I don't have a V6, but IIRC it was 5.3 quarts.

 

Thanks. After more searching, I'm seeing numbers all over the board from the manuals recommended 4.3 quarts to 6.5 quarts. Two+ quarts of oil is a pretty substantial discrepancy!

Anyone have insight on this?

 

My experience,
6 quarts with a Mann W930/21 filter gets me right at the top of the band (bottom side of max fill marker)

Right from the Bentley Manual.

 

There's an ancient thread discussing this exact topic. Apparently there were Owners Manuals with bad information. Just repeating what I remember seeing.
I'd take full stock in what the Bentley Manual says.

 

Found it.

See post #9 - I'm not endorsing this post but I've heard in the past from other members around here that the Owners Manual had bad info.

2.8v6 Oil & Filter Questions _-_-_!

 

Well mine takes 9.5 quarts. Okay well mine is a W8. All my 2.8 engines always took 5.5 qts.

 

Holy...! That's quite a blunder in the owners manual. Sure...any one worth their salt would know something was awry but still!
At any rate, thanks for the info, everyone!

 

If your dipstick is 23 inches long, then it is exactly the same as the dipstick on my 2002 Passat. Same part number, so presumably same dipstick. Manual for the 2002 Passat says oil capacity for the V6 is 5.7 quarts (5.0 liters). In 20 years of changing the oil, I've found that 5.7 quarts is just right. The 4-cylinder engine capacity is 4.3 quarts according to the same VW Passat manual.