Oil choice

Milltown17

Hi
Im just wondering if anybody could give me some advice on oil choice for my 2004 volkswagon golf 1.4 petrol. I think it should be a 5/30 but advise would be good.

Cass

5w30, fully synthetic will do just fine.

Don't overthink it. That is not to say don't be careful you choose the right one, just i've seen, and had, discussion with friends and family (mate has a mk5 golf) about the right oil based on what VW say. It got complicated, fast.

Just run with the above and you should be fine. Of course i always stand to be corrected.

George Dalton

You need a 5w30 meeting VW 504.00 spec.

Be careful as not all 5w30 oils meet the spec. For example Castrol Magnatec 5w30 doesn't meet the spec but Castrol Edge 5w30 does.

So check the label on the can and if it doesn't say VW 504.00 then don't use it.

GTE

Cass wrote: »

5w30, fully synthetic will do just fine.

Don't overthink it. That is not to say don't be careful you choose the right one, just i've seen, and had, discussion with friends and family (mate has a mk5 golf) about the right oil based on what VW say. It got complicated, fast.

Just run with the above and you should be fine. Of course i always stand to be corrected.

Based on your justification, that is probably the worst oil advice I have read on this forum.

It gets complicated for a reason, which is why the specs George outline are printed on engine oil labels.

Cass

So the 5w30 fully synthetic is not the right oil for the car?

Perhaps you might tell me what the appropriate oil is?

cletus

I think the point is that it's no longer about just the weight of the oil. Manufacturers now have a certain spec along with the weight. So whether that's 504. or ACEA or whatever, you should be matching spec as well as weight

biko

It also needs to meet right spec as George said.
However for a 11 year old car I'm not sure it matters a great deal.

Cass

cletus wrote: »

I think the point is that it's no longer about just the weight of the oil. Manufacturers now have a certain spec along with the weight.

Which is why i said:

Cass wrote: »

That is not to say don't be careful you choose the right one, ............................... Of course i always stand to be corrected.

Post three then made the distinction between the various 5w30 oils.

If the OP bought 5w30, fully synthetic (any brand) what harm would it do to the engine of the car? His car that is.

Dubwat

I'd be interested in knowing the answer to this as well.

In my local petrol station, I think they have 3 engine oils on sale - a 5w30, a 10w40 and oil for your lawnmower :P

If car engines are really that 'delicate', how/why do petrol stations sell such limited oil options? In our litigious culture, surely they've have loads of warnings about their limitations?

TIA

Flood

biko wrote: »

However for a 11 year old car I'm not sure it matters a great deal.

What age is cut off in your opinion of one caring about servicing?

George Dalton

biko wrote: »

It also needs to meet right spec as George said.
However for a 11 year old car I'm not sure it matters a great deal.

It could also be argued that older engines need more protection so using the correct oil is even more important

This is a trap a lot of people fall into. When a car gets older and the mileage gets higher that is when it is especially important to keep on top of the maintenance requirements. In reality this is the point where a lot of people just stop bothering about it, then complain when the car lets them down :rolleyes:

Kevin McCloud

biko wrote: »

It also needs to meet right spec as George said.
However for a 11 year old car I'm not sure it matters a great deal.

The age of a car does not determine what oil you use at all, that is the most senseless post ever.

berger89

no where near an expert! and as a "lady" (!), I may be out of my depth here but as far as I'm aware..
I have a 00 car. i use 10/40.
i could probably start using 15/40 though.

pre 2000-2002 = 15/40
2002/3-2008 = 10/40
2009 - new = 5/30.

Thicker oil for older cars.
New thin oil for new cars.

I think. But I could be very very wrong!

Kevin McCloud

Would buying the oil at the main dealers be any more expensive than the motor factors, at least you would know its the right oil.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

berger89 wrote: »

as a "lady" (!), I may be out of my depth here

Yes love, this is a mens forum. Unless you're gonna show us yer norks .

berger89

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

Yes love, this is a mens forum. Unless you're gonna show us yer norks .

well I never!! :O

( . )( . )

jimgoose

berger89 wrote: »

no where near an expert! and as a "lady" (!), I may be out of my depth here but as far as I'm aware..
I have a 00 car. i use 10/40.
i could probably start using 15/40 though.

pre 2000-2002 = 15/40
2002/3-2008 = 10/40
2009 - new = 5/30.

Thicker oil for older cars.
New thin oil for new cars.

I think. But I could be very very wrong!

You are. I run Castrol Edge 5W-30 in a 1999 car. Nectar of the Gods!

berger89

damn. well I'm fairly confident I'm using the right oil in my 00 corolla. i use 10/40 and it hasn't done me a bit of harm in all the years I've had it

mickdw

I find it hard to believe that a 04 1.4 golf needs 504.00.
Most of the VAG petrols much newer than that only specify 50400 for long life.
My 1.8TFSI AUDI specifies 50400 for long life with 50200 and 50300 for fixed interval.

jimgoose

berger89 wrote: »

damn. well I'm fairly confident I'm using the right oil in my 00 corolla. i use 10/40 and it hasn't done me a bit of harm in all the years I've had it

You are.

Kevin McCloud

jimgoose wrote: »

You are. I run Castrol Edge 5W-30 in a 1999 car. Nectar of the Gods!

Is that what your vehicle manufacturer recommends to use?

jimgoose

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

Is that what your vehicle manufacturer recommends to use?

No.

Kevin McCloud

jimgoose wrote: »

No.

Do you believe running 5w 30 is better than its recommended oil?

jimgoose

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

Do you believe running 5w 30 is better than its recommended oil?

Yes. Fifteen years ago a 5-30 full-synth was a rare and expensive ale, and after consulting with a JLR master-technician the change was made.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

debabyjesus

This forum needs an oil spec sticky. Whenever I see the Rabobank 'any bank will do' ads on tv I always think to myself 'sure any oil will do'. Then I start daydreaming my own version of the ad with worn camshafts etc. Yes I've a sad life.

9935452

Milltown17 wrote: »

Hi
Im just wondering if anybody could give me some advice on oil choice for my 2004 volkswagon golf 1.4 petrol. I think it should be a 5/30 but advise would be good.

Hi
I had a 02 1.4 petrol golf and would highly advise against putting 5w30 into the car. i had the car since 24k miles and decided on first oil change to put in 5w30 into it, the car started burning oil at 1 litre per 1000 miles. went back to 10w40 and it was only burning a litre per 4k miles.
I cant be sure whether she was burning any oil to start with.
5w30 is too thin for that engine. As george says the spec is 504, get a 10w40 that matches that spec

dieselbug

debabyjesus wrote: »

This forum needs an oil spec sticky. Whenever I see the Rabobank 'any bank will do' ads on tv I always think to myself 'sure any oil will do'. Then I start daydreaming my own version of the ad with worn camshafts etc. Yes I've a sad life.

If you google some of the oil brands you will find they will list the recommended oil for most makes, models.

They will be promoting their own brand but should show the the correct spec and viscosity as recommended by the manufacturer.

mickdw

Alittle of topic but got some very fairly priced oil in Halfords yesterday.
Mobil 1 5w 30 esp.
This is 50400 50700 spec and the 5L was down to 48 euro from 60. A further 10 percent off for AXA card left it at 43 euro. Good price imo.