What is the best synthetic oil ?

[avsfan]

I am currently using Castrol Syntec 5w30 in my two vehicles in Minnesota. I have a SUV with 54K miles and a van with 91K miles. Should I change? Or am I ok? I want the cars to last as long as possible.

[Akagi Redsuns]

You realize that Castrol Syntec is a blend and not a true sythentic?

I use Mobil 1 myself, but have heard good things about Royal Purple, Redline and Amsoil. Too much $$$ for those and I am a cheap bastard.

[topher91]

Yea, I prefer mobil 1 also. They have an oil for cars with higher milage on it.

Id also use Royal Purple if it didn't cost so damn much.......:thumbsdow

[avsfan]

You say its a blend..I have heard that before. It says full synthetic on the bottle? Isn't that "false" advertising? If thats the case then how bad is Castrol Syntec-blend? Thanks

[Weapon_R]

Mobil 1 is a great synthetic engine oil.

Redline, Amsoil, and Royal Purple are good, but overhyped and overpriced IMO.

[EK 2.0]

Originally posted by Weapon_R
Mobil 1 is a great synthetic engine oil.

Redline, Amsoil, and Royal Purple are good, but overhyped and overpriced IMO.


I agree, plus my Mobil I use now, is the "performance driving formula"...how cool is that??

[heavyD]

Originally posted by avsfan
You say its a blend..I have heard that before. It says full synthetic on the bottle? Isn't that "false" advertising? If thats the case then how bad is Castrol Syntec-blend? Thanks

It isn't a blend in the sense, there is no conventional oil mixed with it. Syntec is created from a base stock mineral oil and manufactured into a full synthetic. Mobile synthetic is the only synthetic oil that is 100% man-made. Mobile actually sued Castrol over this but it was thrown out of court. Some synthetic oils are better than others but the all perform better than conventional oil.

[Akagi Redsuns]

Originally posted by avsfan
You say its a blend..I have heard that before. It says full synthetic on the bottle? Isn't that "false" advertising? If thats the case then how bad is Castrol Syntec-blend? Thanks

I believe Mobil Oil tried to go after Castrol for using the term "sythentic", and that it contains "unique molecular bonding" and that it claims it is better than all other motor oils. Apparently the National Adversiting Division (NAD) made a ruling that they couldn't make the last 2 claims, but they could use the term sythentic. Apparenltly the NAD thought that Castrol has a resonable basis for it's claim that Syntec is a full sythentic.

Anyways, all comes down to marketing.

In either case, Syntec is a Group III oil, which I don't consider to be a true sythentic since it is made from natural oil. Only Group IV oils are sythentic in my mind, but it all comes down to what your definition is of sythentic is.

Still Syntec is better than any run of the mill oil.

[avsfan]

I have abusing my cars for 8+ years. Now..having a wife and 3 kids, I want to take damn care of my cars and make them last. So if I went the Mobil1 way and changed it every 5k miles I should be safe? How about filters...decent one to "compliment" the oil. Thanks for the replies.

[Weapon_R]

You will be fine, and you'll be better off using Mobil 1 too.

[hjr]

I use mobil 1 synth as well. its not too expensive and its a good product

[EK 2.0]

Originally posted by avsfan
I have abusing my cars for 8+ years. Now..having a wife and 3 kids, I want to take damn care of my cars and make them last. So if I went the Mobil1 way and changed it every 5k miles I should be safe? How about filters...decent one to "compliment" the oil. Thanks for the replies.


The common misconception is that if my oil gan to 10 000 kms, so can my filter, but really the technology for the filters hasnt really changed all that much since they came out...I recommend nothing but OEM factory filters, some ppl use the K&N Oil Filters, but for the price i personally cant justify them...just grab them from the dealers...

[rc2002]

Expensive is almost universally associated with good, so that means you should go with Motul. The only problem is that the oil alone will cost over $100 per oil change.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by CycloneAWD



The common misconception is that if my oil gan to 10 000 kms, so can my filter, but really the technology for the filters hasnt really changed all that much since they came out...I recommend nothing but OEM factory filters, some ppl use the K&N Oil Filters, but for the price i personally cant justify them...just grab them from the dealers...

Check out the longevity claim on the side of my oil filter! :D

It's sitting on a CD for size reference.

[black j]

What kind of filter is that?
How much does it cost?
Where's a guy pick one up?

[FiveFreshFish]

That's an OEM oil filter for an Audi S4 (B5) or VW Passat.

Retail is about $35 each.

You can get them at any Audi or VW dealer, but you should only do so if you have a B5 S4 or Passat.

However, I always changed oil and filter at about every 8000 km.

[A2VR6]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish
That's an OEM oil filter for an Audi S4 (B5) or VW Passat.

Retail is about $35 each.

You can get them at any Audi or VW dealer, but you should only do so if you have a B5 S4 or Passat.

However, I always changed oil and filter at about every 8000 km.

Those are the most expensive filters i've ever bought... im used to those cheap $4 ones at Crappy Tire for my old Lebaron. But i wonder if the filter can actually go that far without a change? I change my filter every time i change my oil which is about every 3-4 months and it does get pretty expensive. Oh by the way i only use Mobil1.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by A2VR6


Those are the most expensive filters i've ever bought... im used to those cheap $4 ones at Crappy Tire for my old Lebaron. But i wonder if the filter can actually go that far without a change? I change my filter every time i change my oil which is about every 3-4 months and it does get pretty expensive. Oh by the way i only use Mobil1.

Some people I know change their filter every second oil change so maybe this filter might be good for 15,000 km. Definitely won't push it to 30,000 km. I'm just a bit more anal about it and swapped it out with each oil change, but I got a great deal on a six-pack of filters at $90 plus tax.

I used Castrol Syntec because at the time, it was the only 0W30 oil I could find.

[Seanith]

I used to use Mobil 1, and had nothing but good experiences with it. I got my oil changed a couple days ago, and I am trying the Amsoil. Its a little more $$ than mobil 1, but apparently its so much better and even has longer recommended drain intervals (12000km).

[Ek9Max]

I ues mobil 1. My motor consumes a bit of it between chages. Apparently it's normal for my motor. Kind asucks thouhg.

I hear mobil 1 is the worst for consumption. I'm thinking of switching up.

[A2VR6]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish


Some people I know change their filter every second oil change so maybe this filter might be good for 15,000 km. Definitely won't push it to 30,000 km. I'm just a bit more anal about it and swapped it out with each oil change, but I got a great deal on a six-pack of filters at $90 plus tax.

I used Castrol Syntec because at the time, it was the only 0W30 oil I could find.

90 + tax? where? wow thats pretty good isnt that basically half price?

[Seanith]

Originally posted by Ek9Max
I ues mobil 1. My motor consumes a bit of it between chages. Apparently it's normal for my motor. Kind asucks thouhg.

I hear mobil 1 is the worst for consumption. I'm thinking of switching up.

max, i have an amsoil brochure, and it has the results of a volatility test (not done by amsoil).

amsoil was the best for weight loss % at 6.76%.
castrol gtx was 2nd with 11.53% weight loss.
mobil 10w-30 was 14.98% weight loss.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by A2VR6


90 + tax? where? wow thats pretty good isnt that basically half price?

Yep, a friend knows the parts manager at South Centre and hooked me up.

[CalgaryB5]

Castrol synthetic is for my John Deer mower.:rofl:

[CalgaryB5]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish


Yep, a friend knows the parts manager at South Centre and hooked me up.

Word. The more you consume at a time the bigger deal you will have. But do you really want to get like 5 yrs usage of oil filters at a time?

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by CalgaryB5


Word. The more you consume at a time the bigger deal you will have. But do you really want to get like 5 yrs usage of oil filters at a time?

There's no shelf life so it's nice having a bunch of them. Seemed like a good idea at the time but then I sold the car and gave away the remaining five filters to the new owner. :banghead:

[SwitchBlade]

Mobil 1, i have heard castrol and quakerstate contain a high amounts of ash in them.

[switch]

Well that sucks.

I wanted Mobil1 and the dude at Parts Source convinced me that Castrol Synthetic was just as good.

I will be having a chat with him and switching over to mobil for my next oil change.

[Zero102]

LOL, I am sorry for laughing...
I have heard TONS of bad advice from people at part source, I don't believe anything they say anymore. It's a wonder most of their cars run.
Yeah, Mobil 1 is better, there are many tests out there to prove it. I don't have the time to dig up some test resuts right now, but I have read a few.
Pennzoil contains a lot of sulphur, not good.
I know quakerstate contains a lot of ash, I don't know about castrol.

[A2VR6]

Anyone knows of any place that sells 5W40? Even though im using 5W30, 5W40 is reccomended for my car.

[rice_eater]

why not change your filter every oil change?? if you can afford $30 for a jug of Mobil 1 that a lot of the cars on this forum DON'T NEED why cheap out on another $5-$10 for a filter:dunno:

[rage2]

Mobil1 0W-20. Good for a few horsepower (I've seen dynos of 10hp on a 200hp car), especially for high revving motors. It's a very light oil, should really only be used in the summer on fairly new cars. Older cars with worn seals will smoke and leak with this oil.

[avsfan]

You can find 5w40 at local wally- mart (though I try to avoid the place) if not, check your local autoparts store for special ordering it...and almost all dealers carry it but you will pay a premium for it.

[LancerShelby]

I say, unless your car is making twice the hp from stock, use whatever the owners manual says. My dad and I use Quaker State 5W30/10W30 in all our cars and haven't had one problem. He had an 89 Lebaron with the 2.5 Turbo motor, bought it new and ran Quaker State in it for it's whole life, 340 000km before the headgasket went. We put in a new gasket, refreshed the bottom end and kept running it. The car rusted out at 393 000km, so we pulled the motor and sold it to a friend, it still has the stock turbo unrebuilt.

[Ichigo]

Originally posted by rage2
Mobil1 0W-20. Good for a few horsepower (I've seen dynos of 10hp on a 200hp car), especially for high revving motors. It's a very light oil, should really only be used in the summer on fairly new cars. Older cars with worn seals will smoke and leak with this oil.

umm this may be a stupid question but isnt 0w-20 a winter oil? It's light so it wont thicken in the cold. But wouldn't it become too thin if you over shoot the optimal running temperature?

[mischief]

Originally posted by rage2
Mobil1 0W-20. Good for a few horsepower (I've seen dynos of 10hp on a 200hp car), especially for high revving motors. It's a very light oil, should really only be used in the summer on fairly new cars. Older cars with worn seals will smoke and leak with this oil.

Rage where can you get the special weight Mobil 1 (i.e. 0W-40)? I need some for the AMG.

[Seanith]

hmm another pimp and a hustler?! ^^ :eek:

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by mischief
Rage where can you get the special weight Mobil 1 (i.e. 0W-40)? I need some for the AMG.


Posted by 50valves on 2003-11-17 22:25:57 on AudiWorld

Hi everyone, I posted last week asking where in Calgary can you buy Mobil 1 0w30 and 0w40 for a reasonable price (South Center charges $14/L!!). Well I'm happy to report that I've found it! The place:

Miller Supply AG
9906 Barlow Trail, SE
tel: (403)279-4451 or (800)343-2979

They stock both in cases of 6 bottles (1 L) their prices are:
0w30 $41.88 ($6.98/L)
0w40 $43.68 ($7.28/L)

They are on the east side of Barlow Trail, past Glenmore Trail if you're heading south, you have to make a left turn at the lights after the bridge, they are right by the Shell refinery terminals.