Need some help deciding on what oil I should use on a 2005 BMW X3 3.0l with over 120k miles on it. Obviously not under warranty.
I spent a lot of time reading posts on this board before deciding on Royal Purple HPS for some outdoor power equipment and I'm hoping some of the knowledgeable posters here can help clear up some confusion.
I'm in the NYC area, I drive fairly easy and I won't be driving this every day. Mostly short drives and maybe just a few rides a week but it I could go up to a week without driving it.
There's the BMW 5w30 synthetic but I'm hoping there might be something better.
Mobil 1 0w40 is frequently recommended but I checked some bottles and they don't appear to have the BMW LL-01 certification any more.
Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w40 still has the BMW LL-01 certification and is easy for me to get. I've read a lot of good things on here about PP and PU but is the PP Euro as good as PP? This Q&A leads me to believe it may not be. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...rot#Post3836844
Is PP Euro made from the same base as PP? Is it a group V synthetic since it's made from natural gas?
I'm not too concerned about the oil being certified as long as it will be a good fit for me.
Would using PU 5w30 (or 5w40) be a better choice? It's an older car and the better cleaning ability of PU is appealing to me.
I also really like Royal Purple HPS. I've been using it in small engines for my mower, snow blower, etc and think it's a really good fit for those and that would have been my first choice except a lot of people seem to be suggesting LL-01 certified oils.
I can also get the RP API oils locally at a good price.
I'm not interested in Amsoil. I think the oils I mentioned above are high quality and one of those should be suitable.
Hoping some of you can answer some of my questions and weigh in on your opinions/experiences with these oils.
I spent a lot of time reading posts on this board before deciding on Royal Purple HPS for some outdoor power equipment and I'm hoping some of the knowledgeable posters here can help clear up some confusion.
I'm in the NYC area, I drive fairly easy and I won't be driving this every day. Mostly short drives and maybe just a few rides a week but it I could go up to a week without driving it.
There's the BMW 5w30 synthetic but I'm hoping there might be something better.
Mobil 1 0w40 is frequently recommended but I checked some bottles and they don't appear to have the BMW LL-01 certification any more.
Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w40 still has the BMW LL-01 certification and is easy for me to get. I've read a lot of good things on here about PP and PU but is the PP Euro as good as PP? This Q&A leads me to believe it may not be. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...rot#Post3836844
Is PP Euro made from the same base as PP? Is it a group V synthetic since it's made from natural gas?
I'm not too concerned about the oil being certified as long as it will be a good fit for me.
Would using PU 5w30 (or 5w40) be a better choice? It's an older car and the better cleaning ability of PU is appealing to me.
I also really like Royal Purple HPS. I've been using it in small engines for my mower, snow blower, etc and think it's a really good fit for those and that would have been my first choice except a lot of people seem to be suggesting LL-01 certified oils.
I can also get the RP API oils locally at a good price.
I'm not interested in Amsoil. I think the oils I mentioned above are high quality and one of those should be suitable.
Hoping some of you can answer some of my questions and weigh in on your opinions/experiences with these oils.