2003 Toyota Camry - Oil suggestions

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The family car is due for its 5000km/12 month oil change. The service manual states that it requires 5w-30 oil or 10w-30 if this cant be sourced . I know the 2.4l 2AZ-FE engine in the car has a reputation for burning oil, its not excessive yet but maybe something for you all to consider. the car has done approx 155,000 kms.

I have no preference toward synthetic or dino oil, being in Australia the winters aren't particularly harsh so it may not need a particularly thin oil
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. Car has a fairly diverse mix of driving, not flogged but not conservatively driven, gets a decent freeway run at least twice a week. Looking for any recommendations for the next 5000ks for oils available in Australia that you have had good results from. links or direction to any UOAs would be great.

This is my first post, so if ive missed anything please let me know and ill provide more details.

Thankyou all in advance.
 
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Hey Mate,
Welcome !!

Right now, at SuperCheapAuto (SCA) in Australia, from 9-25 March.
Castrol Magnatec Stop-Start 10W-30 (semi-synthetic) is 40% off.
Regular price is $45-, Sale price is $27- for 5L
It's API SN & ACEA A3/B4

This would be a great oil for your car, I would pick up a few at this price. They are discontinuing the semi-synthetic Magnatec 10W-30 and replacing it with a full synthetic Magnatec 5W-30 which will cost about $55- for 5L. Both would suit your car just fine, but at 5000 KM per year, the semi-synthetic is all you need and you can't beat the price right now.

The Oz market tends to be 10W-30 semi-synthetics (Shell, Castrol, Valvoline, etc) or 5W-30 full synthetics. The full synthetics can get quite expensive, eg Mobil 1 5W-30 is $90- for 5L, which is a waste of money if you are only putting 5000 KM on it. Maybe if you are doing 15000 KM per year, then the full synthetics are better value.

If you do want a full synthetic, it's 25% off all Castrol Edge products this weekend at AutoBarn. Pick yourself up some Castrol Edge 5W-30 A3/B4 full synthetic if you want. Repco also have a sale on full synthetic Valvoline SynPower MST 5W-30 (API SN, ACEA C3) finishing this weekend. It's 5L for about $52- (25% off).

Personally I would get 3 or 4 jugs of the Magnatec 10W-30 at 40% off, and not look back.
 
Oh, I should point out that the full synthetic Shell Helix HX8 5W-30 (API SN & ACEA A3/B4) is probably the least expensive, name brand, full synthetic 5W-30 oil in Australia. About $50 for 5L, regular price. Another great oil for your car, and easy to find.
 
Originally Posted By: bigt61
MaxLife Blend (red bottle) 5W-30, although I don't know if you have it in OZ.


The only Valvoline MaxLife we have in Oz is 20W-50.

We do like a thick oil here.

And to be honest, most people in Oz with the OP's car would be running a mineral 15W-40 in it. Like Castrol GTX or Valvoline EngineArmour. Both 15W-40, API SN, ACEA A3/B3.

These are very inexpensive, very common and used on everything. It would work fine in the OP's car, and so would the just as common 10W-40 semi-synthetic. I'm just trying to keep to the owners manual with my advice above, but if you took the car to a local garage for an oil change, there is a good chance that it would end up with a 40 weight in it, and it would be none the worse for it. Just saying, not fighting. 40 weight is the default standard here.

OP, some more options for you here
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...Aus#Post4028713
 
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My 2002 camry with same engine and 204k miles runs great on Mobil 1 AFE 0w30 and might burn a quart in 2000-4000 miles. I plan to run some cheap 10w30 I got on sale in it come summer. I would definitely say any x-w30 would do fine.
 
SR5 - I was thinking the same thing, looking over the selection in oz there is a preference towards thicker oils than in the states. Ive only recently discovered this forum and started looking into oils and i believe the last lot that went in the car was Castrol GTX Modern Engine 15w40 so youd be right there. It was like $17 at the time so i thought that would do. Half of whatever was left after the oil change has seeped out of the bottle measure line onto the floor in the garage. hopefully that doesn't say too much about the quality of the contents......

The magnatech semi synthetic seems like a steal for that price. I hadn't really considered any of the synthetic stuff because most are a bit above my price point. That one is definitely on the short list now though.

Also interested to hear what anyone else thinks about Zeng's idea of a 15w-40 HDEO. will be buying some soon for a bike so could buy a larger quantity and do both vehicles on the same oil.

Thanks for all the responses so far
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That GTX you used is a fine oil, no worries. You can often get it at a good price too.

Mixed Fleet (diesel & petrol) Heavy Duty Engine Oil (HDEO) would work well for you if you have a diesel vehicle and want to use the same oil in both. They cost a bit more, but are very robust.

Right now at Super Cheap Auto (to 25 March) they have 20% off Valvoline Engine Armour Diesel, a semi-synthetic HDEO in 10 L containers. The 15W-50 (API CI-4 / SL, ACEA A3/B4) is $56 for 10L. The 5W-40 (API CJ-4 / SN, ACEA A3/B4, E9, E7) is $72 for 10L.

Lots of good HDEOs: Shell Rimula, Delo 400, Castrol RX, Mobil Delvac, Penrite HPR Diesel, etc
 
Originally Posted By: SR5
Oh yeah, HDEOs work well in motorcycles too.
Which one are you looking at for you bike?


Looking at either Delo 400 multigrade or Mobil Delvac MX. Both seem to be highly regarded mix fleet HDEOs, i just posted over in the bike forum to see if anyone had any other recommendations but havent heard any as of yet. I saw the valvoline engine armour advertised on SCA but the bike manual calls for mineral oil im pretty sure. idk exactly how it would act differently on the engine though.
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The two HDEOs I was thinking are available in either 5l or 20l and id have to go to either a caltex or mobil distributor for them because i havent seen it advertised anywhere else. I know the Delo is available in a Caltex station near me but the markup is pretty high over distributors.
 
Both should be good bike oils.
A mate is using the Delo 400 in a 600cc thumper right now, he likes it a lot. He got it from a distributor, cheaper than the Caltex servo. I've seen 5L bottles of Delvac MX at Repco for a good price. Castrol RX Super is also worth considering, as is Shell Rimula R4X. All are full mineral 15W-40 HDEO. My pick would be the Delo.

I used full synthetic oils in my Honda CBR 600 for ten years straight without any problems. Just by the way.
 
ropesalad,
SR5 has given you lots of good tips.

I can get delo 400, or Delo Silver at a truck stop between here and Bathurst for about $160 IIRC, mentioned only for the price point, not that you'll be going through here anytime soon.

If you want to take the "fleet" concept one step further, I'm enamoured with Castrol Agri MP Plus

http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-...Recommendations

It's a little tongue in cheek as a recommendation, but I really like the idea.
 
SR5 - Thanks again for all your recommendations and pricing. Will be calling around to Caltex and Mobil for prices this week but i think im leaning towards the Delo. if the price is right, i'll buy a enough for both vehicles. If its a little more than expected, i'll splurge for the bike and head off to supercheap for a jug of that magnatech you mentioned earlier. will need to get in there for a filter anyway.

Shannow - that agri oil sounds very interesting. I dont know a lot about these things but it seems like quite a demanding task for one oil to perform well in such diverse applications
 
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