Is there any major difference in the quality among different brands of motor oil? I'm not talking about synthetic vs. organic, just about different brands with the same weight of oil. The reason I ask is that I normally choose Mobil1 5w-20, but when I changed my oil at WalMart this weekend they only had Castrol Syntec in the 5W-20. I'm sure that Syntec will be plenty good enough but I wonder if there is any discernable difference at all?

Also, fwiw I noticed that WalMart had it's own propietary brand of synthetic motor oil (with the SAE approval logo) for ~ 1/2 the price of the major synthetic oil brands. I wonder if that stuff is any good.

 

i go mobil 1 full syn 5-30 extended performance all the time....i run my car hard

 

personally i really think that it is psychological... i mean you can compare and contrasts all the different testing that each of the oil manufacturers perform but it really all depends on you... motor oil (as a basic idea) is usually all the same and does the same thing... but if you are worried about it, then don't be hesitant to spend the extra bucks every oil change for the brand name stuff...

look at it this way, how often do you change your oil??? if you change your oil more often than it is recommended, like i do at every 2800-3000 miles, then you should worry about putting in generic brand oil... if your hold out till the 5k-10k range, then i would def use a brand name oil like Mobil, or RP...

PM=will be handled shortly...

 

Mobil one is the best store bought oil you can get if you want to make it go for more than 5k of miles. Amsoil is the best oil out there period compared to anyone and can go for a very long time.

Now RP (Royal Purple) is not that great of oil and this has been proven many times on bobistheoilguy.com with blackstone labs. It sludges up very easily and causes more wear than it should.

 

Please don't present your opinion as fact. Many people prefer full ester synthetics (group V) like Redline to Amsoil, Mobil One (group IV) and Syntec (group III/IV).

I prefer Motorcraft 5W20 synblend ($2 quart at WalMart) and change according to the MID. That works out to about 6500 miles. I have oil analysis to prove the oil still has a comfortable TBN and safety margin.

 

What about the discount synthetic oil sold at WalMart? Has anyone tested it to show how it performs against the major brands.

 

M1 5w20 may be slightly better than Syntec 5w20, but any differences will not be reaped by the average driver. However, if the two were the same price, I'd still pick the M1.

Different brands and the same weight oil? Minimal differences, if any.

Walmart's synthetic oil is probably of a lesser quality than major brand synthetics. Not that it'd really matter if you change your oil at reasonable intervals...

 

Sorry but it is a fact. There 100s of tests at the site I listed above. Sorry if you think its a opinion. Have you EVER done a blackstone lab tests on your oil samples? Didn't think so.

 

his last statement says that he has an oil analysis...

 

I missed that. I just took his post as a attack since he came at me rudely. I have seen 100s of tests over the past 5 years and know for a fact which oils last and which oils have issues.

 

So what's your opinion of Supertech synthetic? It looks to be priced at only slightly more than a premium brand conventional oil.

 

And how much of what's on BITOG is actually true?

As I recall, aren't you a customer of Dyson Analysis? I think you'd be surprised by Terry's opinion of RP products.

 

Rude, heck I even said please. News flash, there is no "best oil". Are you a shill for Amsoil? You can't just read BITOG, spout platitudes and expect to be considered an oil expert around here. There are too many smart people around here.

What qualifies you as the arbiter of all things oil?

Amsoil is great oil. But certainly not the best for everyone. To satisfy my warranty requirements, I change the oil in my TL according to the MID. I don't need extended oil change intervals. So for me, it would be a waste to put $6-$10/quart oil in the crankcase.

RoadRage is this site's defacto oil expert. He has tons of great posts with lots of objective information. He never tries to pass anything off as "the best". He presents his information and opinion and leaves everyone to make their own decision.

Cheers,

 

I have seen some positive feedback on BITOG about the use of WalMart brand SuperTech oils. They are inexpensive and many people report great results, even in engines that are prone to sludging. Plus, you can't beat the availability.

Cheers,

 

I go by what tests show. And that info is at bobistheoilguy.com forums on 1000s of people who have done it for many years. RP has proven to not be as good as the other oils especially over a long interval of like 6k.

 

Actually pretty good. It has held up very well for 6k oil changes with some to spare. Take a look at bobistheoilguy.com forums and do a search on Supertech to get more detailed info on it. But your safe if you wish to do 6k oil changes with SuperTech or more.

 

I have used many oils over the past 15 years. I switched to Amsoil about 3 years ago from Mobil 1. I also know someone who switched from RP to Amsoil around the same time last year and he got much better results on his car. RoadRage is a very knowledgeable person. But he has been wrong in the past on things as well. That is why I go by bobistheoilguy.com forums and read all the tests and go by what is the best.

Price is of no concern to me epsecially since we go by the MID and its usually 6-7k oil changes. I rather have the best protection in my engine at that time and that would be Amsoil.

I am not here to argue with you. It seems that is what you do on this site anyways. This is my opinion and if people want facts can check out that site for many tests.

I would like to recomend to anyone to not go by one persons opinion on this site or any. Look over all the results on the site I gave and this one and figure out what best fits your needs.

 

I beg to differ. SodaLuvr knows quite a bit about oil too.

 

But Roadrage has experience and sodaluvr just reads what others say. They both can give advice for sure though since they do a lot of research in their own way.

 

What experience? lol. He also reads what others say too. I mean I could say yea, I got experience because I use the oil and sell it and have tested it. Doesn't mean I have experience.

 

True, it just seems that RoadRage has been on these forums for a long time trying out different oils on his car with tests and then came back with a conclusion.

I have yet to see sodaluvr do that.

If you use the oil, test it, and come back with results and explain it to us.. then i consider that having experience and knowledge. Most of us here dont know as much as you guys do on the oil forums.

 

Truthfully, yea I have tested it and used many oils with results. But I am so tired of posting those results because there are always people out there that think or say they know better. So I just don't argue anymore and just tell others to do the research on those forums and decide on their own now.

I just know Amsoil fits my need perfectly. I get better gas mileage over M1, and the cars run smoother.

 

Well crap, while i have you here....

Some people say that you dont need to change the oil filter as often as the oil. That true?

My tech told me that he smelled gas in my oil and that i should change it every 4k miles with M1 5w-30. What would cause gas into the oil? So should i just change the oil every 4k miles and leave the filter on for every 8k miles?

I have a modded 1.8t A4 btw.

 

Hmmm, well I wouldn't want to take a chance of that filter getting clogged. I know if you run a 10k interval you need to changge the filter at least once in that time. I run 6k intervals with oil/filter change. The filter is probably on of the most important parts of the engine cleaning system. If it can't filter, you got problems. Oil Filter won't take care of the gas. If your oil is getting gas in it (like I know some Honda PWC owners had), you need to change the oil itself and filter. The filter can not filter gas out of the oil.

I use to have a 03 A4 1.8t too.

 

Now you're back tracking. Earlier, you presented your opinion as fact. I pointed that out and you said I was wrong. Now you acknowledge it is your opinion. That was my point, some people present opinions as fact.

Do you sell Amsoil?

I'm not much for arguing. I prefer to point out logical flaws so other people can make informed decisions.

You could be the smartest oil person in the world. It sure doesn't appear that way when your proof is "it is the best, that is just a fact".

 

Common causes for gas in the oil are (1) excessive idling or stop-and-go driving and (2) excessively worn piston rings allowing fuel blow-by into the crankcase.

VW/Audi 1.8T engines are known sludge producers, so a more frequent change interval with a quality oil is a good idea. There is a specific VW/Audi specification, check with your dealer and make sure the oil you choose meets that specification.

 

Amsoil has been rated the best oils for many years and still comes out higher in all the tests compared to other synthetics. That is a fact.

 

I googled "synthetic oil test" and selected the first link.

Here is the summary for Mobil 1

Here is the summary for Amsoil

In this case, Mobil 1 > Amsoil

I'm no shill for Mobil 1 but this is the first link that came up on Google.

In fact, there was a Discovery Channel special on the Corvette C5R and in the background you could see the mechanics pouring Redline oil into the sump of the Mobil-1 sponsored Vette.

 

Wow, thats a first. Never seen Mobil 1 beat Amsoil in any test till now. Not bad. I do notice though this test is over 3 years old. Mobil 1 has drastically changed the oil since then.

 

Since you've modified your engine, some of your mods may be causing your engine to run richer than normal ???

Yep. And from now on, I'll ignore all of your oil advice since you're clearly biased, as an Amsoil dealer.

Yet, the same morons who still do backyard filter testing. Not everything on BITOG is true, okay? And those Blackstone tests? Well...if they were really that accurate, why wouldn't OEMs use labs such as Blackstone?

 

Because what sells is product. As long as it sells people will believe whatever the hype might be. I might be a Amsoil dealer only for myself to get the prices and friends. But I don't condone other oils. Like I said, I would go back to Mobil 1 in the heartbeat. But I would never trust RP in my car since its a overated product that doesn't perform as good as other oils for the same cost.

I might have a biased opinion slightly towards Amsoil since I have used it for years now. And it has out performed other oils in my cars as well as many tests have proven that all over the internet. I like facts. Not other peoples opinions. Reason why I switched to Amsoil in the first place. Tons of facts, lots of technical info on oil comparisons. Amsoil is always at the top. I have gotten so many people to switch and they didn't believe it til they tried the oil how the car changed. Ran smoother, better gas mileage, less blow by (meaning less oil used), and cleaner emissions compared to Mobil 1 which most used.

 

I pay little attention to Amsoil's tests. They are clearly done by Amsoil's "partner" labs under conditions optimized to over extol the benefits of Amsoil's products.

 

LOL, The ones on Amsoils site yea, but there are many tests that aren't done by Amsoil that also showed Amsoil ahead.

 

Then show me those "other" tests that you keep referring to...

 

personally I use what that manufacturer recomends for my car. I have NEVER in my life had an engine fail due to oil related problems. Acura states use X oil and change at X milage. I drive 25 miles to work each way with 10 of those miles on side streets anmd the other 15 on the FWY.

I change my oil every 5K miles which is about every 3 months. I think it is a waste of time and money to use any other oil besides what acura recommneds. I work for a Cat dealer and have SOS done twice a year and they always say the same thing. "No problems found"

 

I thought that Acura recommends oil changes every 7,500 miles. Also I recently read that GM is considering upping the recommended oil change interval to 6,500 miles for its cars. From what I've read, 3,000 to 5,000 miles is overkill.

 

this is a bitch fest now guys. I use RP and have no problems, car runs smooth. I use M1 and car runs the same, next I will try amsoil and then redline. WTF I'll try any premium synthetic, just like I'll try any premium quality wax. I don't like using only one product and sticking with it unless I have eliminated all of them and found my perfect product for the desired application. I like M1, RP and I am sure I will like amsoil and redline too. hopefully one of the later two are better oils, for my benefit. But stop the bitching!

 

Like I said earlier to someone else. Argueing over the internet is worthless. Because you or another person will continue to argue. Do a search on the site I have posted several times and you will find them.

 

Acura and GM use an oil life monitoring system to determine service intervals now. GM's service intervals average more than 8500 miles in between service with conventional oil according to a recent nationwide poll. Unsure of any official figures on Acuras, but most 3G TL owners are going 6-7k.

???

Post the links to the tests. Real tests. Not a few random UOA reports. Those do not qualify as "controlled" tests.

As for arguing, prove your point by backing it up with real evidence....

 

After perusing BITOG I've learned a couple of things:

1. I'm convinced that WalMart SuperTech Synthetic is actually a pretty good oil .

2. Also fwiw, in my admittedly uninformed opinion , there is little difference between Amsoil, Mobil 1, Royal Purple, and Redline when used in passenger vehicles that adhere roughly to normal or slightly greater than normal oil change intervals. No one brand appears to be conclusively better, although M1 is consistently very good.

3. The recommended 3,000 or even 5,000 mile oil change interval is gross overkill.