I think that you will find that most of us run synthetic. I don't run my car hard but I figure it is peace of mind given the little oil cooker turbo.
Stan

 

Think it is best to go for fully synthetic oil as this is the best oil you can get. Failing that, use semi-synthetic but of course with a lower mileage between the intervals to prevent sludge buildup.

 

Regardless of turbo or not, I always run fully synthetic on my cars.

 

the dealership talked me out of using synthetic with my last change- don't know why but they mentioned something about if you get regular changes that you do not need to spend the extra $- Then again I change my oil every 3k so it depends


Is there a noticeable difference between the two?

 

Weird that your dealership said that. Was it the service writer who said that? There's a ton of opinion on how often oil should be changed, but generally synthetic is better than normal oil in most situations.

It could be the placebo effect, but I'd say yes, there is a difference between the two in how the car feels. Especially when you start putting a lot of mileage on your car.

 

5w30 synthetic or 0w30 synthetic. Autozone if you're in the US has a great sale on it right now.

 

Look in your manual... It says the car does not need synthetic, and that when the maintenance is done at the dealer, they will not put in synthetic oil, unless requested, and will cost extra.

Needless to say, I put in synthetic, but as long as it's the right weight, I'm not picky on who makes it. It's mostly the same.

 

Do you want your car to last, 20 years 30 years or 40 years. If so use regular oil , fake synthetic or real synthetic.

Oil blends today now range from very good to excellent. Just keep it clean.

(If you wake up to -20 deg mornings then you want synthetic for that season)

 

If you have a turbo, I would not consider anything other than synthetic oil. You paid good money for your car, so use good oil. See my used oil report on Mobil 1 0w40 http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread.php?149534-Mobil-1-0w40-used-oil-analysis-report

I suggest the Mobil 1 ow40, Castrol 0w30, Pennzoil Ultra 5w30, or even Amsoil 0w30. Take good care of your car with good fluids and it will appreciate it!

 

hey all, thanks for your inputs... I know its hard when they all are telling me the different stories even dealership too... ahh ahh i just hope i ll treat my s40 well like I did with my honda civic..

 

I use synthetic. Synthetic gives you 10,000km and regular oil is half of that. Do the math and it isn't too bad, price wise. Volvo dealer here in Toronto uses CASTROL....I've been using MOTUL. They say, it is more important to change oil fequent than stress over the best quality oil. If you can do both....that is BONUS! My $0.02

 

I always run Motul synthetic in my cars; however, my S40 isn't broken in yet... I'll switch it over once it's time.

 

Full synthetic. I'm currently running German Castrol 0W-30 (the only Castrol Syntec that is a full synthetic)

 

I actually found a spot in MY07 manual recommending Synthetic oil for winter use. Its listed under Cold Weather Precautions.

it states - The viscosity of the engine oil is important. Oil with low viscosity (thinner oil) improves cold-weather starting as well as decreasing fuel consumption while the engine is warming up. For winter use, 5W-30 oil, particularly the synthetic type*, is recommended.

The * is this disclaimer - Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the normal maintenance intervals except at owner request and at additional charge.

of course on the oil page the * note is again quoted.


delhi

 

Also Guys & Gals living in the very cold Climate Area's : I use this in the - 1 qt. Size Lucas .
Look down toward Bottom of Page about ( Gas & Diesel Additive ) / Not the one made strictly for Diesels even thou - most Diesels run Turbo's .

http://lucasoil.hodgsoncorp.com/lucas_fuel_treatment.htm

Really get Improvement , especially Cold Starts & MPG

 

I guess I don't get what makes the US version of Castrol Syntec 'not fully synthetic'...

I used it for the first few changes on the V50, then went to the Castrol Edge, and just went back since Wally World didn't have 5W-30 in the Edge this past oil change. Someone enlighten me please.

 

bobistheoilguy has the answer:

asic information:

* What is GC?
GC stands for German Castrol. It's officially named Castrol Syntec 0w-30.
I'm not sure who coined this term.

* Why is it called GC?
It is the ONLY Castrol Syntec made in Germany.

* What makes this stuff so good?
With any oil, it may not work well with your car. However, the majority of us love it.
o Produces great UOA results.
o Engines run quieter and smoother. (OK, that may be an opinion.)
o Comparable price with other synthetics. ~$5 qt
o GC is a TRUE synthetic. Made from PAO/Esters, not Group III. Click here for more reading.
+ The other Castrol Syntecs are not true synthetics.
Other examples of true synthetic oils are Mobil1, Amsoil, Redline, and Royal Purple to name a few!
o GC is good enough to have its own forum! That's gotta mean something.

* What's bad about this stuff?
Not much.
o You might have a hard time finding it depending on where you live.
o Your car might not like it. You'll never know until you try.
Keep trying oils until you find one you're happy with.
o Addicting. You'll see what I mean...

* Is it "thin"? Come on, 0w-30 has to be watery.
NO! Please don't completely buy into that myth.
o At cold temps, the 0w weight correlates to cold cranking viscosity.
That means GC will still flow at cold temps. (Which is a good thing!)
o At operating temps, the 30 weight is actually close to a 40 weight.
GC is one of the thickest 30 weight oils around.
I don't want to go into too much detail about this here. It can be very confusing.
My point is, GC is not "thin" in most temperatures that we use our cars in.

Click here for more details about the "Thin Oil Myth".
The example uses Mobil1 5w-30 and 10w-30, but GC still applies.

Click here for some viscosity comparisons.
Click here for a chart about cold cranking viscosity.

* Can I use this oil even if my car manufacturer recommends a different weight?
Great question. Your best bet would be to search or start a new topic if it hasn't been discussed.
It should be fine if your car needs 0w-30 (Duh), 5w-30, or 10w-30.
Personally, I wouldn't use GC if my car called for non-30 weight.

* Where can I buy this stuff?
In the US, AutoZone is the only major store that carries GC. Most AutoZones carry it, but not all.
In Canada, you can try your luck at AutoZone and Wally World.

More information you should know:

* There are 3 types of GC.
o U.S. - So it's not really GC, but it's U.S. made Castrol Syntec 0w-30.
o Green - Yes, the oil is Green.
o Gold - The most recent stuff.

* What's the difference?
o There's not much research done on the U.S. stuff, so just don't buy it.
o Green vs Gold
+ No one is 100% sure which is better.
+ Green has proven itself to be great.
+ So far, Gold has been great too!
+ Gold is probably just as good as Green. (Maybe better?)
+ Click here for more reading.
o Bottom Line
+ The U.S. stuff probably isn't as good as the German stuff.
+ Buy Green if you can find it. Otherwise go for the Gold!

* How can I tell the difference?
First, I'll teach you how to read the date codes.
o Look at the bottom of the bottle, it'll say something like M05216xxxx
+ The 05 represents the year it was made. (2005 in this case)
+ The 216 represents the day it was made. (001 - 365)
o U.S.
+ No need to look at the date code, it'll say "Made in the U.S.A." on the back.
+ It was last made in 2002, but many AutoZones still have some lying around.
o Green GC
+ It'll say "Made in Germany" on the back.
+ Anything until and including M05010xxxx is Green.
+ This stuff came out in 2002.
o Gold GC
+ It'll say "Made in Germany" on the back.
+ Anything after M05010xxxx is Gold.
+ This is the current GC.
Click here for some photos of US and Green GC.
The Gold GC bottles look similar or identical to the Green GC bottles.

Miscellaneous Questions:

* Are you a chemical engineer or tribologist?
Nope, just an enthusiast. I am an Electrical Engineer and I got A's in all my physics/chem classes. [Razz] (I still don't know jack about those subjects.)

* Why do people hunt for Green GC so frivolously?
I don't know. There's something novel about losing gas/time/money/relationships for the Green.

* What's the deal with the elves?
Shhh, don't get involved. They'll pull you back in if you try to get out.

Credits:

* BITOG
* sxg6 for the GC photos.
* AndyH for the cold viscosity table.
* 427Z06 for the viscosity comparisons.
* Everyone who gave me suggestions and caught my errors. If you think your name should be here, don't be shy and PM me!

Thanks for reading!

 

Definitely use Synthetic. More expensive, but pays off in the end. The independent Volvo shop that I go to here uses BG oil exclusively, and they swear by it in their own modified Volvos as well. I was running Motul 5W-40 before, but switched back to 5W-30.

http://www.bgprod.com/products/engineoil.html

Part No. 73732, but I'm also interested in the two oils above that one.