Engine: 3.2: Oil for T6 engine.

[Grumpy13]

Originally Posted by s60ben

Well... this was unambiguous enough for my liking...

From the horses mouth...

Like you said from the horses mouth - who recommend the catsrol Oil.

Roy has found a good link to the Volvo oil at normal prices.

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by Grumpy13

As for MPG a recent trip to Paris resulted in nearly 30mpg (OK - thats on the trip computer but I had tested it tank full-tank empty and its not bad). Around town the guzzler is hitting the low 20's.

I think that is pretty good for a car that weighs around 2.5 tons with passengers and luggage. I would guess the brim to brim figure would be about 28 mpg on a run and 20 ish in town then.

The last petrol car I had was the 245 and that did 17 mpg in town and 28 mpg on a run, despite weighing about 200 kg less than the XC90 and having a 2.1 litre engine and no AWD.

I used Castrol GTX I think, as synthetic oil hadn't been invented then, with 6,000 mile changes. My friend who lives round the corner still uses the car every day. Must ask him what he uses nowdays.

Roy

[RoyMacDonald]

There seems to be a whole bunch of oils suddenly appearing in the shops that meet the A5/B5 spec. Follow this link to read about some of them....

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...506#post333506

Roy

[s60ben]

Just to add more, since I first found Mapodo and posted it up on here, I've placed an order and it's arrived.

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Given the furore about oils, I simply stay with what Volvo did extensive testing on, the VAG guys have had this issue for some time, and recommend simply nothing but the correct spec oil, and VAG have more oil specs than anything else going.

I have a simple view on the subject of Oils given the "money" thats there to be made... I can either be "ripped off" by two major multinationals (Volvo & Castol) who have repeatedly stated the correct oils however I can mitigate the costs easily by buying from mapodo, or I can be "Ripped" off by a third party oil manufacturer, who says their oil is the best thing since sliced bread...

I choose to stay with Castrol, if it costs a little more than some "cheap" Comma or Mobil 1 that apparently meets the base spec of ACEA A5/B5 but yet you have no idea what additives are involved in it....

Whats interesting is that the Mobil 1 fuel economy mentioned above doesnt state that it is suitable for extended drain/service (That I can see anywhere on spec lists) .....

Anyway...................

I've recently bought my oil from Mapodo in Germany, I ordered it on Friday Morning at 1.30am...

It arrived this morning at 10.30am, VERY professionally packed and strapped, with "airbags" to protect the contents, and delivered by DHL Premium.

Absolutely Spot on and I have no hesitation in recommending them for supplies to the UK, even given the language barrier (of which there isn't one really), they are very easy to deal with.

For the difference of £20 more or so over the "cheap" lookylikees... I've got exactly what it says it should have in it on the tin I'm happy, I didn't buy my car to skimp and scrape for 20 quid on oil... and I'll do more oil changes per year than your average Volvo T5 driver given my 50/60k a year mileage. I can't really understand people who worry about the £20 when driving such vehicles... it's a bit like those who put chinky chung wing wong tyres on a 250+bhp car.... nuts... absolutely nuts...

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by s60ben

Just to add more, since I first found Mapodo and posted it up on here, I've placed an order and it's arrived.

------------

Given the furore about oils, I simply stay with what Volvo did extensive testing on, the VAG guys have had this issue for some time, and recommend simply nothing but the correct spec oil, and VAG have more oil specs than anything else going.

I have a simple view on the subject of Oils given the "money" thats there to be made... I can either be "ripped off" by two major multinationals (Volvo & Castol) who have repeatedly stated the correct oils however I can mitigate the costs easily by buying from mapodo, or I can be "Ripped" off by a third party oil manufacturer, who says their oil is the best thing since sliced bread...

I choose to stay with Castrol, if it costs a little more than some "cheap" Comma or Mobil 1 that apparently meets the base spec of ACEA A5/B5 but yet you have no idea what additives are involved in it....

Whats interesting is that the Mobil 1 fuel economy mentioned above doesnt state that it is suitable for extended drain/service (That I can see anywhere on spec lists) .....

Mobil I relies very heavily on molybdenum disulfide acording to independant tests I saw. The testers thought it was OK for 14,000 miles before a change. Of course Mobil have now bought out Moblil 1 Extended Service Interval Oil.

One thing to be aware of is that the Volvo ATF isn't a synthetic oil, so I wouldn't use that for an auto transmission change, I'd rather use a higher quality full synthetic ATF.

Roy

[s60ben]

Originally Posted by RoyMacDonald

One thing to be aware of is that the Volvo ATF isn't a synthetic oil, so I wouldn't use that for an auto transmission change, I'd rather use a higher quality full synthetic ATF.

Roy

Neither is the JWS3309 spec calling for Synthetic.... However many of the "synthetic" lubes make claims about suitability for all transmissions... but after looking into it fairly closely, it would appear that due to the way the AW box works (on many models) then many of those "alternatives" are definitely not suitable. http://www.siennaclub.org/forum/inde...showtopic=6735 for example, they have lots of experience with "alternatives" and the later problems.

Many people are either using Mobil 3309 or Toyota T-IV which are specifically meeting the 3309 specification. Apparently the Mobil 3009 stuff is actually the volvo stuff (maybe) lol....

Once again, it's another area where I wouldn't dare use anything other than exactly the correct specification oil.... be it volvo or toyota T-IV....

People get very mixed up between the various boxes fitted to the various years of cars and the requirements for differing fluid, inclusing people using normal ATF in the 2000> AW boxes.... (be them geartronic or otherwise).

Simple thing sticks in my mind..... save £50 now.... spend £2000+ in 500 miles for new box.....

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by s60ben

Neither is the JWS3309 spec calling for Synthetic.... However many of the "synthetic" lubes make claims about suitability for all transmissions... but after looking into it fairly closely, it would appear that due to the way the AW box works (on many models) then many of those "alternatives" are definitely not suitable. http://www.siennaclub.org/forum/inde...showtopic=6735 for example, they have lots of experience with "alternatives" and the later problems.

Many people are either using Mobil 3309 or Toyota T-IV which are specifically meeting the 3309 specification. Apparently the Mobil 3009 stuff is actually the volvo stuff (maybe) lol....

Once again, it's another area where I wouldn't dare use anything other than exactly the correct specification oil.... be it volvo or toyota T-IV....

People get very mixed up between the various boxes fitted to the various years of cars and the requirements for differing fluid, inclusing people using normal ATF in the 2000> AW boxes.... (be them geartronic or otherwise).

Simple thing sticks in my mind..... save £50 now.... spend £2000+ in 500 miles for new box.....

As a matter of interest do you know what oil Saab use in their Auto Boxes? I've understand they use the same auto box as Volvo but that it's more reliable in the Saab. This has been attributed to the fact that Saab have an oil change at 60,000 miles as part of the service and Volvo don't.

Roy

[s60ben]

Originally Posted by RoyMacDonald

As a matter of interest do you know what oil Saab use in their Auto Boxes? I've understand they use the same auto box as Volvo but that it's more reliable in the Saab. This has been attributed to the fact that Saab have an oil change at 60,000 miles as part of the service and Volvo don't.

Roy

I've no idea, but if they are using an Aisin Warner box... then it'll be to the JWS3309 standard... and the oil change probably makes a HUGE difference.