Conventional 0W-20 oil - anyone seen any?

[kd5byb]

Good evening all,

In other threads, people have posted that Toyota notes that they fill Tundra's with conventional (non-synthetic) 0W-20. I've been looking around at oils lately and haven't seen one single conventional 0W-20 on the shelf!

Searches of common motor oil manufacturers (Castrol, Pennzoil, etc...) confirm that they don't make 0W-20 conventional oil. I can only find references to synthetic 0W-20's.

Anyone here seen a conventional 0W-20? If so, what brand and where?

Or, is the other post from a Toyota assembly worker correct in saying that they use synthetic?

Bottom line, I used to use Mobil 1 exclusively up until six months ago when the price of it went nuts. I switched my vehicles to Wal-Mart Supertech Synthetic, which by all accounts, is a good oil for conventional oil change intervals (<5k miles) and saved a good chunk of money.

Now, I'm looking at 8 quarts of Mobil 1 0W-20 (because that's the only 0W-20 I've seen on the shelves!) at nearly $6 a quart. Ouch. I'd love a conventional or a store-brand synthetic alternative...

thanks much!
ben

[Rustywrenches]

Lots of 5-20 conventional oils on the market. Toyota manual says thats OK as well.

[kd5byb]

Boy you're right - there was a ton of 5W-20 oils at Wally-World. I'm interested in the 0W-20 more for winter use, but like the idea of better gas mileage with the 0W-20 as well.

I even saw plain oil conventional Supertech 5W-20, which hopefully means that a 0W-20 synthetic Supertech won't be too far off in the distance...

Northern Alabama is a pretty weird climate. We can get single digit temps in the winter and hit 100 degrees F in the summer. This wide temperature range is one reason I've used synthetics in the past. If I can use a 0W-20 year round, that would be awesome.

thanks,
ben

[Rustywrenches]

Ben, I might add that I enjoyed being up in your area about 10 years ago. I managed a contract building busses down in Aniston and spent quite a bit of time in the Huntsville area because of a lovely lady I met back there.

[kathyricks]

The factory fill is genuine Toyota conventional 5W-20. No conventional oil - not even genuine Toyota oil - is available in a 0W-20 weight.

The owners who are writing to Toyota are writing to customer service reps at their headquaters in Torrance, Calif. These reps just read information they get out of a manual and that info can be outdated or faulty or the reps may get confused.

Bottom line is you can buy genuine Toyota 5W-20 conventional at local Toyota dealers parts dept's for between $2-3 a quart and genuine Toyota 0W-20 synthetic for $3-5 a quart (dealer prices vary widely as they are set by the dealer, not by corporate Toyota). It says right on the bottle that Genuine Toyota motor oil is specially forumulated by Toyota for use in Toyota vehicles.

[kd5byb]

Originally Posted by Rustywrenches

Ben, I might add that I enjoyed being up in your area about 10 years ago. I managed a contract building busses down in Aniston and spent quite a bit of time in the Huntsville area because of a lovely lady I met back there.

You wouldn't believe how much this little town has grown up! I moved here in '95 and the growth has been incredible. Downtown is being renovated, new neighborhoods everywhere, new businesses everywhere.

It's a great place to be.

thanks much!
ben

[kd5byb]

Originally Posted by kathyricks

The factory fill is genuine Toyota conventional 5W-20. No conventional oil - not even genuine Toyota oil - is available in a 0W-20 weight.

This is another option I'd not considered - I'd just assumed that the Toyota folks we're correct when they said conventional 0W-20.

This makes things a lot easier for me - I'll just stick with 5W-20 synthetic from Wally-World or Sam's Club and be happy!

(I've seen 5W-20 Mobil 1 at my local Sam's in good quantities.)

thanks much!
ben

[Northwoods_Maine]

Was in WalMart on Friday ...they had both 0W-20 and 5W-20 Mobil 1 on the shelf for $5. qt. Picked up 8 qts. for the first oil change.

[rxbike]

I was at the parts counter at my local dealer last week getting the oil change and looked at the toyota oil there. The 5-20W is conventional in black bottle like the rest of their line of oil but their 0-20 is labelled as synthetic and are in red bottle instead. BTW, they were cheaper than mobil 1 compared to wally world's price. The dealer had it priced at 4.70.quart vs wally workd in the clearance aisle at 5.00/quart

[mhadden]

Even for winter use, I can't see why you would want to use the 0W20. It's way too thin! I'd sitck with the 5W20 (which I still think is too thin) or 5W30. I'd be interested in seeing some UOA's on the 0W20 in all seasonal conditions and uses.

[93cruiser]

they are both 20 weights. At operating temps, one is no "thinner" than the other. one in the same once up to temp.

[07 firecrew]

the 0 weight is better suited for vehicles for climates like alaska, 5/20 works great in normal climates.

[Starwatcher]

Toyota says 0W-20 has better MPG vs 5W-20. Does anyone know what the difference will be, like 1% or 2% better or??

[mhadden]

Should be zero effect, except at startup..I think there is a trade-off of low viscosity oils and better gas mileage vs. wear associated with the low viscosity oil...JMHO I'll stick with 5W20 or 5W30 and have better protection to sacrifice a little fuel economy...

[SamNigu]

0W20 Toyota is synthetic. I had my oil changed with it. The price is better than Mobil. Should see at least 2MPG increase.

My dealer gives the first 2 oil changes for free. They didn't charge any extra for the 0W20.

The 0W20 will give less wear. It's the better oil. It's synthetic and thinner when cold. Less drag on engine components. Temperature range is very good. No way I'd consider 5W.
Verify this with your owners manual.