Stay with what works best for you.
Why change ?
Why change ?
Why one brand?
- Thread starter W.T.McGlynn
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I think there is good reason to stick with one thing. That way if there ever is a problem, you have fewer variables to sort out. In the past, there were problems with additive clash. Many engines retain quite a bit of the oil oil when you change. Going to a high seal swelling oil and back to a low one could cause problems too.
My truck may be old, but it is going to get better than whatever Wally's has on sale today.
My truck may be old, but it is going to get better than whatever Wally's has on sale today.
Triple_Se7en
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Quote:
"I've heard that it pays to sick with one brand and only use that brand".
You forgot the rest of your sentence...
....I've heard that it pays to sick with one brand and only use that brand - but only if you are experiencing no increased consumption, engine noise, dirtier engine & increased gasoline consumption.
Just my opinion...
"I've heard that it pays to sick with one brand and only use that brand".
You forgot the rest of your sentence...
....I've heard that it pays to sick with one brand and only use that brand - but only if you are experiencing no increased consumption, engine noise, dirtier engine & increased gasoline consumption.
Just my opinion...
Even the same oil changes formulas numerous times. For example, My 96 Integra specs SH oil, we are currently at SM. If I were to buy regular Mobil dino, and stick with it for the last ten years, it would have changed formulas several times to meet the ever changing API standards. JMO, Joe
My thought exactly. even within the same API rating there are changes in formulation, so I really see no reason you have to stay with the same oil. Look at the recent deal with the Katrina Mobil deal, same brand oil, but not the exact same oil.
I have had 7 different oils in my car in 8 changes (currently have Mobil 1 0w-30 which I had used once before 3 changes ago). Next 2 changes will also be with different oils.
The other side of this argument some may use (not me, even though it looks like it) is that you should use different oils everytime to prevent a "build up" from using the same type of oil all the time.
Use the same oil, use different oil, it is all the same IMO.
I've used several oils in my new Hyundai in 13K. Havoline, Motorcraft, a 7500 mile OCI of M1. Now I have an OCI of 10W30 SL High Mileage Pennzoil. In the winter, I'll use 0W30 German Castrol SL I scored in North Carolina (couldn't find the stuff up here in No. Va.) for a long OCI. Next spring, I'll run 10W30 Pennzoil Platinum from a recent score, long OCI, 7500K. These are all USDA Prime-time oils, I throw in a little SLOB or VSOT depending on the oil and the car will be well served, different though they may be.
The car specs SL in the book, but not any particular brand, 5W20 preferred, but 10W30 if 5W20 not available. So, the car is flexible, I may as well be too. If an interesting score comes along as it did this week, I'll grab it and use it, especially SL grades, the car can use the SL-era additives, so a different brand just doesn't matter as long as the oil is changed when necessary and a decent filter is used. 4-5K OCI dino, and 6-7.5K OCI on syn is reasonable, at least for this little roller-skate..
With dino running 2.50-3.00/qt and Syn, ALL of them, running just south, and mostly way north of 6.00/qt, I'm not being the stickler for SM, especially to hang with one brand which, in any case as Joe said, will be re-formulated without any notice or explanation by the manufacturer within any given month.
The car specs SL in the book, but not any particular brand, 5W20 preferred, but 10W30 if 5W20 not available. So, the car is flexible, I may as well be too. If an interesting score comes along as it did this week, I'll grab it and use it, especially SL grades, the car can use the SL-era additives, so a different brand just doesn't matter as long as the oil is changed when necessary and a decent filter is used. 4-5K OCI dino, and 6-7.5K OCI on syn is reasonable, at least for this little roller-skate..
With dino running 2.50-3.00/qt and Syn, ALL of them, running just south, and mostly way north of 6.00/qt, I'm not being the stickler for SM, especially to hang with one brand which, in any case as Joe said, will be re-formulated without any notice or explanation by the manufacturer within any given month.
As has been stated time and again on this board, brand conciosness was more applicable when oil was refined from specific wells of crude. Now brand conciosness is more about what the physical properties are and trying to fine tune the oil choice to match the needs of the engine and operating regime.
Severe hydrotreating has been the great equalizer in maintaining base oil consistency over the past decade. Additive technology differs from one brand to another, but none are incompatible with the others. If you want to switch brands, do so in confidence - there are no bad motor oils among major brands or established major retailer house brands. A specific brand that may be marginally better this month could be midpack next month just because of the unannounced formulation changes referenced in previous posts above. If you have a favorite brand and want to stick with it, that's fine, too. For myself, I buy on the basis of PRICE and whether the oil in question meets my engine's required viscosity and quality specs. Obviously for high-end Euro cars, there'll be extraordinary quality considerations that only specific motor oils will measure up to. For the more mundane engine technologies, it's essentially just a matter of commonly available motor oils.
Well said Ray.
in 37K my 05 Matrix has seen:
Factory Fill
Mobil 1 SM
Pennz Plat SM
Mobil 1 SM
Castrol GC SL
Chevron Supreme SL
Pennz Plat SM
Havoline SM
Chevron Supreme SL
Castrol Syntec Blend SM
Havoline SL
Just changed today to the SL Havoline.....all 5W30 except for the GC
Sitting in wait in my basement:
Kendall GT Synth Blend SM
Valvoline All Climate SM
Havoline SL & SM
Pennz Plat SM
I'll keep adding as I see fit like Ray said...I buy on price, not brand. The price of non sale or non rebate oil has gotten ridiculous.
So all that to say that my engine has never seen 2 of the same oils in a row and UOA's are telling that everything is a-ok under the hood
Goose
Factory Fill
Mobil 1 SM
Pennz Plat SM
Mobil 1 SM
Castrol GC SL
Chevron Supreme SL
Pennz Plat SM
Havoline SM
Chevron Supreme SL
Castrol Syntec Blend SM
Havoline SL
Just changed today to the SL Havoline.....all 5W30 except for the GC
Sitting in wait in my basement:
Kendall GT Synth Blend SM
Valvoline All Climate SM
Havoline SL & SM
Pennz Plat SM
I'll keep adding as I see fit like Ray said...I buy on price, not brand. The price of non sale or non rebate oil has gotten ridiculous.
So all that to say that my engine has never seen 2 of the same oils in a row and UOA's are telling that everything is a-ok under the hood
Goose
I'm a Castrol GTX user.I plan on staying with this brand for the life of my 2006 Jeep.I've heard that it pays to sick with one brand and only use that brand.If you switch from one brand to another and keep using different brands would any problems arise in the long term.Thanks Joe
Agree: "there are no bad motor oils among major brands" They have zero long-run economic motivation not to try 110% to sell an on-spec product.
Sort of agree: "there are no bad motor oils among...established major retailer house brands" As these oils are not always made by "deep-pocket" major firms, and in some cases do cut or fail to manage QC or marginalize treat rates to save $$$.
Parameters affected by marginal oil are often tough to correlate to poor in-service perfomrance in time to make a damage claim. Basically more of a gamble buying these oils. Some retailers are strict think "Kirkland Siganture"-brand products at COSTCO (albeit not oils). Some sellers in various auto lubricant sales chanels are *not* strict at all---they want a PRICE and do not ask many questions.
You may disagree, but I am in the industry and have a pretty darn solid basis for this opinion.
But if you lease vehicles, or make loan payments & and trade a lot, (i.e. most buyers) use anything and you will be fine for the trade-in or lease return --- changing once or maybe twice a year (like my Mom) even marginally made oils & current engines are soooo much better than the old technologies, will avoid issues at trade-in times.
Sort of agree: "there are no bad motor oils among...established major retailer house brands" As these oils are not always made by "deep-pocket" major firms, and in some cases do cut or fail to manage QC or marginalize treat rates to save $$$.
Parameters affected by marginal oil are often tough to correlate to poor in-service perfomrance in time to make a damage claim. Basically more of a gamble buying these oils. Some retailers are strict think "Kirkland Siganture"-brand products at COSTCO (albeit not oils). Some sellers in various auto lubricant sales chanels are *not* strict at all---they want a PRICE and do not ask many questions.
You may disagree, but I am in the industry and have a pretty darn solid basis for this opinion.
But if you lease vehicles, or make loan payments & and trade a lot, (i.e. most buyers) use anything and you will be fine for the trade-in or lease return --- changing once or maybe twice a year (like my Mom) even marginally made oils & current engines are soooo much better than the old technologies, will avoid issues at trade-in times.
Beter yet....
Shop for oil at closeout sales and use the $$$ you saved for gas, filters, sparkplugs, coolant, tires.
I agree 1000% with Joee12 comments, formulas are changing every few years.
Shop for oil at closeout sales and use the $$$ you saved for gas, filters, sparkplugs, coolant, tires.
I agree 1000% with Joee12 comments, formulas are changing every few years.
Kinda tough!
This means most of our time spent on BITOG could be in vain... since this is a commodity argument, and with few qualifications..cheapest becomes the best choice!
This means most of our time spent on BITOG could be in vain... since this is a commodity argument, and with few qualifications..cheapest becomes the best choice!
That's just plain silly. All oil brands change from time to time. The blending varies with the availibility of blending stocks which is based on the availability of the tyupe of crude oil. The blending also varies as the additive packages change to keep up with the latest API specs.quote:
Originally posted by Dually:
I'm a Castrol GTX user.I plan on staying with this brand for the life of my 2006 Jeep.I've heard that it pays to sick with one brand and only use that brand.If you switch from one brand to another and keep using different brands would any problems arise in the long term.Thanks Joe
The Castrol you buy five years from now won't be the same as what you bought today.
So you're changing anyway.
I'm thinking of switching to another brand next OCI, but I keep asking myself why, when Maxlife is doing so good.
I suppose it's the sense of adventure in me.
^^
if it works why change? I only use maxlife now and probably will for a long time.
if it works why change? I only use maxlife now and probably will for a long time.
Another vote for the brand does not matter. I look for quality and price. The brand is much less significant.
GTX is very good oil. So are many others and there is no harm in switching, I just buy one of several brands now, whichever is cheapest at the time.
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