Recommended oil for 2017 Micra?

Hey everyone.

So today I had my 2nd oil change on my 2017 Micra. I was told that they could use regular oil or full synthetic. Full synthetic wasn't the recommended oil but if I wanted it they would do it. I find that odd because when I got my first oil change last year I was told by that dealership(not the same as the second oil change) told me it was recommended to have full synthetic oil for 2017 Micra's moving forward. The second dealership told me that they would use regular oil and I would still change it at 8000 km's or 6 months which didn't seem right to me.

I'm confused and annoyed since that I can't get a straight answer. I was wondering what others thought. Maybe someone can clarify. Starting to think I am getting taken for a ride and I should start doing my own oil changes again.

Nissan Motor Oil 5W-30 SN is what the owners manual says for 2017, I can check my 2018 owners manual later on but I think it would be the same. SN seems to stand for synthetic in the product descriptions.

Refer to what your oil cap says as well, it will have it printed on there.

NO...SN seems to stand for synthetic in the product descriptions.
https://www.rymax-lubricants.com/new...-how-it-works/

There are two categories: gasoline and diesel. Category S is for “Spark Ignition”, for Gasoline and category C is for “Compression Ignition’, for Diesel. For both, the letter S or C is followed by another letter. For example, SM or CF. The higher the letter, the more recent the technology of the oil. For recent oil, the higher specification will supersede the lower letter grade. For example, if we have an oil with specification SN, it can also be used for vehicles which request API SM, SL and SJ; it is backward compatible.

If the manual calls for "Nissan Motor Oil 5W-30 SN", then it's calling for Nissan branded Motor Oil, Part# 79Z9Y32. I believe it's a conventional oil graded API-SN (the newest version of oil) - 2016 oil was SM (as you go back in time oil was API graded alphabetically, so the next iteration of API grade will be "SO", then "SP" etc.) Basically all oils that aren't 'specialty' should be either GF-5 or SN grade if they're not 3+ years old. I run full synthetic because it's $5 more, blends are ****, and while the car doesn't "need" it... it doesn't hurt it - just like when I add Rycon 1... I don't "need" to add a military grade tank additive to the oil, but I do.

Fun factoid, the HR16DE in the K12 Micra apparently lists an oil change interval of 15'000KM using 5W-30 SM, so same engine, newer oil, and ours reads 8'000km. So if that's using their standard conventional oil, if they're pushing synthetic, and the oil change costs twice as much while the oil itself is nearly the exact same price if you bought it yourself... they just want money.

As everyone else has said it's probably 5W30. I buy Mobil 1 when its on sale at crappy tire, got my last 5L jug for 25 bucks. You can also use 0W20. I say this because twice when I was at my dealer getting a freebe oil change and this is what they used. I did notice better gas mileage with it. For reference my micra is a 2015 S manual and the oil cap doesn't have it listed on it. I think there is a sticker under the hood though.

I also always use a filter and crush washer from the dealer.

This oil change they used 0w-30 which I was okay with. Not too happy with the $88 dollars though. I can do it for $20.00 cheaper doing it myself and using Mobil 1 full synthetic. Mobil 1 goes on sale every 6 weeks at Canadian Tire so check your flyers. I don't like having to be smarter then a place that I pay to my oil changes, ha! They're just to keep warranty, that's it. I got 6 months to figure it out.

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Originally Posted by Azmodon

If the manual calls for "Nissan Motor Oil 5W-30 SN", then it's calling for Nissan branded Motor Oil, Part# 79Z9Y32.

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Do you happen to have a rough idea of the price of oil + filter from the dealership?

I've never had a dealership touch the car (I have brought it to a Jeep/Dodge shop though), but most places that aren't them, for full synth usually comes to near $90.

If you keep your receipts you can do it yourself... an oil change takes no real time or effort... You can get 5L of just about anything for $45-50. If you're using synthetic, grab a Fram XG6607 for ~12 and it can be run for 4 oil changes (designed for 36'000km), though if you're worried about warranty issues and want to do your own, just buy a new filter every time and stock pile them until warranty period's over... never buy a filter again after that lol. If you never want to replace crush washers again, buy a $3 stat-o-seal (aircraft washer with a nitrile seal bonded to its I.D. designed for -40 to +110 while in contact with petroleum products)

i use conventional 5W-30 and prefill the filter before screwing it on.....i bet the dealer doesn't do that (:

Ill post in 15 years or less if they were both good plans......:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Azmodon

I've never had a dealership touch the car (I have brought it to a Jeep/Dodge shop though), but most places that aren't them, for full synth usually comes to near $90.

If you keep your receipts you can do it yourself... an oil change takes no real time or effort... You can get 5L of just about anything for $45-50. If you're using synthetic, grab a Fram XG6607 for ~12 and it can be run for 4 oil changes (designed for 36'000km), though if you're worried about warranty issues and want to do your own, just buy a new filter every time and stock pile them until warranty period's over... never buy a filter again after that lol. If you never want to replace crush washers again, buy a $3 stat-o-seal (aircraft washer with a nitrile seal bonded to its I.D. designed for -40 to +110 while in contact with petroleum products)

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I've always done my own oil changes and kept receipts for all other vehicles I've owned. I asked the nissan dealer where I purchased my new 2017 and was told that I was not permitted to do my own and that if I did I would void the warranty. An oil change with Mobil 1 conventional mineral motor oil cost me $60 at Mr Lube. I could do it myself for 1/2 the cost. Hmm?

So I had my 8,000km service on my Micra before the fall hit. I just bought this car in April and I already put 10,000km on it!

The stealership put synthetic 0W-20 in it, when the manual calls for conventional 5W-30. I know they probably put that oil in every one of their changes. I didn't pay for it because I got oil changes with the car.

I do notice my fuel economy has changed, average of 7.5L/100km up from 6.8L/100km with the factory oil in it.

Am I nuts or did the oil do that?

Should I be swapping back to 5W-30?

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Originally Posted by ontario_micra

The stealership put synthetic 0W-20 in it, when the manual calls for conventional 5W-30.




Should I be swapping back to 5W-30?

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I just downloaded the manual for a 2018 Micra and on page 10-2 it shows "• Genuine “Nissan Motor Oil 0W-20 SN is recommended."
It should be a little "thiner" at lower temperature than 5W30 and in theory it should improve your mileage.

I've looked up the various cars our engine is used in, and every option from 0W-20 to 10W-40 are recommended in the user manuals.
The fiance's 2018 manual reads 0w-20 so they've probably just switched everything, 2015's say 5w-30, long story short, it's not producing enough power or has close enough tolerancing to really matter, though running a thinner oil in the winter can be a good idea depending on where you live. 5W should be fine down to -25C without causing any additional strain on the pump, but if you're anywhere that gets to -40 you'd want to make use of the block heater, where 0W would just be at its normal limit.

Unless you're abusing the motor, conventional vs synthetic is really just up to preference

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Azmodon

I've looked up the various cars our engine is used in, and every option from 0W-20 to 10W-40 are recommended in the user manuals.
The fiance's 2018 manual reads 0w-20 so they've probably just switched everything, 2015's say 5w-30, long story short, it's not producing enough power or has close enough tolerancing to really matter, though running a thinner oil in the winter can be a good idea depending on where you live. 5W should be fine down to -25C without causing any additional strain on the pump, but if you're anywhere that gets to -40 you'd want to make use of the block heater, where 0W would just be at its normal limit.

Unless you're abusing the motor, conventional vs synthetic is really just up to preference

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To add to this, they don't make conventional 0W-20. It's all synthetic.

I generally run 0W-20 Mobil1 in my year round vehicles but live in Northern Canada. Summer cars that I run hard will usually have thicker oil like 5W-30 synthetic. Of course this is dependent on the vehicle, climate and engine.

If you're confident enough to mess around with it, I would play with the viscosity a small amount and see how your vehicle responds based on your environment and driving habits. Some vehicles end up performing better over their lifespan with a different thickness than what was originally prescribed. Engine tolerances and wear and tear over time also can be a factor (or it could just be a sign that you need to fix your oil pump and have low oil pressure lol).

My old VWs LOVED dirty thick oil. 15W-40!! You see that **** for diesel trucks. They were both 1.8L 8v gassers too.

In general, most 2003-2012 naturally aspirated import engines from Honda, Toyota and Nissan seem to love 0W-20 for year round use in areas that experience winter.

At the cusp of 22k on the odometer, I changed the oil on this car myself for the first time. A crush washer and filter from the dealership (they had actual crush washers), 5L of Pennzoil Platinum 0W20 on sale at Canadian Tire. Something like $40 altogether, definitely cheaper putting the cheapest stuff in there instead, but I wanna treat the car, lol.

I didn't lift it up at all, just pulled onto the street. If you're also skipping this step, get at the drain plug lying on your back with your hands above your head, to be able to get leverage to break the drain plug in one go. If you're like me, you take a few tries to figure this out, then you curl over the edges of your drain plug applying less than effective torque and struggling with the bolt. I will probably replace the plug next service to avoid this becoming an issue later on if the edges curl more. If you get the right leverage, you can probably break the plug with a hand wrench in one good yank.

I grabbed a 15L oil drain pan from CT and it fits under the car fine. Handy since you have to split a 5L between changes. Putting in 3.5L with a new filter as per the OM leaves you with 1.5L left. I was patient and placed the container on the ground to measure as I go.

Hand loosened the old filter, oiled and hand tightened the new filter with a dry clean hand. It's not the package torque spec, but I've done a few changes on other vehicles the same way no problem. Hand tightened the drain plug as well with the new crush washer.

Pic of the container fitting underneath the car, because I think it's cool that the car sits kinda high stock.

Attachment 5430

Being able to do oil changes without using ramps/jacks is a bonus for sure.

All my cars are lowered and have air dams, so not an option for me!

I'd be a little nervous about a hand-tightened filter and drain bolt though.

My wife works for an auto group.

I get an alignment check, tire depth printout (3 measures per tire in out middle), synth oil and filter, and a battery load test for $45. But I think regular it's only $68

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Being able to do oil changes without using ramps/jacks is a bonus for sure.

All my cars are lowered and have air dams, so not an option for me!

I'd be a little nervous about a hand-tightened filter and drain bolt though.

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I mean I used a socket wrench, not just my hands. New washer, went until she wouldn't anymore. I don't have a torque wrench that small and within that range. It's been almost a week so I'll do a thorough check up soon on that.

Filters should never be more than hand tight

Today I saw on YouTube with Scotty Kilmer that they are introducing a new type of engine oil in May 2020 GF6 0W-16 A and B https://youtu.be/8HmGv1fgvtM

I don't know how much truth there is to this. I'm still trying to wrap my head around API SN Plus 0W-20

probably would use that in the 2015 gdi fit with noise vtec on startup

probaly wont on micra

love micra

i use the blockheater all year round...when it starts it never idles high....ever...im optomistic for 600,000km

600000 kilometers, that's only about 375,000 miles. I just retired an '88 Ford Escort a few years ago that had 518,xxx miles (833,000 kl) without a rebuild. It was still running when I parked it but the fuel pump was soon going to need replacing which meant dropping the fuel tank again (no access under the back seat) and the oil pan was going to have to come off because it was losing oil pressure and that including unbolting and removing the catalytic converter. I know the oil pressure problem was the screen in the oil pick-up tube needed cleaning because it had happened once before. The Escort was driven on dusty construction sites from day 1 until I became disabled in 2000 and lots of dirt got collected in the engine over the years and had begun turning loose. Being disabled with chronic back pain I didn't feel like doing the work and wasn't going to pay someone $50-100/hr. to work on a car with a 1/2 million miles on it. The Ford recommended oil on it was 5w30 but I'd always used 10w40 so that's what I ran in the Escort year around. I still run conventional 10w40 in all 5 of my cars including the '16 Versa and change it and filter every 5000 miles (8000 kl). I just changed the oil in the Versa about 500 miles ago and even at 5000 miles the old oil looked pretty clean when it was draining and was only slightly dark when I got some on my hand while removing the filter. I'm not going to do it but I wouldn't be surprised if I had an oil analysis done and they told me the oil would have been good for 1-2 thousand more miles. It doesn't happen very often but there have been a few instances where I wouldn't think about the oil change on a car and the car go 7-8 miles before I realized it was due.

Japan has been using 0w-16 for a couple of decades now so I went to Japans website and found not only types of oil they used in Versa Note and Juke but they have 4WD for the March over their in Japan. Now I feel ripped off and screwed once again in Canada. Anyways here is a pic on the owner manual oil type for the 2019 Note Attachment 5495

They still use 5W-30 for the HR16DE engine. What I find it interesting that the HR12DE uses 0w-20 while the turbo version uses 0w-16

Here is the Japans 2018 Juke
Attachment 5496
Here at the bottom of this picture it says
粘度：下記粘度（SAE規格）のものをご使用ください。
HR15DE、MR16DDT パドルシフト無車：0W－20
MR16DDT パドルシフト付車：5W－30

which translates
Viscosity: Use the following viscosity (SAE standard).
HR15DE, MR16DDT without paddle shift: 0W-20
MR16DDT with paddle shift: 5W-30

Heres a picture for kicks
Attachment 5497
https://www.nissan.co.jp/OPTIONAL-PA...IOM/index.html

I wonder what the longevity implications are for ever-thinner oils. People tend not to drive their cars very far in Japan - not uncommon to see normal 15 year old cars for export with 50 or 70k on them.

You guys realize that Toyota North America has been running 0W16 for a year or so in almost every model, right?