2015 WRX

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Looks like I will be taking delivery of a 2015 wrx later this month and not much info out there yet on Forester/WRX DI 2.0 Turbo engine and oil of choice for warranty. Subaru calls for 5w-30 full synthetic. I see Walmart has Pennzoil Ultra 5w-30 still available online for $25 a jug...good choice for use during warranty?
 
Nice! Did you get the manual or CVT?

PU is a great choice. Despite the criticism of slightly higher noack volatility by some, the reality is PU and PP perform exceptionally well on very tough industry standard tests. Very stable oil that will do a good job of keeping deposits minimized.
 
I have used Mobil 1 on my Subaru RA STi's, 22B and Evo's back in Ireland and each of those cars were pushing 400+ BHP. It is one of the best oils out there to use and kept the engines very clean.

You wont go wrong with M1.
 
Incoming car is a manual...been driving a stick for 23 years. Silver-premium model with nav/harmon kardon audio. CVT has been getting pretty decent reviews, but I will be driving manuals until I can't find them anymore.

If there is a better oil option out there and isn't ridiculously expensive I would be open to it. I have been using Mobil 1 0w-40 in MK6 GTI with good results but new wrx isn't spec'd for it.
 
Originally Posted By: Irishamerican
I have used Mobil 1 on my Subaru RA STi's, 22B and Evo's back in Ireland and each of those cars were pushing 400+ BHP. It is one of the best oils out there to use and kept the engines very clean.

You wont go wrong with M1.


Not a Mobil 1 hater as noted with my GTI use...however, 5w-30 grade of Mobil 1 doesn't seem to get much love on here.
 
Originally Posted By: HKPolice
I'd recommend PU 10w30 for summer because Subaru turbos are really tough on oil.


Are automotive designers all idiots? If they spec 5W-30, doesn't that mean something? Sure, they are trying to get every possible .01% increase in CAFE standards, but they have teams of engineers who study oil for each engine and have a vested interest in doing it right.
 
Nice car! Does Subaru only spec 5w-30 for all conditions or does it give some considerations for ambient temperatures?
 
Stock up on the old 5w-30 PU if you can get it. The owner's manual doesn't allow 10w-30 if I recall correctly.
 
Interesting, my last STI was 480 BHP with injection and ran M1 5w-30 spec every time. I track raced it at Mondello Park in Ireland and never had an issue with it. Actually the dealership swore by using M1 in all their high pressure STi's.

I worked on the engine myself and after each race I got an UOA and the oil protected the engine completely. Everyone to their own I suppose.
 
Very jealous of the purchase here. I wonder if, at some point, the gear heads out there will find a better oil for the car like with the 2.5L turbos in the STi and previous model WRXs (Rotella T6)...
 
Ordered 4-5quart jugs of Ultra 5w-30 today...severe service interval is 3,750 miles I believe. I probably will change every 4K. I intend to do a few track days per year and drive it how it was intended to be used so don't want to push normal interval which is 6,000 miles.
 
Originally Posted By: legandrex
Not a Mobil 1 hater as noted with my GTI use...however, 5w-30 grade of Mobil 1 doesn't seem to get much love on here.


Their 5W-30 EP is pretty good stuff, even though some on here claim it is the same exact stuff that is in the regular old 5W-30 (which I do NOT believe BTW).
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But yes, you CANNOT go wrong with the Ultra.
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Originally Posted By: Irishamerican
Interesting, my last STI was 480 BHP with injection and ran M1 5w-30 spec every time. I track raced it at Mondello Park in Ireland and never had an issue with it.


No rallying??
 
Is that one of those engines with the opposing cylinders? They call it a flat four or flat six or something? There's a couple of those Subarus running around the neighborhood and man do they sound awful. They sound like an old Volkswagen bug with one of it's cylinders not firing. Why people go out and spend money on those things is beyond me.
 
Originally Posted By: legandrex
Looks like I will be taking delivery of a 2015 wrx later this month and not much info out there yet on Forester/WRX DI 2.0 Turbo engine and oil of choice for warranty. Subaru calls for 5w-30 full synthetic. I see Walmart has Pennzoil Ultra 5w-30 still available online for $25 a jug...good choice for use during warranty?


I just bought a 2014 and I'm loving it. The 2.5 and 2.0 engines sound awesome. I would have held out for a 2015, but wanted the 2.5 in a WRX Hatchback. 2014 WRX was the fastest best car under $30K in a couple car rags. I'm holding off on engine mods for awhile. I'm done with the lighting mods, next up handling stuff - I figure tune the suspension they way I want, because it's plenty quick now. So nice to get the winter tires off, but with AWD the thing went EVERYWHERE and never skipped a beat. With my summer tires one - sidewall lean is out!

Anyway - the oil demands are not that different with our engines. Just use a good synthetic 5W-30 for the first few changes, then look at 5W-40's or a really stout 5W-30.
 
The manual should allow 5W-40 for replenishment only. I would "replenish" it every oil change with at least 2 qts of PU 5W-40. Otherwise, I would look for some Mobil1 5W-30 ESP or anything that is not Resource Conserving.

The 2014 2.0 DIT Forester's are showing some high fuel.

2.8 at 4,230 miles
Trace at 3,000 miles
2.0 at 3,000 miles
1.3 at 1,760 miles

I have a feeling any Resource Conserving oil will be a 20 grade in no time from the fuel contamination. Some of the fuel could be from winter idling, but it doesn't look good with four different reports showing it, IMO. I have a feeling that the fuel contamination from the Foresters is one reason that SoA cut back on the OCI.

If you plan to keep this car stock, I would get an extended warranty. If you don't plan to keep it stock, then there's no point in running 5W-30 IMO. I've never been a believer in extended warranties, but it would have been worth it because the problems that I had with a first year factory Frankenmotor (STI block, WRX turbo, etc.).

-Dennis
 
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Originally Posted By: Irishamerican
Interesting, my last STI was 480 BHP with injection and ran M1 5w-30 spec every time. I track raced it at Mondello Park in Ireland and never had an issue with it. Actually the dealership swore by using M1 in all their high pressure STi's.

I worked on the engine myself and after each race I got an UOA and the oil protected the engine completely. Everyone to their own I suppose.

I'll take a guess that the Mobil1 5W-30 that you used has an HTHS of 3.5 or higher. I don't know what was available in Ireland at the time, but the current Mobil1 Ireland site doesn't have a low HTHS 5W-30 (
Of course, this is also a brand new engine.

-Dennis
 
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