Owner of an often abused 250k+ mile 2002 Outback here. I use Mobil1 full synthetic 5W20. Runs like a top.
Porsche wanted you to use 0W-40 originally but now they recommend 5W-50 which is what Porsche sell for the 996 as their Classic oil for the 996. I’ve used Mobil 1 5W-50 for 3 years now, good pressure and next to nothing on the magnetic drain plug since so seems to be working. In my last change I’ve also added Ceratec on recommendation of another member of this sub and since have noticed the engine is a little quieter and get slightly better mpg so would recommend giving that a go if you are so inclined.
I use Mobil1 0w40 for the last 3 years (changed twice a year) with flawless UOA reports. I upgraded this summer to M1 5w50 as I do get low pressure warnings at times during high heat and heavy traffic situations summertime. Winter going back to 0w40
In my VN, always Mobil 1 0w-30 AFE.
I vaguely remember a video or a study done on mobile? Syntec or something, a somewhat scientific study pulling samples every 1k miles and sending out to a lab. Bottom line was that the oil actually got better over miles and they abandoned the project at 15k miles.
I used OEM Mazda Moly 0w20 oil for most of the last 8 years, until I started getting coolant showing up in my Blackstone used oil lab reports. Switched to Mobil1 5w30 high mileage this last time, 2,500 miles ago.
I used Mobil 1 with my Mustang. I like it for my timing chain and valve line. It’s very good. Car runs quiet.
Good old fashioned Mobil 1 for me. It wasn’t available during the pandemic so I used Valvoline Synthetic for a couple of years.
I typically use whatever is cheapest and proven oils for all my cars. I have an '08 2.5 and have been using T6 5w40, they typically run coupons for them for $20 or 25.00 for the gallon jug. No, it doesn't get VW's official stamp of approval but it seems to do pretty well in this application and seems quite popular amongst various other makes especially Euro cars that require a 40wt oil. Quite honestly, I'm pretty sure you can run a quality 5W30 in this motor, it is not anything special. I've run M1 0W-40 and although it has the VW spec labeled on it, my car always had a faint tick coming from the valve cover area (lifter?) when warm. It never did this with the T6 oil in it.
I know when I put my stroker block in with stock head/turbo I filled it with 0w-40 and I would get low oil pressure when deaccelerating down hills.. Low enough the light would flash on, got my freaked out! with the new head. and my 71r 72a/r set up going on I'm swapping to 10w-40 mobil 1, because when I took the old head off there was a TON of carbon build up for the small amount of miles I had driven the new block around(less then 2,000 miles). I had changed the old twice already(once ot get the break in oil out and once again at 500 where I dropped the pan to check for metal and such and up in a new pick up tube for piece of mind). I have good reason to believe the 0w-40 is just too thin for the clearances for stroker pistons and such. I'll report back once the car is up and running with the 10w-40 in it. If the oil pressure problems persist I'm thinking about stepping up to 10w-50, but Im in southern California so YMMV depending on how cold/hot it gets around you.
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