[whobodym]

I'm aware of the new "VW 508" oil spec which I think is called for in Audis of the last several model years, at least in the higher-sales-volume models. It's 0W-20 I believe. (usually?) My questions are 1) are dealers now actually using VW508 in the Audis and VWs that call for it, in service appointments? 2) are dealers still carefully using the old VW502 spec thicker oil in cars like my 2014 A5 2.0T? 3) I've tried looking around in auto parts stores for VW508 but I'm not yet seeing much of it - is that your experience too? 4) can anyone describe any significant engine modifications which were done concurrently with the change to VW508 spec being required? You can see where I'm going... I'm wondering how much harm putting VW508 0W-20 in my car would do. And I'm wondering whether maybe very few people actually are driving around with VW508 in their crankcases even in new cars today, if the stuff actually isn't in good supply yet. Comment away please, if you have direct knowledge on any of these points. (BTW, my 2014 2.0T engine now is at 70,000 miles, still uses more or less zero oil between changes, and I have been usually using Mobil 1 VW502 0W-40 oil)

 

[whobodym]

I tried asking much the same set of questions as I noted above today, at Audi Seattle which as far as I know is a plenty-big, long-in-business dealer. The service advisor's claims were: 1) Yes, he totally understood what I was talking about 2) Yes, both 502 and 508 oil are in active use at this dealership today 3) Yes, they are careful to put 502 in older Audis and 508 in newer Audis which are in for service appointments, and 4) No, he's not aware of any of the details about the re-engineering that was done by Audi concurrent with the switch from requiring 502 to requiring 508 oils.