2000 VW Passat SW 1.8t 5spd
71K miles mostly short stop/go city but gets a reasonable highway drive once every week or two.
I've tried to glean the "right path" from all the data on this and other sites, but it gets hard ferreting it out.
Would like advice on where to go and if I am doing the right thing...
Purchased auto with 48K with dealer oil changes documented. I immediately did AutoRx engine clean-out procedure.
After a couple misc. oils have run German Castrol (0w-30 bought in Toronto at ridiculous US $8.5 p/qt)for last 20K miles. Put a little bit of Auto Rx in every other oil change. Changed oil at 4K mile intervals. I now have one more change with your favorite GC.
I cannot locate GC easily nor do I wish to pay $8-9 for it.
Here are basic ?'s
1)Can I go longer on oil change intervals?
- 4k seems a little short for expensive oil, but I figured city driving and cheap insurance. You are the pro's though, so if I can extend my intervals, I'd like to know.
2) Are there any other oil "superstars" I can use?
- I seem to hear conflicting positions. Thinner oil for new, tight tolerance engines, narrow turbo oil lines, but mysteriously 5-40w seems to be reccommended for VW1.8T and other Euro engines. Reading between and over the lines it seems Pennzoil Platinum and the new Amsoil 0-20 are emergent favorites in lieu of elusive GC. Can I use these in my engine? Pennzoil website say virtually nothing and they've yet to respond to my inquiry. PP has a 5-30w and a 5-30w Euro w/no info on difference. They also have a 0-20 that looks intriquing... Conversation with Amsoil tech said they only reccomend their Amsoil 5-40 Euro for VW1.8T, but their own data and other sites seem to suggest the Amsoil 5-30 extended life would work and very likely their new 0-20.
3) Would an oil analysis be worthwhile or am I paranoic?
200K mi. on last VW 4cyl.(no turbo), would like similar from this one.
Please advise
Thanks for the help!
71K miles mostly short stop/go city but gets a reasonable highway drive once every week or two.
I've tried to glean the "right path" from all the data on this and other sites, but it gets hard ferreting it out.
Would like advice on where to go and if I am doing the right thing...
Purchased auto with 48K with dealer oil changes documented. I immediately did AutoRx engine clean-out procedure.
After a couple misc. oils have run German Castrol (0w-30 bought in Toronto at ridiculous US $8.5 p/qt)for last 20K miles. Put a little bit of Auto Rx in every other oil change. Changed oil at 4K mile intervals. I now have one more change with your favorite GC.
I cannot locate GC easily nor do I wish to pay $8-9 for it.
Here are basic ?'s
1)Can I go longer on oil change intervals?
- 4k seems a little short for expensive oil, but I figured city driving and cheap insurance. You are the pro's though, so if I can extend my intervals, I'd like to know.
2) Are there any other oil "superstars" I can use?
- I seem to hear conflicting positions. Thinner oil for new, tight tolerance engines, narrow turbo oil lines, but mysteriously 5-40w seems to be reccommended for VW1.8T and other Euro engines. Reading between and over the lines it seems Pennzoil Platinum and the new Amsoil 0-20 are emergent favorites in lieu of elusive GC. Can I use these in my engine? Pennzoil website say virtually nothing and they've yet to respond to my inquiry. PP has a 5-30w and a 5-30w Euro w/no info on difference. They also have a 0-20 that looks intriquing... Conversation with Amsoil tech said they only reccomend their Amsoil 5-40 Euro for VW1.8T, but their own data and other sites seem to suggest the Amsoil 5-30 extended life would work and very likely their new 0-20.
3) Would an oil analysis be worthwhile or am I paranoic?
200K mi. on last VW 4cyl.(no turbo), would like similar from this one.
Please advise
Thanks for the help!