Had a really interesting conversation with an engineer at... a big lube company. Part of the conversation was about when the same engine specs different oils in different markets. Most people assume that means dishonesty or shenanigans by the manufacturer, usually related to regulation. The engineer's answer bore no relationship to that thinking. He mentioned two factors, saying that one or the other (or some combination) account for most cases.
One point is that "the same engine" often has subtle differences from one market to the next. Occasionally, those differences can affect which oil spec is the best.
But the first and foremost thing to suspect, he said, is that differences in oil specs are related to the different fuel standards in different markets. The example he gave is one we're familiar with: a lot of BMWs that call for LL-01 in the US can use either LL-01 or LL-04 in Europe -- but those cars shouldn't use LL-04 here in the US with US fuels. He said that this kind of difference is actually quite common. He kept coming back to this point and underscoring its importance. I got the impression that it's a really big deal.
FWIW. Maybe some of our experts here can comment further.
One point is that "the same engine" often has subtle differences from one market to the next. Occasionally, those differences can affect which oil spec is the best.
But the first and foremost thing to suspect, he said, is that differences in oil specs are related to the different fuel standards in different markets. The example he gave is one we're familiar with: a lot of BMWs that call for LL-01 in the US can use either LL-01 or LL-04 in Europe -- but those cars shouldn't use LL-04 here in the US with US fuels. He said that this kind of difference is actually quite common. He kept coming back to this point and underscoring its importance. I got the impression that it's a really big deal.
FWIW. Maybe some of our experts here can comment further.