What type,weight & brand of oil should I be using in my 1993 VW Passat?

I am a 17 yr old female who just bought her first car a 1993 VW Passat with a VR6 motor. Would anyone know what the manufacture recommends to use when doing a oil change as far as weight, brand %26amp; type ? ( synthetic -? )What type,weight %26amp; brand of oil should I be using in my 1993 VW Passat?
you should use a castrol semi synthetic oil at a 10w40, also don't forget to change the oil filterWhat type,weight %26amp; brand of oil should I be using in my 1993 VW Passat?
First of all, I would like to personally thank you on your purchase of a Volkswagen for your first car. These are very good cars, Honda is hype, and though that will be a neverending debate (Honda loses upon close analysis for being a hype badge with an H and no power, reputation only as reliable and thats it, read my Best Answer) I want to tell you you have purchased an excellent car that is very fast with the VR6 (if a VW four is not Turbo, it is OK but nothing special.)





So, Thank You. (My first car was a 1986 Volkswagen Jetta 5-speed, two years before they stopped making them in Germany in 1988. If your VIN starts with WVW, it is Germany. 3VW, it is Mexico.)





Now, onto your question.





You have the VR6. It is a German V6. German engines like the heavier oil. They are not afraid of it. Japanese and American CAR engines are afraid of anything heavier than 10W-30. Germany loves weight. In the engine, in the car, it is their safety and design. Heavy all the way.





I personally would make your first oil change Valvoline MaxLife 10W-40 (always change the filter with it, but you can make it any filter you want, most of the time they dont do a lot due to their position on the engine) and add it 5 quarts even (you have a V6.) Doing that, you should have it up to the Full line on the dipstick, I always like it to Full, not in the middle. You can let it drip out or not, it doesnt matter (each quart when filling.)





10W-40 oil is ehavier and protects more than 10W-30 oil and will not significantly addect your mileage. Going heavier (and there are at least 3 grades of oil, more like 4 heavier than 10W-40 if you count the non-Multigrades) is unnecessary in your vehicle, unless your engine is in serious peril, then it might buy it some more thime, but that is not going to save it ultimately either.... another discussion for another day. (When your engine drinks oil almost like gas, as a joke. Means it is about to pass on to the VW salvage yard in the sky. No saving it, it served well.)





Multigrade starts as '10' weight (an approvimate number of the CFM moved through the engibe when cold, hence W for Winter) and gets up to 40-weight when at engine temperature. YOU -CAN- USE 10W-40 ALL YEAR. IT IS DESIGNED TO START UP IN THE WINTER, AS LONG AS YO DONT LIVE IN MINNESOTS WHERE IT GETS BELOW 0 DEGREES. NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW THAT. It will also protect very good up to about 100 or 110 degrees, and is the best spread.





You do not ever need to use heavier oil than 10W-40 in your VS Passat. You also do not need to use anything lighter.





THe MaxLife itself is more like a Synthetic Blend, and i tis OK. Full Synthetic is frequently a problem CAUSER in an old engine, as it knocks out things that were sealing something. It is also like conventional, and its base oils are that, with additives 'synthetic.' Synthetic means anything a manufacturer wants it to mean.





Enjoy your 93 Passat, dont get too many speeding tickets on the highway with it (It will go over 100MPH with -ease,- just like my BMW inline-6, also powerful with nothing but Torque) an dI am almost sure it has over 75,000 miles on it. Thank You.
brand is not an issue. if you have the owner's manual, look in there, it will tell you. if not, call a vw dealer and ask them. it is probably 5w30.
Well congratulations!!





5W30 is the recommended oil. I have all my customers running synthetics in thier VW's.





Brands are more a matter of preferance than anything. Personnally, I like Amsoil. Harder to find, but the only pure synthetic on the market. But the key to synthetic oil is to use a filter designed for it. Its more costly, but how much is your car worth to you??
if you have owners manual is in there, or any auto parts store can tell you or go on line to the NAPA web site or auto zone web site and it will tell you.
see if you can find out what brand of oil the previous owner used and stick with that brand . it is sometimes bad to change up brands. as long as it is sae approved oil with weight that is in step with the driving temps you should be fine.
i think 10-40 Valvoline would be the best.in a car of this age i cant see the point of using an expensive or synthetic oil.