# What oil to use?



## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

Hello everyone.

I'm preparing to change the oil on my Tiguan and I've been told Liqui Moly is the best brand of oil to use for the car. I've seen the Leichtlauf High Tech Engine Oil (5w-40) and the Molygen (5w-40). I've looked online and seen that each has its benefits but have not decided on which is better for me. What do you guys think


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## Thatuhhhhguy (6 mo ago)

They are both great oils, I think Molygen would be better but I haven't used it. I've been using Leichtlauf High Tech and its been working great, test out both if you want but I wouldn't go crazy over it. Just make sure it has the right approval and change it every 5k miles.


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## twiggs462 (Mar 20, 2007)

BenoYo1 said:


> Hello everyone.
> 
> I'm preparing to change the oil on my Tiguan and I've been told Liqui Moly is the best brand of oil to use for the car. I've seen the Leichtlauf High Tech Engine Oil (5w-40) and the Molygen (5w-40). I've looked online and seen that each has its benefits but have not decided on which is better for me. What do you guys think


I am curious as well becuase I use Castrol 5w-20 - are these other weights too think when they heat up?


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

twiggs462 said:


> I am curious as well becuase I use Castrol 5w-20 - are these other weights too think when they heat up?


I'm not sure, I read that 5w-40 are for ambient temperatures up to 50C and 5w-20 is for ambient temperatures up to 30C. Where I live its over 30C all year round so I'm guessing that is what I would need. Overall this is very confusing.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

.

Below is oil info for a 2020 Tiguan and a link to manuals online. I'm assuming your 2019 maybe the same. You must input your VIN in order to view it. I verified the info with my hard copy and it's the same. It says 0W-30 and recommends Castrol. My last two complimentary oil changes from VW indicates Genuine VW 0W-20. Manual allows you to use 0.5 quarts of an API SN oil in between changes. Well, I recently did just that without knowing it and for the first time of ownership I'm proud of my Tiguan. Have been thinking of trading it due to the motor noise.

I traded my 19 Altas V6 4Motion SE Tech Pack with my brother's 19 Tiguan 4Motion SE Tech Pack as he saw heavy snow during the winter and I did not. Besides, he needed the extra adult seating capacity and I don't. The 19 was terrible even after the software update. The lower end like knock and pre-ignition noise was atrocious and embarrassing. The software also did not address the lag from a stop and it was dangerous. I did an even trade for a 2020 Tiguan S just to get rid of it.

The 2020 has been great but the engine still clacked and groan albeit nowhere near the 19. With the 0.5 quart of Castrol 5W50 I love the car now! Pickup is great and the engine being pettier seems to help the transmission shift better also. With your car go with at least a 0W30. When mine is out of warranty I will just go with a 0W40 or 5W40 as the winters are not that bad. For a 2.0 turbo the 0W20 just didn't seem right in terms of heat range. I will do my own oil change next time around and use 0W30 plus that 0.5 of Castrol 5W50 to keep it quiet till out of warranty.
.





Volkswagen Owners Manuals | Official VW Digital Resources


Quickly view PDF versions of your owners manual for VW model years 2012 and newer by entering your 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).




www.vwserviceandparts.com













Castrol 5W50 - Silence Of The Tig-Lamb


. Castrol 5W-50 and Swepco 5W-30 for the Volvos & Lexus V8 GS430. Found them at an exceptional price so stocked up as top off for those exceptional hot summer months. The 2020 Tig used a quart at the first oil change. Just had the second change last month so decided to see how half a quart...




www.vwvortex.com





.

*Engine oil standards*







Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice ⇒ and







Safety precautions for working in the engine/motor compartment. 
*Utilized engine oil*
There is a label on the lock carrier that shows which engine oil should be added. Please follow the note and if possible only add the indicated engine oil ⇒ .
If this is not possible, contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility to find out which engine oil is suitable for your vehicle. Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
If the engine oil recommended by the authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility is not available, a different engine oil can be used in an emergency. To reduce the risk of damaging the engine, a maximum of 0.5 liters of the following engine oils may be added until the next oil change:

Gasoline engine: Standard ACEA A3/B4 or API SN (API SM) and viscosity grade SAE 0W-30.
Volkswagen recommends







engine oils.
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## Jettaguynj (Jun 21, 2020)

BenoYo1 said:


> Hello everyone.
> 
> I'm preparing to change the oil on my Tiguan and I've been told Liqui Moly is the best brand of oil to use for the car. I've seen the Leichtlauf High Tech Engine Oil (5w-40) and the Molygen (5w-40). I've looked online and seen that each has its benefits but have not decided on which is better for me. What do you guys think


Beno:

I didn't know much about LiquiMoly until a few years ago. I used Mobil1 for 20 years and Porsche used it in their cars. After I saw the guys at NGP Racing using it and then reading up on it, I switched 5 years ago. The Molygen is mainly to spot leaks. I use Leichtlauf in my MKIII. LiquiMoly is awesome! And it's made in Germany. Nuff said.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

OmegaVW said:


> .
> 
> Below is oil info for a 2020 Tiguan and a link to manuals online. I'm assuming your 2019 maybe the same. You must input your VIN in order to view it. I verified the info with my hard copy and it's the same. It says 0W-30 and recommends Castrol. My last two complimentary oil changes from VW indicates Genuine VW 0W-20. Manual allows you to use 0.5 quarts of an API SN oil in between changes. Well, I recently did just that without knowing it and for the first time of ownership I'm proud of my Tiguan. Have been thinking of trading it due to the motor noise.
> 
> ...


My VIN doesn't work on that website since it isn't a US model... I have the ROW model with the DSG. I'm between 5w-30 and 5w-40, leaning towards 5w-40. My owners manual doesn't specify any weights, it just says to use VW 502 00 oil which doesn't narrow it down.


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## Thatuhhhhguy (6 mo ago)

BenoYo1 said:


> My VIN doesn't work on that website since it isn't a US model... I have the ROW model with the DSG. I'm between 5w-30 and 5w-40, leaning towards 5w-40. My owners manual doesn't specify any weights, it just says to use VW 502 00 oil which doesn't narrow it down.


 There should be a sticker close to the front of the car under the hood that says the oil weight and approved spec. You could always call your dealer or VW and ask which oil to use.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

I'll try to look under my hood. I doubt my dealer would be very helpful since here the dealer is known to suck... they tried to charge me $450 for a service, also why I'm going this route of doing it myself.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

twiggs462 said:


> I am curious as well becuase I use Castrol 5w-20 - are these other weights too think when they heat up?


.
Oil will always thin when warmed till you overheat and cook it then it turns thick and cokes. With 0W20 the lower the first number the better it flows when cold. The second 20 is the highest heat range it can handle so the greater the number the higher heat it can handle. The additive package and quality of the oil helps provide the broader range..
.

.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

Thatuhhhhguy said:


> There should be a sticker close to the front of the car under the hood that says the oil weight and approved spec. You could always call your dealer or VW and ask which oil to use.


Well after going under my hood this is what I found... after doing some googling I've seen a bunch of threads leading to the Leichtlauf High Tech as 5w-40 which is what I think im going to settle for.


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## Thatuhhhhguy (6 mo ago)

BenoYo1 said:


> Well after going under my hood this is what I found... after doing some googling I've seen a bunch of threads leading to the Leichtlauf High Tech as 5w-40 which is what I think im going to settle for.
> View attachment 228105


What??? That is so strange that it doesn't say the weight, 5w-40 has got to be the wrong weight, the newer ones should take 0w20. Do you happen to know your engine code?


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

Im pretty sure its DGV011199


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## Thatuhhhhguy (6 mo ago)

This video shows you how to find the engine code, with the engine code it should be very easy to find out the correct oil.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

I was close enough, its DGV.


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## Thatuhhhhguy (6 mo ago)

I couldn't find that much info with the engine code, I would call VW directly if i were you and ask but I believe 0w-20 or 5w-40 should be fine. its crazy there isn't any label on what weight of oil to use.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

They probably do it here to entice you to go do it at the dealer and get ripped off.... Anways, since from what I've read its mostly temperature based, and where I live its 90 degrees and up all year round (no winter) so does that change anything?


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## Thatuhhhhguy (6 mo ago)

Yes it is mostly based of ambient temps, if it's 90 all year round then i would go with 5w-40.


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## DoC0427 (Sep 16, 2019)

OmegaVW said:


> .
> Oil will always thin when warmed till you overheat and cook it then it turns thick and cokes. With 0W20 the lower the first number the better it flows when cold. The second 20 is the highest heat range it can handle so the greater the number the higher heat it can handle. The additive package and quality of the oil helps provide the broader range..
> .
> 
> .


What?! That’s completely incorrect! The exact opposite is true.

0W20 means the oil viscosity is SAE0 when cold and INCREASES to SAE20 when it warms up. These automotive oils are engineered to get thicker when it heats up, not thinner. This is needed to speed flow to the moving parts when the engine is cold, then as it heats up the viscosity increases (thickens) and “sticks” better to the friction surfaces to maximize the lubrication.





__





What Does Viscosity Mean (and How Does it Affect Your Engine)? - AMSOIL Blog






blog.amsoil.com





Cheers,
DoC


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## 17GaSoWay (Aug 16, 2020)

DoC0427 said:


> What?! That’s completely incorrect! The exact opposite is true.
> 
> 0W20 means the oil viscosity is SAE0 when cold and INCREASES to SAE20 when it warms up. These automotive oils are engineered to get thicker when it heats up, not thinner.
> 
> ...


I’m not saying your reasons are wrong but try it sometime. Pull your plug and drain the oil when the engine is 20 def. F. Slooooow. Why do they say to always warm motor to operating temp. Oil is thinner and drains better.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

DoC0427 said:


> What?! That’s completely incorrect! The exact opposite is true.
> 
> 0W20 means the oil viscosity is SAE0 when cold and INCREASES to SAE20 when it warms up. These automotive oils are engineered to get thicker when it heats up, not thinner. This is needed to speed flow to the moving parts when the engine is cold, then as it heats up the viscosity increases (thickens) and “sticks” better to the friction surfaces to maximize the lubrication.
> 
> ...


I can understand why you would want to think the oil thickens are it's heated. It would help you make sense that as the heat rise oil needs to be thicker to combat the heat. However, oil of any kind just does not work that way in nature. The rating is for cold flow and thermal break down at certain temperature ranges not how thick it is. The rating do indicate thickness but is not analogous to temperature rating. The following is from your Amsoil link:

"Motor oil viscosity is the measure of its resistance to flow. Low-viscosity oil (e.g. 0W-20) flows faster than high-viscosity oil (e.g. 20W-50).
To illustrate, think of water and honey. When poured from a container, water (0W20) flows much faster than honey (20W50)."

This is referencing the 2 motor oils starting point (thickness) at the same ambient temperature. Both oils will flow faster as the temperature rises. Visual illustration in video below.
.
Cold flow test starts @ 7:25.






Flow test @ 10:10.






.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

BenoYo1 said:


> They probably do it here to entice you to go do it at the dealer and get ripped off.... Anways, since from what I've read its mostly temperature based, and where I live its 90 degrees and up all year round (no winter) so does that change anything?


A member of the Volvo forum owns a 09 C30 T5 and my Son has a 08 C30 T5 so I found the info for his year online for him. Below see how Volvo covers the basis for Fuel Economy, Hot & Cold Climate and Extreme Engine Operations. As long as the API Rating such as SL, SN, SN Plus etc matches the manual it's really up to the owner to make the decision what is best for their car. This releases the liability of the manufacturer for the wrong usage of oil. In some countries regulatory agency are slack so perhaps info for oil is not strict in terms of requiring to provide spec to the consumer so dealerships can take advantage of the lack of information. As for your climate 5W40 is the proper choice.

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## coolmike41 (Jul 3, 2010)

what engine code do you have? and what model year? I saw you posted dvg but that is not an engine code.
Since you have a ROW model and it says 502 spec, looks like its 5w40.
do not use 0w-20 since your engine is different from north america (not to mention there is no vw502 spec 0w20)


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

It's a 2019. I'm going to buy the 5w-40 Leichtlauf High Tech by Liqui Moly. Googling the VW 502 spec I've seen a bunch of times this oil and from what I've read here the weight of it is accurate for my weather conditions.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

coolmike41 said:


> what engine code do you have? and what model year? I saw you posted dvg but that is not an engine code.
> Since you have a ROW model and it says 502 spec, looks like its 5w40.
> do not use 0w-20 since your engine is different from north america (not to mention there is no vw502 spec 0w20)


This is all I got:


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

BenoYo1 said:


> I have the ROW model with the DSG.


Haven't owned a VW in many years and have not done research so I'm not familiar with the term ROW?

.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

OmegaVW said:


> Haven't owned a VW in many years and have not done research so I'm not familiar with the term ROW?
> 
> .


Rest of World... there's the 2 main ones NAR for North American region (USA, Canada) and then ROW for the rest. There may be some more I'm not 100% sure but those are the ones that are most mentioned.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

BenoYo1 said:


> Rest of World... there's the 2 main ones NAR for North American region (USA, Canada) and then ROW for the rest. There may be some more I'm not 100% sure but those are the ones that are most mentioned.


Got it thanks! Someone mentioned the motor was different?
.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

Well, a main difference between mine and those sold in NAR is that the NAR ones come with a conventional 8 speed auto, mine comes with a 7 speed DSG. However my specific spec is very weird, I have parts mixed from a US car and a European car: I have euro tail lights and no side markers, however, the light switch is the US model so I cant take advantage of the euro tail lights rear fog light... Anyways it's a weird spec I could talk about for hours but to keep on topic to this thread, apparently, the engine code printed does not exist much on the internet and no online manuals usually used work for me so we are searching for what oil it could use.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

BenoYo1 said:


> Well, a main difference between mine and those sold in NAR is that the NAR ones come with a conventional 8 speed auto, mine comes with a 7 speed DSG. However my specific spec is very weird, I have parts mixed from a US car and a European car: I have euro tail lights and no side markers, however, the light switch is the US model so I cant take advantage of the euro tail lights rear fog light... Anyways it's a weird spec I could talk about for hours but to keep on topic to this thread, apparently, the engine code printed does not exist much on the internet and no online manuals usually used work for me so we are searching for what oil it could use.


I got it, it's a lack of info and mixing of parts. The motor design should be about or be the same but the viscosity for the climate is the main thing for all cars. You're in good shape with the 5W40. Be curious however what the VW dealership uses. Which country are you in?

.


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## coolmike41 (Jul 3, 2010)

BenoYo1 said:


> This is all I got:
> View attachment 228380
> View attachment 228381


ok this is DGVA engine
service manual says use 5w40 as well, given you are not in NA
_for Gasoline,That Does NotMeet Standard EN 228 (NOTFOR NORTH AMERICAN MARKET)”,_


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## Jettaguynj (Jun 21, 2020)

BenoYo1 said:


> I'll try to look under my hood. I doubt my dealer would be very helpful since here the dealer is known to suck... they tried to charge me $450 for a service, also why I'm going this route of doing it myself.


Beno:

They tried to charge you $450.00 for an oil change?!!!! Are you kidding me?!!!!!!!!! I'd report them to the BBB and then call local TV station and blast them off the face of the earth!


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## kirk_augustin (Jul 21, 2012)

DoC0427 said:


> What?! That’s completely incorrect! The exact opposite is true.
> 
> 0W20 means the oil viscosity is SAE0 when cold and INCREASES to SAE20 when it warms up. These automotive oils are engineered to get thicker when it heats up, not thinner. This is needed to speed flow to the moving parts when the engine is cold, then as it heats up the viscosity increases (thickens) and “sticks” better to the friction surfaces to maximize the lubrication.
> 
> ...


You have this misunderstood.
With 0w20, the oil will still thin with heat, just not as much.
It does not increase viscosity at all with heat, just does not lose as much viscosity.

Anyone changing their own oil will know that hot oil drains quickly out of the hot engine pan, while it is still slow pouring new cold oil into the valve cover.


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## kirk_augustin (Jul 21, 2012)

Actually, expensive synthetic oil is BAD for VW engines.
There are 2 reasons.
One is that with cheap natural oil, you can simply change it more often, and the engine stays cleaner.
Two is that synthetic is made with zinc and phosphorous compounds that are harmful to aluminum parts, like the head.
{...
Oil Additives Bad For Aluminum Blocks? from carconnection.com 3/17 (daily edition) A team of chemists and mathematicians at the University of Western Ontario deduced that most oil additives are complicated compounds containing zinc and phosphate. They then used computer simulations to find out what happens "at a molecular level when a film of oil containing additives is compressed between two hot, hard surfaces" like engine parts. They concluded that as the pressure rises, the molecules of zinc and phosphate form cross-links with each other, according to a science report in The Washington Post. In engines of steel alloys, this process helps minimize wear. But not so in aluminum engines, where the cross-linked molecular hash becomes harder than the metal and abrades the aluminum surfaces. In other words, if these guys are right, additives are good for engines with steel parts but potentially harmful if used in engines with major aluminum parts, especially on wear surfaces. Experts at the American Petroleum Institute told TheCarConnection they were not familiar with the Ontario study. -Mike Davis 
...}
The only time it is important to follow the 502 rating is if you are using synthetic, because only then are you risking harmful additives. If you use natural oil, like Castrol 20w50, there is no problem at all. The only reason to go thinner is in the cold winter. And I would change that thinner oil out immediately in the spring.
The thicker the viscosity, the better, especially for things like camshafts, chain slippers, etc., that are just splashed and not pressurized.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

kirk_augustin said:


> Oil Additives Bad For Aluminum Blocks? from carconnection.com 3/17 (daily edition) A team of chemists and mathematicians at the University of Western Ontario.


A quick search found many websites and forums from as early as 2005 with the exact same sentence and then some but no link. Please provide the original source where you read that from?

.


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## salbers (Sep 15, 2016)

I've been doing oil analysis testing on my EOS. So far the results show that the VW recommended oil change interval of 10,000 miles is correct with expensive oils. I'm now working my way down in oil cost as long as the oil meets all the VW specifications. This kind of testing takes time. But, so far at the halfway point, there appears to be no difference in oil durability performance based on cost. My suspicion is that the cheapest oil that meets manufacturer specifications is justified based upon tested performance. It is going to take me several more oil changes to verify this.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

OmegaVW said:


> I got it, it's a lack of info and mixing of parts. The motor design should be about or be the same but the viscosity for the climate is the main thing for all cars. You're in good shape with the 5W40. Be curious however what the VW dealership uses. Which country are you in?
> 
> .


I'm in Panama.



Jettaguynj said:


> Beno:
> 
> They tried to charge you $450.00 for an oil change?!!!! Are you kidding me?!!!!!!!!! I'd report them to the BBB and then call local TV station and blast them off the face of the earth!


Well That doesn't really work here, there is only 1 dealer that does VW and Audi, so they have a monopoly and there's nothing you can do about it. It wasn't just an oil change, they called it a "full service". Keep in mind the car has 22,000 miles and is a 2019. The cost breakdown is $18 for the oil filter which is $9 OEM online. $30 for air filter which is fine. $4.35 for oil plug which is fine. $33 for cabin filter which is fine. $33 for a "Ribbed belt", I don't know what that is and they don't put part numbers on the invoice so I cant look it up. $7 for windshield cleaner, $5 for brake cleaner, $10 for biodegradable silicone spray which why are you buying me an entire can of? then $70 for spark plugs (again I have 22k miles so why??). $80 for oil which once again I couldnt just check which they were gonna put since it doesn't say anything specific. Finally and here's the kicker, $132 for for what they said would be 2 and a half hours of labor. 



coolmike41 said:


> ok this is DGVA engine
> service manual says use 5w40 as well, given you are not in NA
> _for Gasoline,That Does NotMeet Standard EN 228 (NOTFOR NORTH AMERICAN MARKET)”,_


Perfect, where did you find this manual? Im curious so I can have a read into it too.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

.
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.
Back to the original question of viscosity rating. The 19 Tiguan is suppose to use the 508.00 / 509.00 in 0W20 despite my 2020 Manual, which should be about the same as the 2019, indicating 0W30.






Volkswagen Tiguan Engine Oil Parts | FCP Euro


Volkswagen Tiguan Engine Oil parts online. Buy OEM & Genuine parts with a Lifetime Warranty, Free Shipping and Unlimited 365 Day Returns.



www.fcpeuro.com










VW Engine Oil (1 Liter) - Genuine VW GE600201QDSP


VW Engine Oil (1 Liter) - Genuine VW GE600201QDSP



www.fcpeuro.com





.
The 19 Atlas I use to own takes the 502.00 / 505.00 in 0W40, 5W40 or 5W30.






Volkswagen Atlas Engine Oil Parts | FCP Euro


Volkswagen Atlas Engine Oil parts online. Buy OEM & Genuine parts with a Lifetime Warranty, Free Shipping and Unlimited 365 Day Returns.



www.fcpeuro.com










5W40 Audi VW Engine Oil (1 Liter) - Genuine VW GE555401QDSP


5W40 Audi VW Engine Oil (1 Liter) - Genuine VW GE555401QDSP



www.fcpeuro.com





.
I think VW just rolls with the punches in terms of regulatory agencies besides availability in the country so it changes the rating accordingly even in the viscosity. I say stick with viscosity of the climate and you can't go wrong. I believe the Leichtlauf High Tech 5W40 is this one with a 502.00 / 505.00 rating like that of the Atlas however.






5W40 Leichtlauf High Tech Engine Oil (5 Liter) - Liqui Moly LM2332


5W40 Leichtlauf High Tech Engine Oil (5 Liter) - Liqui Moly LM2332



www.fcpeuro.com





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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

Yea it's crazy how the same car has so many variables between markets in every aspect. As I showed in a pic earlier in this thread my Tiguan recommends VW 502 00 plus my climate I'm going to settle for 5w40. Now when it comes to the individual oil now that's an entire other rabbit hole. I've read that Liqui Moly is the best to use but there are so many models, here are some that I've seen:









Leichtlauf High Tech 5W-40


Suitable for gasoline vehicles and for diesel vehicles without particulate filter. Modern top class low-friction engine oil for all-season use in gasoline and diesel engines without diesel particulate filters (DPF). The combination of innovative base oils – based on synthesis technology and the...




www.liqui-moly.com













Molygen New Generation 5W-40


Low-viscosity high-tech low-friction motor oil with high shear stability. Combined with innovative additive technology and the special Molygen additive. Reliably prevents the formation of deposits, reduces frictional losses in the engine and provides optimum protection against wear. The results...




www.liqui-moly.com













Synthoil High Tech 5W-40


Provides a stable lubricating film. Fully synthetic low-viscosity motor oil. Keeps oil consumption low. Guarantees maximum performance even with long oil-change intervals. Provides the ideal oil pressure under all operating conditions. Fast cold-start oiling provides excellent engine wear...




www.liqui-moly.com





I have no idea which is better and what are the differences


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## tcoradeschi (Jul 12, 2016)

BenoYo1 said:


> Hello everyone.
> 
> I'm preparing to change the oil on my Tiguan and I've been told Liqui Moly is the best brand of oil to use for the car. I've seen the Leichtlauf High Tech Engine Oil (5w-40) and the Molygen (5w-40). I've looked online and seen that each has its benefits but have not decided on which is better for me. What do you guys think


Um, the oil thread was scheduled for September of this year. October is tires, November is air vs nitrogen in the tires.

As long as the oil meets the VW standards for class and viscosity (not sure what they are for a Tiguan) it is going to be fine (fact). All those bougie oils are hype (opinion). Mobil 1 or Syntech will work just fine. 

Pull samples and send them to Blackstone Labs if you want to feel better about your decision.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

BenoYo1 said:


> Yea it's crazy how the same car has so many variables between markets in every aspect. As I showed in a pic earlier in this thread my Tiguan recommends VW 502 00 plus my climate I'm going to settle for 5w40. Now when it comes to the individual oil now that's an entire other rabbit hole. I've read that Liqui Moly is the best to use but there are so many models, here are some that I've seen:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Since all those are VW 502 00 I would go down the line in use and see how they feel with the car. I recently added 5W50 to the fresh 0W20 oil change from the dealership. Since I will be changing it I will go with the manuals 0W30 next time to see if the clacking returns. If not then great but if it does then half a quart of the 5W50 Castrol again. The 2020 Tig just turned over 15K and the car was purchased in 02/21 so will follow warranty guidelines until it's over then 0W40 due to a potential week of snow in the winter.

Whatever you do don't use Mobil 1. My first clutch job was in 1978 so have tried a few things. Below is my current stash of oils I'm experimenting with. With 7 cars of various makes from 03 to 20, engines with 5, 6 and 8 cylinders I have a good variety of platforms to get a feel for the oil. Don't need Blackstone as the oil is changed regularly are all good with some better of course. I can get the same test from Swepco if I choose to do so but never have. The transmission fluids are for complete flushes. My Son and I enjoy working on cars and at 20 he understands the basics and can do DYI 4 wheel alignments.









Castrol 5W50 - Silence Of The Tig-Lamb


. Castrol 5W-50 and Swepco 5W-30 for the Volvos & Lexus V8 GS430. Found them at an exceptional price so stocked up as top off for those exceptional hot summer months. The 2020 Tig used a quart at the first oil change. Just had the second change last month so decided to see how half a quart...




www.vwvortex.com




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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

.
OFF TOPIC:

I'm testing the H7 LED's from my new Project Volvo on the Tiguan. Got a glimpse but not installed for night driving test yet. Had to refurbish both headlight assembly as one was really bad. A really quick sloppy job due to time restraints but it works well.
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Even though both are in very poor shape the other reflection material is completely gone. All cleaned up ready for primer then coating.











Volvo's









































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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

OmegaVW said:


> Since all those are VW 502 00 I would go down the line in use and see how they feel with the car.


Well I can do that but it would take its time. I do an oil change once a year since I don't put many miles on the car and its recommended once a year so if I try this ill be back in 3 years with the results


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

OmegaVW said:


> .
> OFF TOPIC:
> 
> I'm testing the H7 LED's from my new Project Volvo on the Tiguan. Got a glimpse but not installed for night driving test yet. Had to refurbish both headlight assembly as one was really bad. A really quick sloppy job due to time restraints but it works well.
> ...


Thats cool. I've read those stock halogen lights some tiguans come with really suck, is that true? Thankfully I have the stock LEDs which are amazing. They don't have matrix but that's just about what they are missing. Apart from that they turn with the steering at high speeds and have other independent for low speed turning and are very bright.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

BenoYo1 said:


> Well I can do that but it would take its time. I do an oil change once a year since I don't put many miles on the car and its recommended once a year so if I try this ill be back in 3 years with the results


Can't go wrong with the first on the list. Have use that one in a few cars.
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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

BenoYo1 said:


> Thats cool. I've read those stock halogen lights some tiguans come with really suck, is that true? Thankfully I have the stock LEDs which are amazing. They don't have matrix but that's just about what they are missing. Apart from that they turn with the steering at high speeds and have other independent for low speed turning and are very bright.
> View attachment 228937
> 
> View attachment 228938


GREAT COLOR, love that light set up on your Tig! The halogens are just that and no more. The Tig S is definitely a minimalist car. I missed the Halogens on the 19 Atlas SE Tech Pack V6 4Motion. Brother owns it now. Thought I was going to keep it for awhile so decided to download all the dealer photos.
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## kirk_augustin (Jul 21, 2012)

Going with thinner oil, like 0w20 or 0w30 is much riskier than staying with thicker oil like 5w40.
Many of the problems, like chain and chain slipper wear is due to oil that is too thin.
VW should never have recommended the thinner oil, and it was a mistake in my opinion, just like back in 2000 when they recommended to never change the synthetic ATF in the Triptonic transmission.
What they forgot is that even though the synthetic oil never breaks down, you still need to change it in order to remove the fine metallic silt coming off the differential.


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## h62962 (6 mo ago)

salbers said:


> I've been doing oil analysis testing on my EOS. So far the results show that the VW recommended oil change interval of 10,000 miles is correct with expensive oils. I'm now working my way down in oil cost as long as the oil meets all the VW specifications. This kind of testing takes time. But, so far at the halfway point, there appears to be no difference in oil durability performance based on cost. My suspicion is that the cheapest oil that meets manufacturer specifications is justified based upon tested performance. It is going to take me several more oil changes to verify this.


I was doing the same thing with my Acura TSX, that was having the oil tested at every oil change interval (I used Blackstone for testing). The Honda recommended interval was 7500 miles, which struck me as high. I started testing at a 5000 mile interval and Blackstone told me the oil was fine, and that if I wanted to, I could extend the interval, which I did. I alternated between Mobil 1 and Walmart's house brand synthetic oil, which was considerably cheaper (but was the same spec). Blackstone couldn't detect a difference in the tested oil. We should realize that perhaps spending a lot of money on oil is basically a feel good measure, though if the oil is changed infrequently, why not use the high priced brand? But if you drive a lot of miles (which I was doing)(sold it w/ 238K miles on it, still running at 100%) and/or have multiple vehicles, my experience showed me that cheaper doesn't necessarily mean less.


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## JAGjr (Jul 3, 2020)

Don't over think oil. Use what VW requires, change it regularly. It's not some rare collector car and I doubt anyone will keep a car long enough to see engine damage from oil in their lifetime. I put in my MK 7.5 Golf R was VW says. ...done. I am no oil engineer and don't pretend to be. I think they probably know what their doing.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

JAGjr said:


> Don't over think oil. Use what VW requires, change it regularly. It's not some rare collector car and I doubt anyone will keep a car long enough to see engine damage from oil in their lifetime. I put in my MK 7.5 Golf R was VW says. ...done. I am no oil engineer and don't pretend to be. I think they probably know what their doing.


I mean yea, I'm settled on 5w-40 and the VW 502 certification but that still puts many many options on the table. I have no plans to sell this car any time soon, it has at least 5 more years to go in my family.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

kirk_augustin said:


> Going with thinner oil, like 0w20 or 0w30 is much riskier than staying with thicker oil like 5w40.
> Many of the problems, like chain and chain slipper wear is due to oil that is too thin.
> VW should never have recommended the thinner oil, and it was a mistake in my opinion, just like back in 2000 when they recommended to never change the synthetic ATF in the Triptonic transmission.
> What they forgot is that even though the synthetic oil never breaks down, you still need to change it in order to remove the fine metallic silt coming off the differential.


Volvo has the same problem in their vehicles so the later S60 had huge problems with rings and damaged engines. Dime a dozen in terms of resale value. Problems with transmissions also due to long to never needing service intervals.
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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

h62962 said:


> I alternated between Mobil 1 and Walmart's house brand synthetic oil... my experience showed me that cheaper doesn't necessarily mean less.





h62962 said:


> Mobil 1 and Walmart's house brand synthetic oil, my experience showed me that cheaper doesn't necessarily mean less.


Most oil are okay for everyday driving but M1 is on the bottom of my list. It's not robust and several cars lowerend groan terribily on WOT. Give it up years ago but decided to try it again when I saw Costco carried the 0W-40 and at a sale price, no thanks!

Your car was actually doing better with Walmart vs M1. Walmart, Amazon and Kirland are all made by Warren Distribution. Yes, Costco's oil is not bad at all and I have tried it and am currently using the 15W40 dino to see how the cars feel.

Rotella T6 is an excellent oil but no longer has the SN rating in it's new packaging. A person in another forum contacted Shell and the techical department stated same formula. This occurred several years ago and I'm guessing to make way for it's new line of Gas & Truck motor oil. API Approval cost money and Rotella has been proven so those who use it don't care about that.



https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/new-kirkland-15w-40-diesel-engine-oil.328930/


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Swepco oil gains HP!!! We tested this theory!!


OK so to make a long story short, I have been talking to TacticalTitan about using Swepco oil. Our engine builder uses it and swears by it. He has tested this several times. He did a dyno run with conventional synthetic oil, then drained it out and put in the swepco and dyno'd again and could...




www.clubtitan.org




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## AndyH (Feb 23, 1999)

OmegaVW said:


> Whatever you do don't use Mobil 1.


Way to overgeneralize. Mobil 1 is an excellent quality oil, if it meets the VW spec there is zero reason not to use Mobil 1.

Obviously YMMV, and if you feel some other brand does a better job, by all means use that brand.


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## kirk_augustin (Jul 21, 2012)

It is only expensive synthetic oil that is dangerous from the zinc and phosphorous they add.
If you use natural oil, like Castrol 20w50, then there is no longer any risk, and it is so cheap that you can change it twice as often, causing a much cleaner engine.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

AndyH said:


> Way to overgeneralize. Mobil 1 is an excellent quality oil, if it meets the VW spec there is zero reason not to use Mobil 1.
> 
> Obviously YMMV, and if you feel some other brand does a better job, by all means use that brand.


Way before the internet, magazines had discussions of whether M1 caused head gasket leaks. Had 3 cars spread over a few years with head gasket leaks. Always oil and not coolant. Was older so didn't have as much time to read car magazines so took some time to come across the info. The debate continues whether synthetic specifically M1 causes leaks.

Had started using M1 in 95 when my Service Manager at Pepboys showed me the oil cap of his 150K 5.0L Mustang. Looked like polish SS and the inside of the valve cover was likewise. A year or so later the head gasket went on a 93 E320 with around 30K. Next was an 87 Integra with 120K miles then a 90 Galant with 99K miles. Was using Redline on our families new 83 GTI for quite sometime. When you compared enough oils over a span of quite a few decades you can generalized specifically not to use M1. 



https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/mobil-1-causes-leaks.190660/


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## Sebring1 (3 mo ago)

So, first off, I'm new to the forum. Not new to cars/jeeps/trucks and anything else that moves. I came here to look around and see what the issues with the Tig are. The wife is looking at a new 2023 Tiguan. We are headed to the dealership on Thursday. I have changed the oil on our vehicles 100s of times. My area of the country is Texas. My dad and I both use a synthetic and natural blend oil rated at 10w30 from NAPA. The part number is 869934. The box label states meets "API-SP, API-SN with SN PLUS, API-SN, ALSAC GF 6A, and all preceding API and ILSAC categories". As a group is the concern more so the ability to prove to VW a proper oil rating for warranty or is the issue more centered on engine performance? I find it hard to believe VW would send a ship of vehicles to the US and leave ya' hanging on a special oil availability or brand not found in NoAmerica. I'll hang up and listen.

BTW, BenoYo1 make room brother I'm moving your way in a couple of years.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

There are many certified oils that work well here. It's just a matter of what your specific car recommends and what weather you live in. I had to make sure since my dealer here sucks and my car doesn't say, plus my weather conditions here are hot all year round.

Wow nice, you're coming to Panama?


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

Sebring1 said:


> As a group is the concern more so the ability to prove to VW a proper oil rating for warranty or is the issue more centered on engine performance? I find it hard to believe VW would send a ship of vehicles to the US and leave ya' hanging on a special oil availability or brand not found in NoAmerica. I'll hang up and listen.
> 
> BTW, BenoYo1 make room brother I'm moving your way in a couple of years.


I think you'll like the car but don't let the excitement overlook the seating position for your wife. Both my wife and I have never found a sweet spot in our Tiguan S with manual seats. She never drove our 19 Atlas once and the seats and steering does not have adequate (auto) adjustments for my 5' 8" frame. 

As for the oil can't prove what the new rating is all about and why. The question is viscosity.

From the owner's manual:

"If this is not possible, contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility to find out which engine oil is suitable for your vehicle. Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
If the engine oil recommended by the authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility is not available, a different engine oil can be used in an emergency. To reduce the risk of damaging the engine, a maximum of 0.5 liters of the following engine oils may be added until the next oil change:


Gasoline engine: Standard ACEA A3/B4 or API SN (API SM) and viscosity grade SAE 0W-30."

They are allowing half a quart of SN not even SN Plus between changes. Mine took a quart so that means I needed to take it them to top off with VW oil which I didn't. I purchased my own as they spilled it during the filter change. They can at that time sell me it's normal oil consumption and put in VW oil to top off so they cover themselves from any liability. If I had topped off a quart between changes and not use VW's oil then it's my problem and if I let it go till the oil light comes on then it's also my problem if I don't bring it to their attention. They know how cover themselves with a poor designed engine that uses oil. A member of the Volvo forum indicated Volvo is okay with 1 quart every 1K miles. GM just had a recall on bad rings and Volvo especially S60's had a long history and still have problems with the rings and oil consumption. Sometimes they can't fix a design because they are asking to too much of science for a small displacement hot turbo engine.

VW used 0W20 for my first two complimentary changes but manual specifies 0W30. For BenoYo 1 his manual specifies 5W40 which is correct for his climate. 0W40 can actually cover both climates as having put in half a quart of 5W50 Castrol the engine has quieted down considerably. VW I believe is playing with regulatory agencies around the world depending on how strict it is. In order to pass EPA here the thinner 0W20. In hot climates 5W40 or sustain engine damage so they have no choice.

To summarize, is 0W20 actually bad for the motor! I see temps in mid 30's during winter and high's of mid 90's in the summer. No way is the 0W20 adequate. If the manual specifies 0W30 and in other parts of the world 5W40? I think VW is juggling EPA as the 0W30 won't pass so dealers are told to use 0W20 just in case EPA ever checks so they gamble with the customers on engine longevity and oil consumption due to how thin the oil is.

I could be wrong but nothing adds up! I will go with a VW spec 0W30 or 0W40 on my next change depending on how much consumption is this time around.


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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

OmegaVW said:


> I think you'll like the car but don't let the excitement overlook the seating position for your wife. Both my wife and I have never found a sweet spot in our Tiguan S with manual seats.


I have a highline which is equivalent to what used to be a SEL Premium, so with the power drivers seat in leatherette. For me I've found a good spot and the memory functions work very well. Also my car has driver profiles so I can set up the entire car for each person. (infotainment settings, digital dash settings, mirror position etc...)


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

BenoYo1 said:


> I have a highline which is equivalent to what used to be a SEL Premium, so with the power drivers seat in leatherette. For me I've found a good spot and the memory functions work very well. Also my car has driver profiles so I can set up the entire car for each person. (infotainment settings, digital dash settings, mirror position etc...)


Was considering getting rid of our Tig S. Wife said whatever we get it's gotta have power seats. Probably won't get rid of it for sometime as I'm really enjoying the new driving experience with the quieter engine. Added 300 ml of the Swepco 😅 and it's ultra quiet now and pickup seemed to improve further. Will see if this last through the next oil change.

Off Topic Again: Just the rear ST sway bar made the car so so stable on the freeway and hunkered down. On and off ramps are another story! This with the stock 17" running 48 cold PSI. We have pretty good roads here so no big issues with higher pressure.
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ST Suspension 25mm Rear Sway Bar- MK7 Golf | GTi | GSW (1.8T | 2.0T)


51310 ST Suspension 25mm Rear Sway Bar- MK7 Golf | GTi | GSW (1.8T | 2.0T)




www.urotuning.com





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## BenoYo1 (11 mo ago)

God the leichtlauf 5w-40. Did its oil change today, engine is running smooth.


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

BenoYo1 said:


> God the leichtlauf 5w-40. Did its oil change today, engine is running smooth.
> View attachment 235253
> 
> View attachment 235254


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That's great it is smooth. I don't recall if you mentioned what was in there previously? Did the 5W40 oil quiet the clack compared with the previous oil? Ours continues to have no clacking but just the usual lower end groan if pushed from a stop to around 40mph. Mileage is up from an avg of 25mpg to 27mpg. Should be more but we are definitely driving it swifter due to the engine being so much smoother.









Castrol 5W50 - Silence Of The Tig-Lamb


. Castrol 5W-50 and Swepco 5W-30 for the Volvos & Lexus V8 GS430. Found them at an exceptional price so stocked up as top off for those exceptional hot summer months. The 2020 Tig used a quart at the first oil change. Just had the second change last month so decided to see how half a quart...




www.vwvortex.com




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## shortybdub (Oct 14, 2011)

kirk_augustin said:


> You have this misunderstood.
> With 0w20, the oil will still thin with heat, just not as much.
> It does not increase viscosity at all with heat, just does not lose as much viscosity.
> 
> Anyone changing their own oil will know that hot oil drains quickly out of the hot engine pan, while it is still slow pouring new cold oil into the valve cover.


Not really. Multi-viscosity oils DO increase resistance to FLOW (viscosity) as they heat up, ie; larger second number in the multi-visc. spec like 0W-20. They are designed to do that. Oil starts at low temp as a 0 viscosity weight and as it heats up, becomes a 20 viscosity weight, thus MORE resistant to FLOW (more viscous). 

Now oil FLOW will be faster as it heats up, obviously, but a higher viscosity still makes it MORE resistant to that flow. You don't notice it when oil is hot, like a drain, though and why it FLOWS faster than it does when cold.


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## shortybdub (Oct 14, 2011)

kirk_augustin said:


> Actually, expensive synthetic oil is BAD for VW engines.
> There are 2 reasons.
> One is that with cheap natural oil, you can simply change it more often, and the engine stays cleaner.
> Two is that synthetic is made with zinc and phosphorous compounds that are harmful to aluminum parts, like the head.
> ...


Uh, no. Using "cheap natural oil" does not keep it cleaner despite changing more often. "Conventional" oils (which there are really fewer of these days), have lots of hydrocarbon compounds that make oil and engines "dirty" when used. More so than "synthetics" that have quite a few of these compounds refined out of them. Even cheaper hydro-cracked oils are "cleaner" than conventional raffinated and de-waxed oils and why most oil companies and blenders use them now. And additives like zinc and phosphorus in aluminum engines? Most of the wear surfaces that are under pressure, or create shear are made of steel or iron. Aluminum used in modern engines is generally not under these pressures or shear that could cause issues with these additives, used mostly to save weight.

And to answer the original question, use a VW508.00 (0W-20) if you are squemish about warranty. I've used a VW504.00 (Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30) since the first change at 500 miles and never looked back over the past 30K.


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