winter oils

[Taka Mizutani]

It totally depends on the car- I think it's rather strange, but some
cars work better with certain oils.

In my 200q20v, the car clearly prefers Mobil 1 15W50. I've used M1
10W30 for cold weather, but it definitely clatters more on startup.
I've also used Castrol Syntec 5W50 and 10W30 in the car, it doesn't
like either oil at all- lifter clatter all the time. In terms of oil
consumption, it also doesn't really consume oil with the Mobil 1
products, but it did use some Syntec (not much, but I didn't get a
full 4.8qts at the oil change).

In the New Beetle, the car did not like Mobil 1 at all- I've used 0W40
and 10W30 and it didn't like either type- consumed oil. Switching to
Castrol Syntec 10W30, oil consumption was significantly reduced, but
not eliminated. After getting a new short block, oil consumption has
pretty much dropped to zero, but I've stuck with the Syntec 10W30 just
to be on the safe side. I can't say that Syntec helped, in light of
the piston ring issue, nor can I say the Mobil 1 was a problem, but I
won't switch to Mobil 1 in this car because it runs fine on Syntec. My
mechanic has seen similar things in other cars that have no piston
ring issues- customer's M3 would consume oil with M1 but not with
Syntec.

In the A4 1.8T, we used Mobil 1 0W40 exclusively after the first 5k
break-in period. No issues at all with oil, this was the latest spec
oil for the 1.8T and 2.7T engines at the time and I've stuck with it
until the car was sold. No lifter clatter, no oil consumption, very
happy with it.

I won't use something like 0W40 unless it is called for- the tight
tolerances in the 1.8T may need the light weight oil.

Currently using Mobil 1 10W30 in the STi, factory fill is 5W30. I may
switch to the 0W40 stuff if I have any issues- that is the best
synthetic oil that Mobil offers in the US, as long as your car can
tolerate this lightweight of an oil. I would not use 0W40 in the 200,
although I do know of owners who have used the stuff with no bad
results.

Taka