Trop Artic or Formula Shell

[volk06]

Both are 1.99/qt and would be used for 3-5K OCIs on the rest of the family's vehicles. Both additive packages are very similar with Calcium, Boron, and Moly. Both are the same price and both the same distance. So the question is which one should I buy? FS is conventional, TA is a synblend... decision decisions. Will be buying a case of 5w20, 5w30 and 10w30.

So the question is which one should I buy?

 

[dlundblad]

Trop Artic definitely. Very stellar stuff IMO.

 

[sicko]

You can't go wrong with either one. Since they're the same price, I'd go with which ever one was closer, or near some place else you were planning on going.

Wow, they really do look very similar:
http://www.pqiamerica.com/TropArtic.htm
http://www.pqiamerica.com/ShellFormula.htm

 

[bigt61]

If they're the same price, I'd always pick the blend.

 

[Nobody]

Trop Artic had lower volatility in that PQIA test.

 

[crazyoildude]

here in NJ you cant find anything retail for $1.99
i buy our shop oil in bulk very cheap but when i buy for my own cars i get ripped also.
i do not use the shop oil in my own cars because during transport to my house i always make a mess. We are so pressed for space that i do most of my own work at home in my garage
either one is good

 

[KitaCam]

3-5k miles? Any name brand dino that meets car's spec...but that's not why you're here, right?

 

[sonofbumperbolt]

I am slowly changing every car I have to TA as my stash gets low. I pick it up on sale at Orschelns for $1.99 a quart.

 

[KCJeep]

Have been using Trop Artic also been getting it cheap at Orscheln's you can't go wrong with the stuff. SOPUS makes great stuff too definitely a win-win here. Try both and see what floats your boat. My guess is you won't be able to tell any difference.

 

[dave1251]

Formula Shell.

 

[zerosoma]

They are both worthy contenders but I'd go with Trop Artic. Great track record and semi synthetic to boot.

 

[CharBaby]

Buy up the shelf of both!

 

[Camprunner]

I can't comment on TA but my father has used FS for years and always gets 250-300k out of all his cars. We pulled a valve cover off his Buick V6 last year to fix cover gasket and it was real clean that's with 5k OCI. He often asks me why I spend so much on expensive synthetics when the cheep FS works just fine for the life of a car and to be honest I often wonder why I don't run it myself?

 

[CharBaby]

When I called SOPUS some time ago(during the SL/GF-3 days), the person I spoke with mentioned that their 5W30 conventional oil already had some synthetic oil mixed in just to meet the stardards for 5W30. I am thinking that most 5W20 & 5W30 have some synthetic oil in the mix and are still called conventional

I was also understanding that only 7% syn mix could justify being called a Syn/Blend.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
I was also understanding that only 7% syn mix could justify being called a Syn/Blend.

I suppose that could vary widely based upon the jurisdiction. API/ILSAC and ACEA don't regulate definitions of synthetic.

 

[Virtuoso]

With your requirements it doesn't matter.

I've ran Formula Shell 10w-30 on a supercharged 3800 for 7,500 miles and was told it could do more.

Trop Artic would likely do the same.

Pick what bottle looks better to you, and sleep well at night.