when there is no vw 508…

[jstert]

i helped my son drive his 2021 vw tiguan s fwd to dc after his two month temporary assignment in texas this summer, very busy, with alot of driving there. he changed oil before trip to texas at vw dealer a bit early at 8000 miles. just when leaving texas i noticed oil was down about 1/3 qt. i ran into nearby walmart and found no oil meeting vw508 specs. i didn’t want a euro 0w40 or a euro sn, so grabbed a quart of non-euro, $7 pennzoil platinum sp 0w20 for a good-enough, quick topoff. tiguan didn’t blow up, got 31 highway mpg fully loaded on a long fast drive.

what would you have bought? in a hurry, no time to hunt around (he had to report monday morning in dc, this was early saturday morning in texas). thanks.

 

[Rand]

was this below the lower mark or between the marks?
if 1/3 from top mark I would have just left it.

Not technically low unless below the low mark.. so I'd have waited for correct oil.

 

[wemay]

Castrol Edge Extended Performance 0W-20. Gold bottle.

 

[Boomer]

So on his current fill, he drove to Texas from DC and back again? With my VWs, I would now do an oil change with that distance and non-VW oil in the crankcase. He should always carry a quart of VW approved oil in his trunk just for top offs.

 

[Zee09]

I wouldn't have bothered topping it off.
No harm done. I guess qts. of VW 502 or 504 couldn't be found except in 5 qt. jugs.

 

[kschachn]

The best choice at Walmart is Pennzoil Platinum Euro L, it doesn't have VW approval but it does have BMW Longlife-04. It's what I use in my Tiguan.

 

[jstert]

thanks guys. oil was 1/3 below full line on dipstick, cold. we were traveling fully loaded in a very hot summer. i like all my fluids at 100% full mark. i almost got the pennzoil euro l, but noticed it was sn and 5w30; i thought it better to get sp and 0w20, which led me to p.p. i don’t recall seeing any castrol edge. i reminded him that vw oci is 1 year or 10,000 miles and he is now at 8,000 miles with lots of hard hot driving so better just get new vw spec oil change sooner.

don’t think for a moment that i didn’t tell my son to check earlier… it’s amazing that you raise kids by teaching them well, they have responsible positions, yet they don’t follow your advice when they should…

 

[Mathew_Boss]

i helped my son drive his 2021 vw tiguan s fwd to dc after his two month temporary assignment in texas this summer, very busy, with alot of driving there. he changed oil before trip to texas at vw dealer a bit early at 8000 miles. just when leaving texas i noticed oil was down about 1/3 qt. i ran into nearby walmart and found no oil meeting vw508 specs. i didn’t want a euro 0w40 or a euro sn, so grabbed a quart of non-euro, $7 pennzoil platinum sp 0w20 for a good-enough, quick topoff. tiguan didn’t blow up, got 31 highway mpg fully loaded on a long fast drive.

what would you have bought? in a hurry, no time to hunt around (he had to report monday morning in dc, this was early saturday morning in texas). thanks.

Iq would use Castrol Edge EP 0W20 because it's meets MB 229.71 which is a tough euro 0W20 spec

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I used M1 0W40 FS for top off on my VW turbo - the BEST option. The sump on that engine could use a little MOFT help

 

[edyvw]

Wal Mart carries Mobil1 ESP 0W30, which is VW504.00/507.00 as well as MB229.51 and MB229.52 approved, and it is a step up from anything ILSAC GF6.
But, 1/3qt of top of is really whatever. I personally would not bother with it, especially if doing hwy drive.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

I'm sure the owner's manual states that up to one quart of API/non-VW approved oil is just fine.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

508 is a mid/low saps low HTHS lubricant other than its LL properties, possibly cleaning and stay in grade - close to an ILSAC R.C. Lube.

Are some VAG 508 00/509 00 choices a true iv/v synthetic ? Possibly, though I do not recall at this moment.

 

[MParr]

thanks guys. oil was 1/3 below full line on dipstick, cold. we were traveling fully loaded in a very hot summer. i like all my fluids at 100% full mark. i almost got the pennzoil euro l, but noticed it was sn and 5w30; i thought it better to get sp and 0w20, which led me to p.p. i don’t recall seeing any castrol edge. i reminded him that vw oci is 1 year or 10,000 miles and he is now at 8,000 miles with lots of hard hot driving so better just get new vw spec oil change sooner.

don’t think for a moment that i didn’t tell my son to check earlier… it’s amazing that you raise kids by teaching them well, they have responsible positions, yet they don’t follow your advice when they should…

6 quarts in our Tiguan never gets it to the top full line on the dipstick. It’s always in the safe zone.

 

[kschachn]

6 quarts in our Tiguan never gets it to the top full line on the dipstick. It’s always in the safe zone.

Correct, approximately midpoint on the dipstick.

 

[edyvw]

6 quarts in our Tiguan never gets it to the top full line on the dipstick. It’s always in the safe zone.

I think VW kept same dipstick as in the previous Tiguan. However, capacity increased from 5 to 6qt; therefore, it does not show all the way to max.

 

[bigjl]

i helped my son drive his 2021 vw tiguan s fwd to dc after his two month temporary assignment in texas this summer, very busy, with alot of driving there. he changed oil before trip to texas at vw dealer a bit early at 8000 miles. just when leaving texas i noticed oil was down about 1/3 qt. i ran into nearby walmart and found no oil meeting vw508 specs. i didn’t want a euro 0w40 or a euro sn, so grabbed a quart of non-euro, $7 pennzoil platinum sp 0w20 for a good-enough, quick topoff. tiguan didn’t blow up, got 31 highway mpg fully loaded on a long fast drive.

what would you have bought? in a hurry, no time to hunt around (he had to report monday morning in dc, this was early saturday morning in texas). thanks.

The oil specs you can use to top up are in the handbook.

In the UK it’s 5w30 in one of the older VAG specs, you can add up to 1 litre

 

[Zee09]

6 quarts in our Tiguan never gets it to the top full line on the dipstick. It’s always in the safe zone.

Same here with my Arteon

 

[slacktide_bitog]

at only 1/3 of a quart, I wouldn't have even bothered, but if you were at Walmart, I would've picked up PP Euro L 5w30

 

[930.engineering]

.
If VW 508 00 isn't available, I'd pick in this order:

1. VW 504 00 (0/5W-30)
2. VW 511 00 (0/5W-40)
3. VW 502 00 (0W-30 - 5W-40; probably easiest to find in NA)
4. BMW LL-01, LL-04, MB 229.5, MB 229.51/52, Porsche A40, C40
5. anything else (everything's better than no oil)

Thicker oil is a non-issue. Thinner (lower HTHS) than what
is specced for this engine could more so a potential issue.

Btw, I use to take 1 l oil with me on any longer trip. Ask me why.
.

 

[Audiman]

Your supposed to check the oil on modern VAG’s with the oil hot, not cold.