Shell Helix Ultra 5w-40 or Penrite HPR5 5w40 e46 320i aussie market

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Hi,

Just a quick one, I know the SHU 5w/40 is a pretty good oil & ive posted here before regarding this oil and few years ago.

In a e46 touring (wagon) 320i (p.o has run it on HPR5), which is the better oil spec , Shell Helix Ultra 5w-40 or Penrite HPR5 5w40 ?

Both a on sale about $48 5L & $44 6L

I have 15L of SHU anyway from other vehicles i use it in - vw golf 2002 8v, e46 325i sedan.

Off to buy today before sale ends
 
I'd use up what you've got...but I like those 6 litre containers, and it looks like a good deal to me.
 
You can't really 'go-wrong' (Though the 10/10ths penrite stuff is more comparable to helix ultra then their HPR range)

But Helix Ultra 5W40 is a great oil, with the GTL base stock from PEARL. Almost all 5W40 Ultra of it we get in Aus is blended in Hong Kong, with some 1L bottles being blended in Thailand.

Penrite just buy whatever Group-III base stock (for the HPR-range) is cheap in Singapore on the open market and blend it at their facility locally. They also buy their add-packs from Lubrizoil like most other small blenders.

For me it Helix Ultra in every car I own. Full vertical ingratiating from Shell from start to finish, with single point source for the base stock.
Jordan
 
Hi,

Great info JFAllen, thanks for posting.

I knew the 5L originated from HK, but didnt know about the 1L bottles.

I use the SHU 5w/40 in my other vehicles including past vehicles & agree its a great oil.

Interesting insight on Penrites manufacturing. I was curious to know any detail on it hence my post, so thankyou. Please feel free to add any other info from other local oils, if you have time etc, as im always interested in this topic, doing all the maint on our vehicles, including 4 bikes, plus using a variety of oils in manufacturing equipment & processes related to my work.

Btw - are you in the oil industry or related field ?
 
No worries Lobe,

Penrite, Nulon, Gulf Western all definitely buy their base oils out of Singapore and 100% of their additives from Lubrizoil (confirmed with conversations with their reps and technical people.) As they're 3rd party / boutique oil blenders they don't own any refineries or have the industrial might to produce the base ingredients. This is in contrast to Shell, Mobil, Castrol/BP, Total, Phillips-66, etc... who not only have oil pumping and refinery assets, but are large enough to invest in technical research with vehicle OEM's and produce their own additives (while still in some cases going to Lubrizoil for more generic components.)

Where the 3rd part / boutique blenders attempt to differentiate themselves is at the top of the market with exotic base oils (Esters, PAO's AN's...) which are still bought on the open market, but can be sold at a higher price to a more specialty market where consumers may desire such base oils (note I specifically did not say 'NEED.') They can also release blends for small bespoke markets that the big OEM's have largely abandon (laylend mini with it's common sump for gearbox and engine, that requires a specific oil or air cooled Porsche for example.) Large OEM's aren't going to recoup the investment as the market is so small, but a small blender with lower overheads can turn a tidy profit, with higher profit margins on these specialty products. It's also why you don't see boutique blenders often straying beyond their own domestic market.

For small industry, Penrite also make their products far more accessible (hydraulic, farming, greases...) the large OEM's just want a big $$ purchase order, where Penrite will deal with smaller volumes. Basically when shell can sell aviation lubricant's to Qantas on a long term service arrangement, they're not too concerned with old mate on the farm. Penrite can't match the scale of Shell, so they go for the small scale users who still need to run their machines, but don't have large enough demands to trouble Shell or Mobil.

The consumer automotive space is different, but you'll have noticed that Shell, Mobil and Clatex/Havoline oils have been increasingly absent from store shelves in Australia. Once again, these guys make their cash in lubricant's selling to mining, construction/earthmoving, OEM's, dealerships and Aviation thus can afford to softly abandon the retail space. Thus you see Penrite and Nulon taking up most of the retail and advertising engine lubricant space. Castrol is an odd case here as they continue to push hard in retail, but the point stands.

I'm a mining engineer who deals with mine site ventilation and diesel pollutants, thus have been required to keep up to speed on low saps engine oils for use in underground mining equipment.

regards
Jordan
 
Good work JFAllen.

I like Penrite - they make the oils I want, but Shell probably makes the oils I need.

My first choice would be Penrite 10-Tenths, followed by Shell Helix Ultra, then followed by Penrite HPR.
 
I (and anybody else) would have a hard time arguing that Penrite 10/10ths is not a quality product. Not only that, their a Group-IV/Group-V based oil in the 5L price bracket (retail, so with the regular 30% sales, and even occasional 40% Repco sale, can represent excellent value.) Also for a Boutique Aussie oil blender, they have a robust product portfolio (not just ultra premium products.)

I'm using Penrite PAO synthetic transmission oils in my GTiR and 180b (gotta get in on those 40% repco sales) but their i]ENVIRO[/i] class oils are just too expensive (even more so than 10/10ths,) yet do-not contain the premium base stocks
confused.gif
As such Helix Ultra is on my shelf at home in engine sumps of all my cars.

The clear takeaway however is that, if you buy an oil that meets the manufacturers specifications and change it as specified with a quality filter. You'll have many many kilometers of trouble free motoring. I just shake my head at the Mercedes customer with the +$80k luxury car that cries 'poor' when told they must use MB-spec synthetic oil which is $20...

Regards
Jordan
 
Moving to Penrite 0W30 (HPR 0) next change in daughters Suzuki SX4, from Nulon 5W30 Long Life. Wish Nulon would release a 0W30, as I like oils with moly but they're not interested (tech line very arrogant).
 
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