0-20 versus 5-20 motor oil

My new CRV calls for 0-20 on the filler cap, but I’m thinking of using 5-20 because it’s half the price, and I seriously doubt it will ever really matter. Who all wants to straighten me out?

I think I would use the 0W-20 as stated on the filler cap. I would guess that your CRV calls for 0W-20 synthetic oil. I doubt that 5W-20 would do any damage as long as it is synthetic oil. However, I can’t believe that 5W-20 synthetic would be half the price of 0W-20 synthetic. Are you sure the 5W-20 you can buy at half the price is synthetic oil?
At any rate, look at your owner’s manual. I would be 0W-20 is required and using something else may invalidate your warranty.

Show me how the price of the oil you use at scheduled oil changes is a factor to consider. The price of oil is insignificant. You can save a ton of money if you start buying one-ply toilet paper.

Would you use washer fluid? Power steering fluid? No? Why not? It’s cheaper. Oh, but it’s the wrong stuff.

Does your owner’s manual state 0W20 is to be used? Does it say that on the oil cap or engine decal? If so, why would you consider anything else?

You will not be following manufacturer’s recommendation. If you have an engine problem, they can void your warranty.

It’s twice as much because it’s full synthetic, they specify it for a reason. No way I wouldn’t use it.

I can tell you what Toyota recommends. 5w-20 or 30 and change at 5k miles, or 0w- 20 and change at 10k miles. Now, I am not recommending that you wait ten k miles to change oil, but the idea is to use synthetic for twice to time, of at least for me,7500 miles. You actually save money and you don’t add to ground water pollution. The numbers as are on the side of the Synthetic. I get a rebate which makes the oil change the same as regular oil and I go a little longer as well between oil changes. Synthetic zero wt. is a better lubricant in cold weather and during start ups during which much of the wear occurs. It’s a no brainier. You will not save money and your car motor will wear faster not using 0weight synthetic.

I just read the 2014 Honda CR-V owner’s manual. 0W-20 is the only oil they recommend (pg 279 and again on pg 345). Unlike Toyota, they do not say there are conditions where 5w-20 is acceptable.

Let’s say you use 5w-20 and for some reason (even if it’s unrelated), you have engine problems. Honda will be within their rights to refuse to honor the warranty.

Make sure u keep all service receipts during your new car warranty period. Honda will want to see proof of maintenance for any oil related issues. Which odds say will be extremely rare.

Honda, Toyota, Lexus recommend (require) the use of 0-20 engine oil knowing it forces you to use the most expensive grade of synthetic oil. I think the main reason they do this is so they can get away with 10,000 mile service intervals. My daughter just bought a 2012 Lexus CT-200h. An oil change at the dealer runs $150…Oil change intervals are dictated by a dashboard reminder light, not a set mileage…

In her owners manual there is this curious offering…If you MUST use 5w-20 for some reason, that’s okay but you MUST use the 0-20 grade oil at the next oil change…No mention is ever made of “mineral oil” or “synthetic oil” in the owners manual…

Don’t second guess the designers. Use what they recommend.

My 2012 Camry’s manual says 0W20 synthetic, 10000 miles or 12 months. A dealer oil change is $59 and they give you every 3rd one free. If I had a Lexus I would take it to a Toyota dealer for an oil change. That is if Iwas going to bother to drive to the dealer rather than doing it myself.

Most manufactures state that if the required oil is not used do not use the vehicles maintenance computer as a guide. The oil will have to be changed twice as often negating any cost savings.

To clarify caddyman’s comments about the CT200, the warning about using other than 0w-20 occurs at the 15K, 25K, 35K ect, when the oil is not normaly changed. This will have the owner changing the oil every 5,000 miles.

0-20 will be synthetic and 5-20 will be dino most likely that’s why it costs more. Use the 0-20 as specified. What’s $30 in oil compared to $30-40,000 for the vehicle?

The Toyota dealer and the Lexus dealer are one and the same…The Lexus CT-200h uses the Prius drive train…Either I or my daughter will be doing the oil changes and I have ordered the “Special Wrench” needed to remove the oil filter canister and 3 of the Toyota Prius ($3.00 each) oil filters…

The 5W20 is NOT synthetic, that’s why it is cheaper. Most Toyotas sold 5-7 years ago called for 5W30 as well as 5W20 oil. My 2007 ony called for 5W30 then a bulletin came out saying 5W20 was OK, the 0W20 (synthetic) was OK.

In other countries without CAFE mileage standards these engines use 5W30 or even 20 W50, such as in Mexico.

If you plan to cross the Mojave desert in July while heavily loaded, stay away from 5W20; it might finish off the engine due to its poor film strength at these loads. The 0W20 synthetic would be better.

Most of these thin oil recommendations are mileage related; my Mazda3 calls for 0W20 only.

I believe the “profit motive” as suggested is secondary. The future focus is on meeting these very high mileage standards and standardizing on premium lubricants with very low friction coefficients.

. All viscosities are available in syn or Dino versions.

@Cavell - the only type of 0W20 I know of (0Wanything, actually) is full synthetic.

. All viscosities are available in syn or Dino versions.

NO…There is no 0w-anything that is Dino version. ALL 0w oils are synthetic.

You also won’t find a 5w-50 in Dino oil either. Maybe 5w-40 (but I haven’t seen it yet). Almost all other weights can be found in Synthetic or Dino oil.

Mike, I agree, you cannot make a 0W-- oil without suntheitic. However, a 0W30 can be made with 50% PAO synthetic to achieve the very low pour point and also provide good film strenght. When it first came out in the 70s I used Shell ``Syn-Arctic`in the North. It was priced at a level that would be halfway between dino and full synthetic.

It was a commercial success.

The big difference between Honda and Toyota is that Honda has an oil life monitor. The oil life monitor uses an algorithm of starts, run time, miles, temperature, etc to calculate oil life, and to do this calculation accurately, it needs to eliminate any variables that it can’t measure. That means that only one type of oil can be specified.

If you use an oil with less capability in the Honda and you go by the oil life monitor, you could over tax the oil by leaving it in too long and damage the engine.

Toyota is still using a fixed schedule so you can use which ever oil you want as long as you follow the schedule for that type oil.

If you use an oil with less capability in the Honda and you go by the oil life monitor, you could over tax the oil by leaving it in too long and damage the engine.

So you use a different oil viscosity and then change it at a set interval. Not too complicated.