It's time to change the oil for my wife's 2002 BMW325IT (a wagon). Are there any advatages to Mobil1 0W-40 vs German Castol (or vice versa) ? I change the oil at around 6500 miles (twice a year) and my wife does a whole lot of short 10 mile trips all week long. The car has been on German Castrol for several oil changes and is doing well.
Mobil1 0W-40 vs German Castrol 0-30 for '02 BMW325
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M1 0w40 is a newer formulation that has surpassed GC. API SN, higher VI, newer manufacturer approvals.
GC is not a bad oil, but for the same money you can get a newer and arguably better one.
GC is not a bad oil, but for the same money you can get a newer and arguably better one.
My question is, dose the wide range and the use of VI's reduce useful life of the oil. I have read that the wider the spread the greater the problem.
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Absolutely not. That is the old way of thinking.
M1 0w40 is an extremely 'stout' oil and we've seen plenty of members run it on cars that get out on the track, autobahn, etc.
M1 0w40 is an extremely 'stout' oil and we've seen plenty of members run it on cars that get out on the track, autobahn, etc.
Your neighbourhood Napa has M1 for 5.89/qt. Great price for an awesome oil. My vote is for M1 0w40
In the past, some people have reported noisier running BMW engines with M1 0w-40; however, that was probably with some earlier formulations of this oil. I'd say give it a try. If anything doesn't sound right, then you can always go back to GC at the next OCI.
Your neighbourhood Napa has M1 for 5.89/qt. Great price for an awesome oil. My vote is for M1 0w40
I had a Vauxhall Omega a few years ago it had a BMW 2.5 diesel lump and it used to use Mobil 1 but was fine with a similarly priced Millers oil.
The only difference was Mobil was a 0w40 and the Millers was a 5 or 10/40, it was a really long time ago and I will.try and check the exact spec of the Millers. A very good oil in UK.
I would never hesitate is using Mobil 1 in any car and the only reason I mentioned the above is that a few people have mentioned on forums that their car consumed a little bit more oil on Mobil 1.
My Omega had done 200k so I personally think engine mileage might have been relevant.
Wifes car runs lovely on Mobil 1 with little oil.usage between changes certainly not enough to need top ups just some dropping of the level.
Castrol is good stuff aswell. Use it in my Volvo and previous Ford diesel.
But my preference is Mobil 1, just watch for an increase in oil.usage
The only difference was Mobil was a 0w40 and the Millers was a 5 or 10/40, it was a really long time ago and I will.try and check the exact spec of the Millers. A very good oil in UK.
I would never hesitate is using Mobil 1 in any car and the only reason I mentioned the above is that a few people have mentioned on forums that their car consumed a little bit more oil on Mobil 1.
My Omega had done 200k so I personally think engine mileage might have been relevant.
Wifes car runs lovely on Mobil 1 with little oil.usage between changes certainly not enough to need top ups just some dropping of the level.
Castrol is good stuff aswell. Use it in my Volvo and previous Ford diesel.
But my preference is Mobil 1, just watch for an increase in oil.usage
Originally Posted By: KevinV
Thank you everybody. That is what I've thought but since there has been some discussion that M1 is no longer gRoups iv or v oil I wondered if GC still was.
Both oils contain some percentage of III+/IV/V.
I wouldn't get too hung up on it.
Thank you everybody. That is what I've thought but since there has been some discussion that M1 is no longer gRoups iv or v oil I wondered if GC still was.
Both oils contain some percentage of III+/IV/V.
I wouldn't get too hung up on it.
Looking at the VOA's that have been posted here, I've noticed that M1 0W-40 has some Molybdenum, whereas GC 0W-30 does not have Mo, but has slightly higher levels of Zn/P.
Looking at the VOA's for the BMW 5W-30 OE oil, it has a significant amount of Mo, around 100 ppm. Apparently Mo makes up for the reduced Zn/P.
Since I have the twin turbo N54 I lean towards the M1 0W-40.
Looking at the VOA's for the BMW 5W-30 OE oil, it has a significant amount of Mo, around 100 ppm. Apparently Mo makes up for the reduced Zn/P.
Since I have the twin turbo N54 I lean towards the M1 0W-40.
Originally Posted By: NoTempoLimit
Looking at the VOA's that have been posted here, I've noticed that M1 0W-40 has some Molybdenum, whereas GC 0W-30 does not have Mo, but has slightly higher levels of Zn/P.
Looking at the VOA's for the BMW 5W-30 OE oil, it has a significant amount of Mo, around 100 ppm. Apparently Mo makes up for the reduced Zn/P.
Since I have the twin turbo N54 I lean towards the M1 0W-40.
Just a FYI.. all the new twin turbo M's run dealer 5w30.
Looking at the VOA's that have been posted here, I've noticed that M1 0W-40 has some Molybdenum, whereas GC 0W-30 does not have Mo, but has slightly higher levels of Zn/P.
Looking at the VOA's for the BMW 5W-30 OE oil, it has a significant amount of Mo, around 100 ppm. Apparently Mo makes up for the reduced Zn/P.
Since I have the twin turbo N54 I lean towards the M1 0W-40.
Just a FYI.. all the new twin turbo M's run dealer 5w30.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
In the past, some people have reported noisier running BMW engines with M1 0w-40; however, that was probably with some earlier formulations of this oil. I'd say give it a try. If anything doesn't sound right, then you can always go back to GC at the next OCI.
in my O3 330xi, I definitely noticed noisier engine after switching from dealer serviced M1 5W-30, to M1 0W-40. wasn't going to be anal and dump it less than at least 5-6K though to switch over to GC, but I did have a few quarts of BMW 5W-30 in the trunk from the previous owner. Engine used about a quart and half after 4500 miles, at which point I added a quart and half of the BMW 5W-30 and it completely quieted the engine. who knows why, maybe the moly in the BMW 5W-30. I'm not even sure if Moly has a "quieting" effect on engines, but it worked in my case.
Got 8 quarts of GC I picked up on sale with free bosch filter from autozone lined up for next oil chang in couple weeks, and we'll see how that goes compared to M1 0W-40. But if I every find a great deal on M1 0W-40 and go back to that, I will definitely use it with a quart or two of the BMW 5W-30.
In the past, some people have reported noisier running BMW engines with M1 0w-40; however, that was probably with some earlier formulations of this oil. I'd say give it a try. If anything doesn't sound right, then you can always go back to GC at the next OCI.
in my O3 330xi, I definitely noticed noisier engine after switching from dealer serviced M1 5W-30, to M1 0W-40. wasn't going to be anal and dump it less than at least 5-6K though to switch over to GC, but I did have a few quarts of BMW 5W-30 in the trunk from the previous owner. Engine used about a quart and half after 4500 miles, at which point I added a quart and half of the BMW 5W-30 and it completely quieted the engine. who knows why, maybe the moly in the BMW 5W-30. I'm not even sure if Moly has a "quieting" effect on engines, but it worked in my case.
Got 8 quarts of GC I picked up on sale with free bosch filter from autozone lined up for next oil chang in couple weeks, and we'll see how that goes compared to M1 0W-40. But if I every find a great deal on M1 0W-40 and go back to that, I will definitely use it with a quart or two of the BMW 5W-30.
dparm:
I guess "some percentage" leaves a lot of wiggle room. And, I agree that we shouldn't get "hung up" about the base oil. But, do you have any evidence that GC has a significant amount of GIII+? Your statement was very authoritative.
I guess "some percentage" leaves a lot of wiggle room. And, I agree that we shouldn't get "hung up" about the base oil. But, do you have any evidence that GC has a significant amount of GIII+? Your statement was very authoritative.
Originally Posted By: GMorg
dparm:
I guess "some percentage" leaves a lot of wiggle room. And, I agree that we shouldn't get "hung up" about the base oil. But, do you have any evidence that GC has a significant amount of GIII+? Your statement was very authoritative.
The MSDS.
dparm:
I guess "some percentage" leaves a lot of wiggle room. And, I agree that we shouldn't get "hung up" about the base oil. But, do you have any evidence that GC has a significant amount of GIII+? Your statement was very authoritative.
The MSDS.
The content of an MSDS was posted here as a GC MSDS, but that msds covered the whole Syntec line, including non-GC. That MSDS included the phrase "may contain" and included Group I, Group III, and PAO. That MSDS was from 2004.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=138710
There was an older set of MSDS (2000) that were titled separately for each Syntec product, but the content of each was identical. I don't have a link to all of the them, but here is a link for the GC MSDS.
http://matrixsyntheticoils.com/datasheets/syntec-0w30.pdf
The modern GC MSDS does not list much of anything. It is almost useless beyond safety information.
So, I accept that GC may contain Group III (and Group I). However, based on the MSDSs that are familiar to me, the actual composition is still a mystery. It seems that Castrol only had a single MSDS for the entire line-up. Using the logic that if an item is on the msds it must be in the product, then we would have to conclude that the rest of the Syntec line-up was PAO-based since they share the same MSDS. I don't know of many people that are prepared to conclude that the whole line-up is PAO-based. So, I don't think that we can know the base oil for any of the Syntec oils from the MSDS.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=138710
There was an older set of MSDS (2000) that were titled separately for each Syntec product, but the content of each was identical. I don't have a link to all of the them, but here is a link for the GC MSDS.
http://matrixsyntheticoils.com/datasheets/syntec-0w30.pdf
The modern GC MSDS does not list much of anything. It is almost useless beyond safety information.
So, I accept that GC may contain Group III (and Group I). However, based on the MSDSs that are familiar to me, the actual composition is still a mystery. It seems that Castrol only had a single MSDS for the entire line-up. Using the logic that if an item is on the msds it must be in the product, then we would have to conclude that the rest of the Syntec line-up was PAO-based since they share the same MSDS. I don't know of many people that are prepared to conclude that the whole line-up is PAO-based. So, I don't think that we can know the base oil for any of the Syntec oils from the MSDS.
The following is the "may contain" list for all of the older Syntec products:
___CAS__________Name_____
68037-01-4: poly(1-decene) (PAO)
64742-54-7: hydrotreated petroleum
68649-12-7: PAO (Tetramer/Trimer mix)
64741-88-4: Solvent refined heavy paraffinic distillate
92062-09-4: Hydrotreated slack wax
___CAS__________Name_____
68037-01-4: poly(1-decene) (PAO)
64742-54-7: hydrotreated petroleum
68649-12-7: PAO (Tetramer/Trimer mix)
64741-88-4: Solvent refined heavy paraffinic distillate
92062-09-4: Hydrotreated slack wax
In Australia Penrite Oils would say +10 therefore use the M1 0w40.
If +10 refers to SAE 40 vs SAE 30 grades, then M1 0W40 does not keep that advantage very long. When new, M1 0W40 is thinner than GC at temps below about 21 C. However, after a couple of thousand miles of use, M1 10W40 seems to shear to the point that it is thinner than GC at all temps. I don't think that M1 0W40 is thicker than GC for very long.
It does seem to be great oil though...
It does seem to be great oil though...
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