2015 vehicles needing oil recommendation?

[kschachn]

Upgrade?

Originally Posted By: fredfactory
Specs are minimums. I say someone can always do better by upgrading to another spec thats tougher. Maybe sometimes you can't do this safely. Most of the time its safe. For example, upgrade from dexos1 to a 0w-30 (or the thinner 40's (like Castrol 0w-40)) in an LL-01 oil.

 

[fredfactory]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Upgrade?

Originally Posted By: fredfactory
Specs are minimums. I say someone can always do better by upgrading to another spec thats tougher. Maybe sometimes you can't do this safely. Most of the time its safe. For example, upgrade from dexos1 to a 0w-30 (or the thinner 40's (like Castrol 0w-40)) in an LL-01 oil.


Yes upgrade, as in move to a tougher spec. We all know specs aren't equal. SN GF5 oils might not be good enough for dexos1. dexos1 adds a few tougher requirements in the ACEA tests etc. The european speced oils like LL-01 oils must go through even more performance requirements.

 

[TiredTrucker]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

If your owner's manual calls for dexos1, then you'd better be using dexos1 oil for the sake of your new vehicle warranty. An LL-01 spec and dexos1 spec are nearly mutually exclusive. I've never seen an oil that carries both specs.


While I agree that it is probably a wise move to use a dexos1 spec oil if the engine calls for it, I have no problem using a dexos1 spec oil that just happens to not be on the "approved" list. And I highly doubt that the reason it is not on the "approved" list is because it can't meet the spec. No, it is not Amsoil either.

 

[SilverSnake]

I think it is great that people want to learn about oil. I would not mind answering basic questions over and over again. What I do not like is self appointed experts providing bad advice on this and other forums. Those who advise newbies to use oil that is not recommended for a new car or does not meet manufacturers specs are not helping the average uninformed member. For a car under warranty, the best advice is to follow the owner's manual guidance.

The worst case of poor advice I ever saw was not on this forum but a GT500 forum. As many of you probably know the Shelby GT500 requires a 5W-50 full synthetic oil. Ford developed this oil specifically for the Ford GT and GT500. One forum member, based upon a few UOAs gathered in an unscientific manner, characterized Motorcraft 5W-50 as a "failed formulation that should never be used in a GT500." This self appointed expert, who admitted that he had no formal qualifications, actually had a cult following that believed what he said. His advice was to use an Amsoil substitute that even Amsoil did not recommend for the GT500. If anyone questioned this "expert" they got flamed by many other members of the forum. Almost unbelievable.

 

[artificialist]

Sometimes the oil specified by the OEM isn't the best oil for real life conditions.

I read of many people using M1 5w30 in turbo Subarus and saying it caused bearing failures. Subaru would tell users to use synthetic 5w30 only. What many Subaru drivers did was use 5w40 or 0w40, and it has been credited with saving their engines.

The other thing BITOGers find is that a specific car sold in one country takes something completely different in another country. It makes for an interesting discussion.