Matt:

I did mention Chevron 5W-40 but not Shell Rotella 5W-40. Shell Rotella 5W-40 was mentioned by another poster.

Yes, Chevron 5W-40 uses Group III base stock but IT IS PRICED FOR THAT. At $12-14 per gallon, it is priced correctly for what it is, unlike Syntec and Tri-Synthetic.

Being a CH-4 rated oil, Chevron 5W-40 really should be compared with Castrol Syntec 5W-40 (not other Syntec viscosities) and Mobil Delvac 1 5W-40 (not Tri-Synthetic). Since Castrol Syntec 5W-40 is not available outside the VW dealerships, that leaves us to compare Chevron 5W-40 with Mobil Delvac 1 5W-40. Delvac 1 carries a huge price premium over Chevron 5W-40. Delvac 1 is about $20 - 22 per gallon so that is about $8 more per gallon more than Chevron 5W-40.

In the VW TDI forum, they have posted a lot of oil analysis results. The results show the Chevron 5W-40 is a very competent oil, especially at a huge price discounts, compared with Delvac 1.