I called the Jaguar dealer in Hartford, CT they want $64 dollars for oil and filter. Regular oil only in this engine. Why I asked, and as I suspected, the VVT will not work efficiently. I did some research on VVT's and found that some, as Jaguar uses, work with the help of oil pressure to lift the valves to stay open longer. The service manager told me synthetic oil will not provide enough oil pressure, unless you have about 9 quarts of syn in the engine. The also top off all fluids and inspect the general health of the car.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post about the local garage that wanted $150 for an oil change. He said to me I would really like you to bring your car in, as we don't see many older X types on the road. They are usually burnt up around 50K miles. I said your not going to get the chance to see it. Also, you are not a very good customer service person telling a potential customer this. He said I own the place so I can say anything I like, then I said F--- off and hung up. What a horses backside this guy is. The rumors I heard about this operation seem to be factual.

 

Wow what a morron! Anyways so they told you synthetic oil is not good for the car?! Crap I've been using it for the past 20,000 miles!

 

Jaggyx, don't fret. The worst that will happen to the car is you are loosing a little bit in the way of performance as you are not getting quite the right valve timing the car is looking for. Not that big of a deal.

 

So what is the best oil to use in the x

 

Thanks Thermo, So I'm better off just using regular oil?

 

Sest, when it comes to oil, it is like asking what your favorite color is. Everyone has an opinion. But, as the old saying goes, opinions are like butts, everyone has one and they all stink. Pick a brand and stick with it. Keep in mind that a lot of the off-brands (like the store brands) are really a big name manufacturer with someone elses sticker on the outside. yes, there is a slight difference in the oil, but that is only with the detergent package that gets added. But, if you are changing your oil every 5,000 miles or more often, you are fine. When you start switching brands, you can run into issues because each brand uses different detergent packages and this can lead to stripping of the varnish layers off of bearings and whatnot, which in some cases can lead to more rapid bearing wear (don't have the varnish layer to eat through first).

Jaggyx, if you are not seeing a performance change in your car, use what makes you feel comfortable. Members here have used full synthetics for years with no isuses, others swear by dino oil. It appears both work in our cars with no ill effects. I have tried both and I didn't notice any difference in my car in performance or mileage. So, I run dino oil. But then, I'm the oddity in that I change my oil every 4,000 miles. So, I am not stressing the oil like others do when they keep the oil in the car out to 7,500 or 10,000 miles.