Which Oil Do You Use?

[Thomby]

I'll stick with what the manual says. For those that do their own oil changes and use something not to spec, don't expect warranty protection if something happens.

This claim, which goes back decades with little/no evidence, does more harm than good.
- Recommended oil grades/weights are a compromise of competing needs, directed at the average driver
- We have millions of engines' worth of data on the merits of going a grade heavier to protect under high load/temp conditions
- Many automakers even recommend heavier grades when tracking the car or otherwise operating at high temps

And if you click my prior link, you'll see that A5 is not (or was not) the spec, it was A3. A5 trades away the high temp/high shear additives in performance-oriented A3 for slightly better efficiency. But it's mostly moot as actual examples of warranty denials outside of clear abuse are basically nonexistent.

 

[AaronL23]

Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w30

 

[Nando_Stinger]

AMSOIL

 

[brzboy]

Trying to contribute my 2 cents on the API vs ACEA spec and the whole “don’t expect warranty protection if something happens” discussion.

I’ve always been a fan of the “do it cheap and change often” approach so I’ve used Kirkland 5W-30 in all my previous cars whenever it goes on sale.

Now that I own a 3.3TT and the car came with the 10-year extended warranty (purchased by the previous owner here in Canada, it’s not standard like in the US), I started digging into whether Kirkland is good enough, since I definitely don’t want to risk voiding anything.


Kirkland doesn’t carry the ACEA A5/B5 spec, but it does meet API SP and ILSAC GF-6A.


Here’s what I found in the 2022 Stinger manuals:

• Canadian manual: Full synthetic SAE 5W-30 ACEA A5/B5
• US manual: Full synthetic SAE 5W-30 ACEA A5/B5 ∗3
  Footnote ∗3 states that Requires API Latest (ILSAC Latest) or ACEA A5/B5 full synthetic grade engine oil for 3.3 T-GDi

So apparently, if I had only looked at the Canadian manual, I wouldn't have dared to use anything without ACEA listed. But the US version clearly says "OR", which opens the door a bit.


Then I checked the previous owner’s service invoices, all 8 oil changes were done at the same Kia dealership in the GTA between 2022 and 2025.
Here’s what they used:

• 7x Total Quartz 9000 Future FGC 5W-30
• 1x Castrol GTX Magnatec 5W-30

Neither lists ACEA compliance on their websites, only API SP and ILSAC GF-6A.

So yeah… seeing what Kia dealer actually used, I’m feeling fine about sticking with my Kirkland 5W-30. It’s full synthetic, meets API SP / ILSAC GF-6A, and targeting to change it every 5-6000km anyway so I’m not stressing over the ACEA part anymore.

 

[D.J.]

Trying to contribute my 2 cents on the API vs ACEA spec and the whole “don’t expect warranty protection if something happens” discussion.

I’ve always been a fan of the “do it cheap and change often” approach so I’ve used Kirkland 5W-30 in all my previous cars whenever it goes on sale.

Now that I own a 3.3TT and the car came with the 10-year extended warranty (purchased by the previous owner here in Canada, it’s not standard like in the US), I started digging into whether Kirkland is good enough, since I definitely don’t want to risk voiding anything.


Kirkland doesn’t carry the ACEA A5/B5 spec, but it does meet API SP and ILSAC GF-6A.


Here’s what I found in the 2022 Stinger manuals:

• Canadian manual: Full synthetic SAE 5W-30 ACEA A5/B5
• US manual: Full synthetic SAE 5W-30 ACEA A5/B5 ∗3
  Footnote ∗3 states that Requires API Latest (ILSAC Latest) or ACEA A5/B5 full synthetic grade engine oil for 3.3 T-GDi

So apparently, if I had only looked at the Canadian manual, I wouldn't have dared to use anything without ACEA listed. But the US version clearly says "OR", which opens the door a bit.


Then I checked the previous owner’s service invoices, all 8 oil changes were done at the same Kia dealership in the GTA between 2022 and 2025.
Here’s what they used:

• 7x Total Quartz 9000 Future FGC 5W-30
• 1x Castrol GTX Magnatec 5W-30

Neither lists ACEA compliance on their websites, only API SP and ILSAC GF-6A.

So yeah… seeing what Kia dealer actually used, I’m feeling fine about sticking with my Kirkland 5W-30. It’s full synthetic, meets API SP / ILSAC GF-6A, and targeting to change it every 5-6000km anyway so I’m not stressing over the ACEA part anymore.

Do you have the Kia 5 Star extended warranty? (10-year, 200,000 km)
Did you read the fine print regarding maintenance responsibility!

Specifically this highlighted part on page 4 of 8

 

[brzboy]

Do you have the Kia 5 Star extended warranty? (10-year, 200,000 km)
Did you read the fine print regarding maintenance responsibility!

Specifically this highlighted part on page 4 of 8

View attachment 91036

oh wow I didn’t realize that was in the older version. Thanks for pointing it out!

Yes I have the 5 Start plan, I just checked the Mechanical Breakdown Protection customer copy that the previous owner gave me, the version code at the bottom right corner is KIA-MBP-VSC-E (02-20).

I went through it and that exact line you highlighted about “You may not conduct your own service work...” isn’t in this version anymore.

It still says you have to follow the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual and keep proper records, but it doesn’t explicitly ban DIY oil changes like yours does

Looks like they changed the wording in the newer revision. I might need to give the Customer Assistance line a call to verify lol.

 

[LordKOTL]

Do you have the Kia 5 Star extended warranty? (10-year, 200,000 km)
Did you read the fine print regarding maintenance responsibility!

Specifically this highlighted part on page 4 of 8

View attachment 91036

In the US, that would violate Magnusson Moss, and not be legal.

 

[brzboy]

In the US, that would violate Magnusson Moss, and not be legal.

Meanwhile it completely sucks in Canada!

 

[BIG-D]

Last change i poured in 20w/60 Penrite Full Syn

Was hoping a thicker oil might eliminate the oil burning issue and by that I mean the seals leaking...
Plugs are clean it's just the turbo seals but since I bolted the cats back on removed the BMS catch can and run thicker oil the pipes are a light grey again, not wet with oil !

 

[Thomby]

Last change i poured in 20w/60 Penrite Full Syn

That seems like a huge jump in viscosity...by cSt measures it's about 2.5x as thick as 5w30. I guess if you're running things really hard in hot weather it won't shear out, but I'd be curious how much it impacts flow. Did it at least quiet the HPFP clatter and make it idle silently?

 

[BIG-D]

Nope lol

 

[brzboy]

oh wow I didn’t realize that was in the older version. Thanks for pointing it out!

Yes I have the 5 Start plan, I just checked the Mechanical Breakdown Protection customer copy that the previous owner gave me, the version code at the bottom right corner is KIA-MBP-VSC-E (02-20).

I went through it and that exact line you highlighted about “You may not conduct your own service work...” isn’t in this version anymore.

It still says you have to follow the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual and keep proper records, but it doesn’t explicitly ban DIY oil changes like yours does

Looks like they changed the wording in the newer revision. I might need to give the Customer Assistance line a call to verify lol.

Just called the claims department (or something like that), they said you're not allowed to do any service work yourself. It all has to be done at a licensed repair facility.


At first, they just said it’s because they can’t verify the service or what kind of oil you used. So I asked what if I keep all the receipts and even record videos showing me draining and refilling the oil?


They kind of stuttered for a bit, then just fell back on: “It still doesn’t count, because it wasn’t done at a licensed repair facility.”


Pretty sucks, but well okay.

 

[jinthadell]

Just completed another oil change at 124k miles. Still using Royal Purple 5w-30 and the factory filter. And it’s nice that Walmart just dropped the price from $38 to $33 for the 5qt jug. $18 for the filter from KIA of Round Rock.

 

[BIG-D]

Wanna know a real easy way to change the filter?

LOL

 

[Retro7610]

Mobile One is the choice of KIA, but are the other opinions out there about motor oils that are better for the Stinger? One example is Royal Purple.

Any opinions or experience with other synthetics other that Mobile One? I hear AMSOIL is pretty good.

I like Driven DI 40 due to its additive package and unusually high flash point.

 

[jinthadell]

Wanna know a real easy way to change the filter?

LOL

View attachment 91550

Ultra easy! Lol

 

[Ah GetFd]

Kia Dealers recomend and use Castrol 5W30 A5 for Stinger here in the service log

 

[rtv900]

This claim, which goes back decades with little/no evidence, does more harm than good.
- Recommended oil grades/weights are a compromise of competing needs, directed at the average driver
- We have millions of engines' worth of data on the merits of going a grade heavier to protect under high load/temp conditions
- Many automakers even recommend heavier grades when tracking the car or otherwise operating at high temps

And if you click my prior link, you'll see that A5 is not (or was not) the spec, it was A3. A5 trades away the high temp/high shear additives in performance-oriented A3 for slightly better efficiency. But it's mostly moot as actual examples of warranty denials outside of clear abuse are basically nonexistent.

my girl just got a wrangler and it calls for 0w-20, likely to scrape a bit more mileage to comply with the epically failed CAFE regs that do nothing but drive up the cost of cars.

zero chance I'm using 0w-20 in that engine

 

[D.J.]

Kia Dealers recomend and use Castrol 5W30 A5 for Stinger here in the service log

Kia, the manufacturer recommends Total Quartz.

 

[Boogioogi]

I've been using 5w40 since brand new, pretty much FBO+WMI for the last 100,000km and I've had 0 oil burning lol, and I've been catless for around 70,000 of those kms