5w-30 Engine Oil (Complete Guide and Recommendations 2023) Best Motor Oil 5w30

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How to choose the best 5w-30 engine oil for your car?

Do you want to replace the 5w-30 oil in your car and don’t know what parameters to pay attention to when choosing an oil?

We created this article to tell you how to choose 5w-30 oil for your car, and what to look for when choosing 5w-30 engine oil so you don’t waste your money. We have a lot of experience working in a car store, as well as writing articles for websites. This allows us to put together a simple and clear article for you on this topic and recommend a really quality product.

5w-30 oil is universal and is used in most engines in modern cars. We recommend using synthetic engine oil for the engines of new cars, with no more than 150,000 miles driven.

However, if the manufacturer specifies a 5w-20 or 0w-20 viscosity for your vehicle, we recommend you use that viscosity type. The only exception is if you notice your car engine is consuming a lot of oil, you could change to another viscosity type, such as 5w-30. If you notice that your car is using a lot of oil when you change it, consider switching to a different viscosity oil, such as 10w-30 if you were previously using 5w-30 oil.

What does 5w-30 oil mean?

5w-30 is the viscosity of engine oil, a measure of the oil’s resistance to flow.

When marking an engine oil, there are usually two numbers that define its viscosity.

The first number: 5w indicates the oil’s fluidity at low temperatures when starting a cold engine.
The second number, 30, indicates the fluidity of the oil at normal engine operating temperatures.

Where is 5w-30 engine oil used?

5w-30 oil is used in most engines in modern cars and in new cars or cars with 150,000 miles or less. If your car has more than 150,000 miles, you can use 10w-30 viscosity oil.

What’s the best 5w-30 oils?

Each car manufacturer specifies in their documentation what their oil requirements are. There will be data such as:

The viscosity of the engine oil, in this case, it is 5w-30
Automobile manufacturer approvals
ACEA, API, or ILSAC oil specifications

Best Engine Oil 5w-30

5w-30 motor oil is one of the most popular oils on the market. We’ll advise you on proven options and advise you on really good quality oil in different price ranges.

Motor Oil 5w-30 for American cars

For American cars, you should use 5w-30 motor oil with API SN or SP, ILSAC GF-5, or GF-6 specifications. Also consider automaker approvals: Ford Approvals (WSS), General Motors Approvals (Dexos), Chrysler Approvals (MS), and others.

Best 5w-30 engine oils for American cars

Castrol Edge 5W-30 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil
Mobil 1 Extended Performance Full Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-30
Amsoil Signature Series 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil
Royal Purple 5W-30 High Performance Synthetic Motor Oil
Liqui Moly Special Tec AA 5w-30 Motor Oil
Red Line 5W30 Motor Oil
Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 5W-30 Motor Oil
Valvoline Extended Protection Full Synthetic Motor Oil SAE 5W-30

Motor Oil 5w-30 for German cars

For German cars such as Audi, VW, BMW, Mercedes you must use Low-SAPS oil 5w-30 that meets ACEA and API specifications and is also approved by car manufacturers: VW Approvals (VW), Mercedes Approvals (MB), BMW Approvals (Longlife) and others.

Best 5w-30 engine oils for German cars

Liqui Moly Top Tec 4200 SAE 5W-30 Longlife Motor Oil
Mobil 1 ESP Formula Engine Oil 5w30
BMW SAE 5W-30 Full Synthetic Motor Oil
Castrol Edge 5W-30 A3/B4 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil
Motul 8100 X-Clean EFE 5W-30
Pennzoil -Platinum Euro-L Full Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil

Best 5w-30 engine oils for BMW

BMW SAE 5W-30 Full Synthetic Motor Oil
Pennzoil -Platinum Euro-L Full Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil

Motor Oil 5w-30 for Japanese and Korean cars

For Asian cars such as Mazda, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Lexus, Acura, Suzuki, Kia, Hyundai you must use a 5w-30 engine oil that has ILSAC GF-5 or GF-6 specifications.

Best 5w-30 engine oils for Asian cars

Idemitsu Full Synthetic 5W-30 Engine Oil
Amsoil Signature Series 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil
Liqui Moly Special Tec AA 5w-30 Motor Oil
Liqui Moly Molygen New Generation 5W30 Motor Oil
Nissan Genuine 5W-30 Motor Oil
Genuine Toyota 5W-30 Motor Oil
Genuine Mazda 5W-30 Super Premium Motor Oil
Honda Genuine 5W-30 Full Synthetic Motor Oil
Motul 8100 Eco-Lite SAE 5W-30 Motor Oil

Motor Oil 5w-30 for European cars

For European cars, you must use 5w-30 motor oil that has ACEA or API specifications and that is approved by the car manufacturer. And also has automaker approvals: Peugeot-Citroën Approvals (PSA), Renault Approvals (RN) and others.

Best 5w-30 engine oils for European vehicles

Liqui Moly Top Tec 4200 SAE 5W-30 Longlife Motor Oil
Mobil 1 ESP Formula Engine Oil 5w30
Castrol Edge 5W-30 A3/B4 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil
Shell Helix Ultra Professional 5w-30 Engine Oil
Schaeffer Manufacturing Co. Supreme 9000 Full Synthetic Engine Oil 5W-30
Motul 8100 X-Clean EFE 5W-30
Liqui Moly Top Tec 4300 Motor Oil 5w-30
Valvoline European Vehicle Full Synthetic XL-III SAE 5W-30 Motor Oil

5w-30 Engine Oil for SUVs and Trucks

When choosing an oil for trucks, you must use an oil designed for that type of engine.

Shell Rotella Gas Truck Full Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil
Castrol GTX Full Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil
Valvoline Extended Protection Full Synthetic Motor Oil SAE 5W-30

5w-30 Diesel Engine Oil

Modern 5w-30 motor oils are universal oils, so most 5w-30 oils can be used for cars with gasoline and diesel engines.

Some brands produce a special 5w-30 engine oil for diesel engines. We recommend paying attention to the tolerances and specifications of your car.

Shell Rotella Gas Truck Full Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil
Valvoline Extended Protection Full Synthetic Motor Oil SAE 5W-30

How is 5w-30 different from other oils?

A 5w-30 viscosity oil is a very thin oil, so it’s used in modern engines where the clearances are very narrow.

What happens if you use 5w-20 or 5w-40 oil instead of 5w-30 oil?

You can use 5w-20 oil as an alternative to 5w-30 oil, as long as you follow all the manufacturer’s tolerances. We do not recommend mixing these oils. If you want to switch to a different viscosity oil, you will need to drain the current oil completely and pour in the new oil type.

What can I use instead of 5w-30 oil?

You can use 5w-30 or 0w-20 oil instead of 5w-30 oil without harming your car’s engine.

Is 5w-30 oil suitable for high-mileage cars?

You can use 5w-30 oil for high mileage cars until you notice that your engine is consuming a lot of oil from change to change.

We recommend that you use 5w-30 oil as long as possible until your engine is too old.

If you notice more oil consumption in your engine, you can switch to another type of oil, such as 5w-40 or 10w-30.

How often should I change my 5w-30 engine oil?

Synthetic 5w-30 engine oil should be changed once a year or every 7,000 to 10,000 miles.
Conventional 5w-30 engine oil should be changed every six months or every 3,000 to 5,000 miles.

How much does 5w30 oil cost?

The cost of 5w-30 motor oil:

Synthetic 5w-30 engine oil should be changed once a year or every 7,000 to 10,000 miles.
Conventional 5w-30 engine oil should be changed every six months or every 3,000 to 5,000 miles.

How long does it take to change 5w-30 oil?

Changing your car’s 5w-30 oil usually takes about 30 minutes.

How much does it cost to change 5w-30 engine oil?

An oil and filter change will cost between $20 and $50 depending on the vehicle. The cost of the change along with the oil will range from $50 to $150. The price may vary depending on your area and the quality of the car service.

What are the popular brands of 5w-30 motor oil?

The most popular brands of 5w-30 oil are:

Castrol
Mobil
Idemitsu
Amsoil
Red Line
Royal Purple
Liqui Moly
Shell
Motul
Lucas Oil
Havoline
Quaker State
Valvoline
K&N

Where can I buy 5w-30 oil?

We recommend buying motor oil from dealers or major online retailers like Amazon or Walmart.

Final thoughts.

5w-30 engine oil is a product with an excellent viscosity grade for winter and summer conditions, providing excellent engine performance and smooth oil flow.

The oil structure makes it ideal for cold starts and sub-zero temperatures.

So if your automaker recommends 5w-30 oil, use only this type of oil.

Use synthetic motor oils from popular manufacturers and your engine will last you a very long time.