Buy 10W-20 engine oil

In Europe 10W-20 is a distinctly minor grade: thin at operating temperature, but without the cold-start behaviour of the 0W and 5W oils. It turns up where a manufacturer names it explicitly - mostly in individual engines, machinery and applications outside the car sector.

How to read this grade

10W describes cold-start behaviour that is adequate for European winters but falls short of 5W and 0W. The 20 behind it stands for a thin lubricant film at operating temperature - so the combination "undemanding to make, economical in service", as it makes sense in applications with steady load and a mild climate.

For a modern car this combination is rarely the specification: there 5W-30 or 0W-20 covers both properties better.

If you have landed here

First check where the figure 10W-20 comes from. If it is in a car handbook from the European market, a second look is worthwhile - often the actual specification is 10W-30 or 10W-40. If it comes from an engine manufacturer for a piece of machinery, a stationary engine or an imported vehicle, it is to be taken seriously and not replaced by the nearest similar grade.

If in doubt, the oil finder leads from your engine to the approved oils - which is more reliable than comparing numbers.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use 10W-30 instead of 10W-20?

Only with the manufacturer's approval. The cold start is the same, the lubricant film at operating temperature thicker - which is uncritical for most engines, but not for those explicitly designed around a 20-grade viscosity.

Why is 10W-20 so rare?

Because in practice the combination is usually covered better by other grades: anyone who wants the thin film in service normally takes a 0W or 5W oil straight away and gets the better cold start with it.