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Old 02-08-2012, 11:46 AM   #1
CTSSM2011STI
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Default Any way of finding type of oil use in car?

So today I dropped off my 2011 STI Limited at the dealer for an oil change and some warranty work. When it came time for me to sign all the paperwork and as the service advisor was reading off the paperwork he said "the oil change will be $35.99; if you want you can put in synthetic next time". My immediate reply was "No No its a turbo car it needs to have synthetic put in it all the time". He then crossed out the $35.99 price and changed it to $65 but that was as far as I saw.

This has me kinda of worried now as to weather or not they have been putting in regular oil this entire time and just charging me more of if they are actually going to put in synthetic this time...

Does anyone know of a way to get the oil that is in my car tested to make sure that it is the correct oil being used and if so how to I go about doing it?

THANK YOU!!!!
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Old 02-08-2012, 12:12 PM   #2
grinch77
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Just drain it and put new oil in.You will pay more for what ever test there is than what five quarts of oil will cost you.
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Old 02-08-2012, 01:35 PM   #3
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Pro tip: Change your own oil and you will know what kind it is.
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Old 02-08-2012, 06:18 PM   #4
JamesWilson2
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And find a new dealership. Unacceptable.
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Old 02-08-2012, 09:17 PM   #5
z
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That's definitely lame. What stealership was this?
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Old 02-08-2012, 10:22 PM   #6
ciper
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I hate to break it to you guys but Synthetic is NOT REQUIRED only suggested. Read your owners manual closely

edit: For example, this is directly from the 2011 Forester Owners Manual

Quote:
API classification SM or SN with the words "ENERGY CONSERVING" or "RESOURCE CONSERVING" or ILSAC GF-4 or GF-5

0W-20 synthetic oil is the required oil for optimum engine performance and protection. Conventional oil may be used if synthetic oil is unavailable.
If 0W-20 synthetic oil is not available, 5W-30 or 5W-40 conventional oil may be used if replenishment is needed but should be changed to 0W-20 synthetic oil at the next oil change.
In other words the only REQUIREMENT is API SM or SN with ILSAC GF-4 or GF-5. All the other "mays" and "shoulds" are not requirements at all.

You can run conventional oil all day long if it meets the requirements and you change it according to the interval specified. If you really want to know what is going on send your oil for analysis. Its only 20$ fricking dollars and you'll know for certain whether the conventional oil is damaging your engine.
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Old 02-08-2012, 11:46 PM   #7
CTSSM2011STI
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grinch77 View Post
Just drain it and put new oil in.You will pay more for what ever test there is than what five quarts of oil will cost you.
Trust but I would rather not throw away $70 just to spend another $50 or w.e. it will be just to put new oil in... I think I am just going to make sure that when they hand me the paperwork back tomorrow that it states that synthetic oil was put in.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Badler View Post
Pro tip: Change your own oil and you will know what kind it is.
I am either going to learn how to change my own oil now or I am just going to buy the stuff ahead of time and have the dealer use what I bring to them.

Quote:
Originally Posted by z View Post
That's definitely lame. What stealership was this?
I would rather not say exactly what dealership it was... Fact of the matter is that many Subaru dealerships in Connecticut don't seem to know anything in general about the cars sadly.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ciper View Post
I hate to break it to you guys but Synthetic is NOT REQUIRED only suggested. Read your owners manual closely

edit: For example, this is directly from the 2011 Forester Owners Manual


In other words the only REQUIREMENT is API SM or SN with ILSAC GF-4 or GF-5. All the other "mays" and "shoulds" are not requirements at all.

You can run conventional oil all day long if it meets the requirements and you change it according to the interval specified. If you really want to know what is going on send your oil for analysis. Its only 20$ fricking dollars and you'll know for certain whether the conventional oil is damaging your engine.
The Forester is a completely different car and as far as I know I am sure that they do not have a turbo model.

Here is the print in the 2011 STI Owners Manual directly off of Subarus My Vehicle Section:

SAE viscosity No. and applicable temperature

5W-30 synthetic oil is required for optimum engine performance and protection. Conventional oil may be used if synthetic oil is unavailable.

*: If 5W-30 synthetic oil is not available, 5W-30 or 5W-40 conventional oil may be used if replenishment is needed but should be changed to 5W-30 synthetic oil at the next oil change.
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Old 02-09-2012, 06:37 AM   #8
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You are worrying too much. Stop thinking that conventional motor oil shot Kennedy from the grassy knoll. Change it back to synthetic tomorrow, next oil change, or never as you see fit and go to another place for oil changes. Nice of you to ask, but you've already been given your answer, so accept it rather than to deflect it.
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Old 02-09-2012, 07:58 AM   #9
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The Forester is not a completely different car and yes they have a turbo model. Every note that SoA puts out about synthetic is different than the last. Note that your manual says that synthetic is required for optimum engine performance, not that it's "required" full stop.

And who's definition of synthetic are they using? Not the API's because they don't have one. And replenishment with 5W-40 conventional is allowed? There's NO such thing! In an email newsletter, SoA said that the new Impreza requires 0W-30 conventional. No such thing as that either and the Impreza specs 0W-20 synthetic. The Outback's manual says synthetic may be used but you have to stick with it if you switch to it. 1980's logic. I'm not suggesting that you run only conventional, but a 3k mile run isn't going to hurt anything.

-Dennis

Last edited by bluesubie; 02-09-2012 at 08:11 AM.
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Old 02-09-2012, 12:01 PM   #10
CTSSM2011STI
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Unabomber View Post
You are worrying too much. Stop thinking that conventional motor oil shot Kennedy from the grassy knoll. Change it back to synthetic tomorrow, next oil change, or never as you see fit and go to another place for oil changes. Nice of you to ask, but you've already been given your answer, so accept it rather than to deflect it.
The answers that were given were to "change my own oil", "tests are $5,000", and that "Synthetic is not required". I acknowledged all answers and challenged only the one that is directly below this reply (not knowing that there was in fact a turbo model Forester). IMO people learn by information and I was given that information challenged the opinion and got more information to which I now understand.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bluesubie
The Forester is not a completely different car and yes they have a turbo model. Every note that SoA puts out about synthetic is different than the last. Note that your manual says that synthetic is required for optimum engine performance, not that it's "required" full stop.

And who's definition of synthetic are they using? Not the API's because they don't have one. And replenishment with 5W-40 conventional is allowed? There's NO such thing! In an email newsletter, SoA said that the new Impreza requires 0W-30 conventional. No such thing as that either and the Impreza specs 0W-20 synthetic. The Outback's manual says synthetic may be used but you have to stick with it if you switch to it. 1980's logic. I'm not suggesting that you run only conventional, but a 3k mile run isn't going to hurt anything.

-Dennis
My apologies I don't know to much about Subarus other vehicle lineup. Thank you for your input...

Last edited by CTSSM2011STI; 02-09-2012 at 12:07 PM.
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Old 02-09-2012, 12:24 PM   #11
CTSSM2011STI
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Here is a photo I took of my notes section of the invoice for the oil change that was done. NOTE: Comment at the bottom!



Looks like they are saying that Synthetic oil should NOT be used at all in the car now until the 15k.
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Old 02-09-2012, 06:13 PM   #12
bluesubie
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Time to find a new dealer.

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Old 02-09-2012, 07:20 PM   #13
ciper
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BlueSubie Is that an endwrench article? If so you cannot trust it. It is published by a different part of subaru and they often get stuff wrong.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CTSSM2011STI View Post
5W-30 synthetic oil is required for optimum engine performance and protection.[/color][/u] Conventional oil may be used if synthetic oil is unavailable.

*: If 5W-30 synthetic oil is not available, 5W-30 or 5W-40 conventional oil may be used if replenishment is needed but should be changed to 5W-30 synthetic oil at the next oil change.
I think you just proved my point that synthetic is not required

There are plenty of great conventional oils, and there are some crap synthetics. Either way if it meets the API ratings they specify and you are within the viscosity range it will work.

Last edited by ciper; 02-09-2012 at 07:29 PM.
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Old 02-09-2012, 08:19 PM   #14
CTSSM2011STI
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ciper
BlueSubie Is that an endwrench article? If so you cannot trust it. It is published by a different part of subaru and they often get stuff wrong.

I think you just proved my point that synthetic is not required

There are plenty of great conventional oils, and there are some crap synthetics. Either way if it meets the API ratings they specify and you are within the viscosity range it will work.
Yes you can use conventional oil but not oil change after oil changed so in that case in being able to use conventional oil you are correct but that is only if synthetic is not available. At my 7.5k service conventional oil was used and if they were to have used it again this time like they were going to then it would have been against what Subaru states in the owners manual.
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Old 02-09-2012, 08:54 PM   #15
ciper
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CTSSM2011STI Read your manual more closely. It is not required to use synthetic. You could use generic conventional oil if it meets the actual requirements listed. Look for the circle logo.
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Old 02-09-2012, 10:06 PM   #16
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In class they tell the techs that the correct weight synthetic is required - the FB motors have no oil coolers and are designed to run hotter to keep the oil as thin as possible, because the cam timing is adjusted by using valve spring tension to shuttle oil back and forth between chambers in the cam sprocket.

Thick sludged up oil doesn't move very fast, and if you start having cam timing issues the oil is the first place to look...

Having said that, a good conventional oil probably won't do you wrong.
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