BMW: Engine oil, volkswagon jetta, synthetic 15w

Question
I have a 2L Volkswagon Jetta with 150,000 miles.

Would a synthetic 15w -50 mobil oil be too thick for this engine?  I do live in the midwest so the car will be driven in cold weather.  In your opinion , what oil do you recomend to be best?

Thanks

Todd

Answer
Todd,
 Although my experience is with BMW's, most engines will tolerate differing viscosities in engine oils
 I would suggest looking in the owners manual to see if there are any warnings as to changing the weight of the oil.  The weight of oil you run depends on a couple different factors.  Ambient temperatures, and Manufacturers designs are the major ones.
 Personally I run Mobil 1 15w-50 in my BMW's, but there are no restraints on the oil used, and I live in the Georgia where the temperature never falls below 10°F.  That's the major consideration.  I think 15w-50 will protect down to -10°, so I'm perfectly safe.  On the other hand, if you live in the midwest you "could" see some cold winters, and probably lower temps than Georgia.  I would recommend a slightly thinner oil for you, maybe 10w-40 or 10w-30.
 I dont see a problem with running 15w-50 in that engine, except the winter time protection.  So you could possibly use a lighter weight oil in the winter and go with a heavier one in the summer, but I dont think you will see any major benefits.
 Hope this helps,
 Josh