Which oil?

[Yusee]

My 2018 GTI performance has done 7k miles, the oil dipstick is showing midway between max and min, so I thought I'd better top up before first service.

I called the local VW service dept for advice as to grade- was told 0w30. He sounded uncertain, so I called another dealer- he told me "10w 40 semi, shell or castrol". Called a third dealer who said "5w30 semi, castrol edge"

So 3 calls, 3 different grades advised!

Now I'm absolutely sure the engine won't explode if I add a litre of slightly different oil, but it would be nice to get consistent advice. Even nicer to get accurate advice, but I have no confidence in these chaps to give that!

Just done the oil change on my old Peugeot and have several litres of Shell Helix 10w40 semi that I bought in bulk from Opieoils. I could put a litre of this in. Should I?

Can anyone advise as to what the recommended grade of oil is?

[Carbon VW]

All cars are delivered set up for long life, so, if your car has not had a service/oil change, it will have the 5W30, 507 spec. oil in the engine. Probably not wise to mix different specs, especially as the engine will still be bedding in.

[mcmaddy]

VW don't use different oils now. It's all long life oil they use irrespective of which service schedule you are on.

[Yusee]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll get some castrol edge 5w30

[Watts]

If it's half way up the dipstick I can't understand why the need to top it up if the service is not far off? But if you do, a litre might be too much, half should be plenty.

[Yusee]

yeah I thought I would hold out til the first service, but decided today i'll probably need to top up by then.
I find the dipstick reading is pretty sensitive to slight gradient - it can read in the lower half with the passenger side on a very slight downward slope. maybe I'm getting a bit too obsessed with it!

[Carbon VW]

VW don't use different oils now. It's all long life oil they use irrespective of which service schedule you are on.

Is that not what I said ?!

[mcmaddy]

Not specifically no and at 7k miles the engine will be way past the bedding in stage too.

[Carbon VW]

Not specifically no and at 7k miles the engine will be way past the bedding in stage too.

You should learn some manners daddy man. Your tone is quite condescending.

[Adam T7]

When I picked my 7.5 GTI up in December I researched the oil on the web as VW information unclear - Castrol 5W-30.
I’m fastidious bordering OCD on oil levels, check at least weekly, engine oil temp at least 70 degrees, left for at least 10 mins, measured in exact same physical location as yes, the engines appear to be very gradient sensitive. - not burnt a drop, changed at just over 6k.