Has anyone used an oil other than the Mobil 1 0w-40 (which is the recommended oil)?

 

No. Don't.

 

The service manual does not require Mobil 10-40. It says use an oil appropriate for your driving conditions, and gives two examples of 5-30, and 10-30.

 

The oil for my oil change was $58 plus labor. The mechanic said it is a synthetic oil. I had no idea it would be that much for an oil change.

 

The sticker under the hood says Mobil 0W-40. Considering that you only have to change oil every 6,000 to 7,000 miles, the high cost isn't that bad. If you do it yourself it'll cost about $45.00 to $50.00. Just make sure you get your engine warmed up before you try and remove the oil plug. Notice I didn't say HOT.

 

Local Chrysler dealer wants $86 for Mobil-1 oil change. Service advisor says that using another oil
will void the warranty. Is he correct?.......I dunno. I also wonder why regular gas wouldn't work
adequately for highway driving at the speed limits.

 

I'm trying not to feel bad about the $100+ I spent on my dealer oil change!

 

My dealer does the first oil change for free, even for the Xfire. Is this the same at other dealers?

 

and dont forget... its 8.5 QTS, not 6.1. i ont know if that is still finding its way into the manual or not.

 

The Dealer costs on oil changes are high because of the labor charge. Don't feel bad if you think you paid too much. If you want to save money, do the oil change yourself. It's not that hard, and you can get tips and pointers on this site to help you. Earlier testing with the 3.2 engine in the Mercedes cars showed the lower grade oils don't work so good. Use Mobil 1 0W-40. Remember that an oil change should last 6,000 to 7,000 miles not the regular 3,000.
Don't use a lower octane gas either. You will not only get pinging, and studdering, outside of other problems, but lower gas milage as well, meaning you'll use more gas, so who wants to buy more gas?
This is an unusal high performance car, it may cost more, but you can cut the costs down if you are willing to learn.