Another (!) oil thread - 5W- / 0W-20 vs. -30 ?

[GreenAndBlue]

Just wondering what everyone would pick as overriding concern - slightly better FE using 0W- or 5W-20, or less wear on the engine, using 0W- or 5W-30 ?

Of course, the variable is 'how long are you planning on keeping the car ?'

If I were to answer that, I would say "for the long haul" - but I said that with my '01 Accord coupe, and still traded it for the HAH I'm driving now (I said I wouldn't trade before running it into the ground unless it was to go green, so I kept that promise to myself, at least).

I'll probably wind up trading this one in, too, once we see "GenII hybrids", or hydrogen cars (yeah, right...lol); ie, the next quantum leap in FE-based technology.

(for the record, I used Mobil1 5W-30 in that car @ 7500mi intervals, because I was worried about the upper temperature range of a -20 weight oil in the summertime, not because of wear. But after reading various things about just *why* -20 weight is now being pushed (it's FE potential / CAFE improvement, and nothing to do with 'tighter tolerances' in the engines, as the dealer techs like to say), I'm really reticent to use -20 weight for a rated sub- 0.2mpg improvement per tank.

I know others here *do* use the 0W-20 and swear by it, and they have access to the same resources online that I do. Plus, Wayne just posted a thread from another board re: extended drain interval on an 2004 I4 Accord.

Thoughts ? (and thanks for indulging me on yet another oil thread, btw... )

[lars-ss]

I have used Amsoil 0W-30 for a few years now in all my cars.

It's a great synthetic: does not evaporate, lasts well, burns very slowly, increases MPG at least a little bit, is very thin, lubricates well at startup.

( side note: I went 22,000 miles in my Avalanche on this oil between changes. It's rated for 25,000 miles or one year, but my wife at the time was driving almost 200 miles a day for college and we put 22,000 miles on in about 7 months. That truck now has almost 90,000 miles on it and is going fine. )

I've currently got 4,180 miles on this oil change and I checked it last night and have burned no oil yet.

I'm not an Amsoil Cult Groupie, but I do think the oil does as good a job as anything out there...