What fluids do you use for the non-performance car?

Apex Everything · 08-10-2016, 10:03 PM

I have never not owned a performance vehicle and my wife got a brand new Subaru XV Crosstrek and I am tracking/in charge of its maintenance (obviously).

I am used to getting top tier fluids like Stop Tech DOT4 brake fluid, for example, for brakes.

What stuff do you guys put in your economy-consumer-level stuff?

I obviously am not going to put Castrol SRF in it but I am thinking of going to find some OEM Subaru fluid but wondered what other options there are.

I walked into my local Walmart to see what name brand options there were and it was the WalMart brand and Prestone, that is all, so I do not feel that comfortable about putting that "stuff" in the cars I am in charge of.

CirrusSR22 · 08-10-2016, 10:29 PM

For brake fluid, I put Valvoline "Synthetic" DOT 3 & 4 in everything.

Diff fluid is Valvoline too. Usually the Durablend line.

Oil, I buy whatever name brand is on sale/rebate that meets the spec I need. Menards used to sell Quaker State Full synthetic every couple months for $2.99 / quart. I used that for years in many different cars. The E36 used to get Delvac 15w-40 in the summer that was dirt cheap after rebate from Fleet Farm.

David70 · 08-11-2016, 07:21 AM

I buy a good decent/good quality synthetic oil (whatever you want to call Mobil 1 or equivalent) when changing it myself. Car manufacturers don't make oil so I see no point in buying it from them. Synthetic is probably more than needed but I can't see buying a $30k car (paying for insurance, repair, maintenance, fuel) and then worrying about trying to figure out how to save $50 a year on oil. Seems like such a small amount of the total to bother worrying about it much.

bvanlieu · 08-14-2016, 06:34 AM

Valvoline brake fluid (blue bottle) is fantastic for the street: used it for years. For the F series engine, its rather good on oil. Subaru may be spec'ing 0w20 for efficiency, and the Subaru brand synthetic is actually a very good blend (from 3rd party) if you care to use that from online retailers.

Otherwise any $25/5qt bottle of synthetic from Wally World will be great. I prefer a 30w oil in my subies (ran my wrx with M1 5/30 for 150K miles and it lived to tell about it, every 6-7.5K). I prefer Pennzoil Platinum/M1.

If you want a lower cost oil, Pennzoil Yellow Top FTW.

- b

08-10-2016, 10:03 PM	#1
Apex Everything Banned 190 Rep 462 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: A place iTrader: (3)	What fluids do you use for the non-performance car? I have never not owned a performance vehicle and my wife got a brand new Subaru XV Crosstrek and I am tracking/in charge of its maintenance (obviously). I am used to getting top tier fluids like Stop Tech DOT4 brake fluid, for example, for brakes. What stuff do you guys put in your economy-consumer-level stuff? I obviously am not going to put Castrol SRF in it but I am thinking of going to find some OEM Subaru fluid but wondered what other options there are. I walked into my local Walmart to see what name brand options there were and it was the WalMart brand and Prestone, that is all, so I do not feel that comfortable about putting that "stuff" in the cars I am in charge of.
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08-10-2016, 10:29 PM	#2
CirrusSR22 Major 342 Rep 1,325 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Minnesota iTrader: (0)	For brake fluid, I put Valvoline "Synthetic" DOT 3 & 4 in everything. Diff fluid is Valvoline too. Usually the Durablend line. Oil, I buy whatever name brand is on sale/rebate that meets the spec I need. Menards used to sell Quaker State Full synthetic every couple months for $2.99 / quart. I used that for years in many different cars. The E36 used to get Delvac 15w-40 in the summer that was dirt cheap after rebate from Fleet Farm.
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08-11-2016, 07:21 AM	#3
David70 Colonel 1567 Rep 2,665 Posts Drives: 06 Z4M Coupe - 13 Cadillac ATS Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Cincinnati, OH iTrader: (1)	I buy a good decent/good quality synthetic oil (whatever you want to call Mobil 1 or equivalent) when changing it myself. Car manufacturers don't make oil so I see no point in buying it from them. Synthetic is probably more than needed but I can't see buying a $30k car (paying for insurance, repair, maintenance, fuel) and then worrying about trying to figure out how to save $50 a year on oil. Seems like such a small amount of the total to bother worrying about it much. __________________ 2006 Z4M Coupe - Stromung exhaust, ZHP knob, stubby antenna, clutch delay delete
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08-14-2016, 06:34 AM	#4
bvanlieu Second Lieutenant 57 Rep 268 Posts Drives: Alpine 335d Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: PA iTrader: (0)	Valvoline brake fluid (blue bottle) is fantastic for the street: used it for years. For the F series engine, its rather good on oil. Subaru may be spec'ing 0w20 for efficiency, and the Subaru brand synthetic is actually a very good blend (from 3rd party) if you care to use that from online retailers. Otherwise any $25/5qt bottle of synthetic from Wally World will be great. I prefer a 30w oil in my subies (ran my wrx with M1 5/30 for 150K miles and it lived to tell about it, every 6-7.5K). I prefer Pennzoil Platinum/M1. If you want a lower cost oil, Pennzoil Yellow Top FTW. - b
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