but is a group 3 synthetic in the US and otherwise outside. i dunno how true this is but i just run the more expensive 0w40 now and it works great in my 2.5


Do you run the 0W-40 year round? I always thought of it more as a winter oil. What does it offer that a cheaper synthetic like Castrol Syntec or Mobil One doesn't?


----------



## Nitestalkerz (Dec 8, 2006)

Deadzero2005 said:


> Ok ok so your not familiar with German cars but you know that Castrol Syntec isn't "as good" as other oils.
> 
> Been using Castrol all my life and have been using Castrol Syntec in my 1.8Ts and never had a problem.


Castrol Syntes is one of the best oils out there. The new version is even better. My BMW x3 uses 
5w30 1.8T uses 5w30, yes i use 5w30 in a turbo car with no problems , and the vr uses 5x30 when in storage, and 5x50 in summer


----------



## doctorvw (Apr 7, 2011)

Nitestalkerz said:


> Castrol Syntes is one of the best oils out there. The new version is even better. My BMW x3 uses
> 5w30 1.8T uses 5w30, yes i use 5w30 in a turbo car with no problems , and the vr uses 5x30 when in storage, and 5x50 in summer


The new version...is that the Castrol Edge with Syntec?


----------



## Nitestalkerz (Dec 8, 2006)

yea its a new version. I think it was redone due to the syntec had a short life span, 3000 then had to change it, while other brands were going into the 5k range


----------



## doctorvw (Apr 7, 2011)

Nitestalkerz said:


> yea its a new version. I think it was redone due to the syntec had a short life span, 3000 then had to change it, while other brands were going into the 5k range


That's what the VW dealerships use and they still recommend a 5K OCI. A lot of people love Castrol Syntec and haven't had any problems.


----------



## WOBtheJetta (Jan 15, 2002)

*well...*

Walmart sometimes has Mobil 1 0w40 or Valvoline 5w40 MST (both 502 approved).

Autozone usually has Castrol 0w30 and almost always has Castrol 5w40 and Mobil 1 0w40 (all 502 approved).

Advance Auto Parts almost always has Castrol 5w40 and Mobil 1 0w40.

Pep Boys usually has Castrol 0w30 and almost always has Castrol 5w40, Mobil 1 0w40, and Mobil 1 ESP 5w30 (which is 504/507 approved).


My car consumes a lot of oil with Castrol 5w40 (2.5 qt per 6,000 mi) and Valvoline MST 5w30 (~2.5 qt. per 10k mi) , so I tried the Castrol 0w30 and it reduced my consumption to .75 qt / 6000 mi....YMMV. I've had difficulty finding the 0w30 in the past couple of months. If you do a long drain I'm going to add that my '98 ML320 experienced a tiny bit of sludgey stuff in the valve covers and breathers with its *REALLY* long 15 - 18k mi OCIs in the 198k mi before I pulled them to clean them. It exclusively had Mobil 1 0w40 for 150k, and was cleaned by the dealer's hands at 50k from Rotella-T sludge. Engine wear was almost nonexistent, but Mobil obviously cheapened their formula in the past few years which allows some sludging. I won't be using it for long drains anymore, again YMMV.


----------



## seanmcd72 (May 14, 2008)

NAPA NAPA NAPA!

I get Lubro Moly 5w40 there. There's got to be a Napa in town


----------



## WOBtheJetta (Jan 15, 2002)

*re: LM*

I'd much rather use something more exotic than Castrol, but their engine extended warranty is pretty hard to beat (tho has some asinine requirements). I at least feel that GC 0w30 isn't crummy (my car hates Castrol 5w40 tho)...and let's be real --- I drive a 2.0T FSI, something's bound to break internally...eventually.


----------



## rajvosa71000 (Jun 9, 2004)

If I was buying oil from the local shops my choice would be Castrol Syntec, otherwise I buy my oil from ecstuning.com, currently Im using Lubro Moly on my 24V VR6 and Pentosin for my 12V VR6...all of them had good results from my UOA from blackstone.


----------



## seanmcd72 (May 14, 2008)

rajvosa71000 said:


> If I was buying oil from the local shops my choice would be Castrol Syntec, otherwise I buy my oil from ecstuning.com, currently Im using Lubro Moly on my 24V VR6 and Pentosin for my 12V VR6...all of them had good results from my UOA from blackstone.


No Napa's in your town? They sell the Lubro Moly


----------

