What's up with Mobil deserting the LL-01 market?

[69GTX]

I still have 1 older jug of the pre-2016 M1 0w-40 SN and it's LL-01 rated. Full mfg certs and not SL.

What I find comical is all this discussion over only putting LL-01 in BMW's yet I couldn't give away A3/B4 LL01 rated 0/5W-40 grade M1/Edge/PP Euro oils for $2/qt. It certainly can't be the dire issue this thread makes it out to be.

 

[1JZ_E46]

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
I still have 1 older jug of the pre-2016 M1 0w-40 SN and it's LL-01 rated. Full mfg certs and not SL.

What I find comical is all this discussion over only putting LL-01 in BMW's yet I couldn't give away A3/B4 LL01 rated 0/5W-40 grade M1/Edge/PP Euro oils for $2/qt. It certainly can't be the dire issue this thread makes it out to be.


Most BMW owners don't do oil changes themselves, and the ones that do usually order everything online or head to Walmart for the 5qt jug. Auto parts stores have never been friendly place for BMW owners, but the online outfits are excellent (ECS tuning, FCP euro, AutohazAZ, Bavauto, RMEuropean, etc.).

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: Brons2
If the only difference with the 0w40 is that Mobil is not going to pay for LL-01 certification anymore, I don't see how that is not still taking good care of your car?

M1 0w40 has consistently shown to have good analysis reports on a variety of vehicles here on BITOG.

What is it in the Blackstone UOA that you look at to show Longlife-01 compliance?

 

[1JZ_E46]

Originally Posted By: Brons2
If the only difference with the 0w40 is that Mobil is not going to pay for LL-01 certification anymore, I don't see how that is not still taking good care of your car?

M1 0w40 has consistently shown to have good analysis reports on a variety of vehicles here on BITOG.


It's not a money issue for XOM. Getting the LL-01 cert is pennies for them. I think its simply that the new GTL-based FS version doesn't pass the current LL-01 testing sequence. Any speculation otherwise is just that, speculation. Granted, I think it will still be just fine for use in BMW engines with reasonable intervals.

 

[4WD]

None of you experts know - this is what we know:

 

[1JZ_E46]

Originally Posted By: 4WD
None of you experts know - this is what we know:

Exactly. Which is why I said the only thing that can be said at this point is that no approval means it's non-LL-01 compliant. Simple as that.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: 1JZ_E46
Granted, I think it will still be just fine for use in BMW engines with reasonable intervals.

Regardless of the reason, only three or four feet down the Walmart oil aisle there is an oil (for the same price or less) that actually does have Longlife-01 approval.

 

[4WD]

There is something we know

 

[mightymousetech]

Originally Posted By: 4WD
None of you experts know - this is what we know:

Exactly. And why would I use an oil that does not meet the spec my car requires when there are other oils that do have the spec that I can get for the same price, or even cheaper.

 

[1JZ_E46]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Regardless of the reason, only three or four feet down the Walmart oil aisle there is an oil (for the same price or less) that actually does have Longlife-01 approval.


Indeed. And it's what goes in my bimmers.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: 1JZ_E46
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Regardless of the reason, only three or four feet down the Walmart oil aisle there is an oil (for the same price or less) that actually does have Longlife-01 approval.

Indeed. And it's what goes in my bimmers.

Plus it has a more attractive bottle than does the M1

 

[1JZ_E46]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Plus it has a more attractive bottle than does the M1

Certainly agree with you there!

 

[69GTX]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Originally Posted By: 4WD
None of you experts know - this is what we know:

Exactly. And why would I use an oil that does not meet the spec my car requires when there are other oils that do have the spec that I can get for the same price, or even cheaper.


Because those other LL-01 oils don't ever come with mfg rebates or have inflated prices at the retail stores....even when they do show up?

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Exactly. And why would I use an oil that does not meet the spec my car requires when there are other oils that do have the spec that I can get for the same price, or even cheaper.

With respect to the Castrol 0w-30 A3/B4, it's been a dog's age since I've noticed a 1 L Castrol sale at Canadian Tire. Sometimes, though, if you can get a jobber rate at a parts store, it can be a little more economical. Last time I used some, when I had the old Audi, a jobber was selling it for a hair above the sale price at the other places, so it wasn't bad. Of course, that is nowhere near as good as the pricing on a 5 L jug.

 

[ecotourist]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Originally Posted By: ecotourist
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech

Where did you find the 0W30? I thought it was discontinued and replaced by the 0W40?

My local (Victoria BC) Walmart carries it. I cleaned them out of stock and bought a bit more when they restocked. That was about about a month ago.

[censored], $12/L. Guess I will stick to the 0W40 for $26/5L when it goes on sale.

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/castrol-syntec-0w30-1-litre/6000016937531

I see the price in the ad but I paid about $7/liter. And it wasn't on sale either. Maybe I got the last of the reasonably priced 0W-30 but I'm not usually that lucky. I'd be more likely to get the first of the "price increased" version.

For some reason the nearest Canadian tire doesn't carry it at all, and The Canadian Tire sales flyer always talks about "selected weights" being on sale. I'm not about to drive all over to find out whether 0W-30 is on sale. Are you listening Canadian Tire!

I never see Shell Helix Ultra (apparently the BMW recommended motor oil) for sale at any price. So someone is missing out here. Me probably.

I'd prefer to use a LL-01 approved oil in my BMW as long as I can find it. I could always take it to the BMW dealer for an oil change but I'd rather do it myself.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: ecotourist
For some reason the nearest Canadian tire doesn't carry it at all, and The Canadian Tire sales flyer always talks about "selected weights" being on sale. I'm not about to drive all over to find out whether 0W-30 is on sale. Are you listening Canadian Tire!

Despite all the hard times I give CT, you can select a store and find out the inventory by viscosity choice. Now, of course, that assumes that the inventory online is accurate, of course. Having to go to three CTs to find enough for one oil change would be ridiculous. Incidentally, that's the problem with the Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w-40 at CT. Having two or three litres on the shelf doesn't do anyone any good. It won't move if you don't stock enough for people to use, nor if you don't have more frequent sales on 1 L containers.

Or, Shell could bring it in a 5 L container.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted By: ecotourist

I'd prefer to use a LL-01 approved oil in my BMW as long as I can find it. I could always take it to the BMW dealer for an oil change but I'd rather do it myself.
Ebay, Amazon, ECS Tuning, Turner Motorsports, more, etc.... mail order BMW TwinPower LL-01

 

[mightymousetech]

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Originally Posted By: 4WD
None of you experts know - this is what we know:

Exactly. And why would I use an oil that does not meet the spec my car requires when there are other oils that do have the spec that I can get for the same price, or even cheaper.


Because those other LL-01 oils don't ever come with mfg rebates or have inflated prices at the retail stores....even when they do show up?


Castrol 0W40 goes on sale here every other week for only $26/5L.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Because those other LL-01 oils don't ever come with mfg rebates or have inflated prices at the retail stores....even when they do show up?

Castrol 0W40 goes on sale here every other week for only $26/5L.

Even if it isn't on sale it's still quite cheap compared to any other LL-01 oil. I've never seen any sort of evidence that the expensive oils such as Motul are any better for the money. I can get several at Napa a mile away from my house, but why?

 

[addyguy]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Exactly. And why would I use an oil that does not meet the spec my car requires when there are other oils that do have the spec that I can get for the same price, or even cheaper.

With respect to the Castrol 0w-30 A3/B4, it's been a dog's age since I've noticed a 1 L Castrol sale at Canadian Tire. Sometimes, though, if you can get a jobber rate at a parts store, it can be a little more economical. Last time I used some, when I had the old Audi, a jobber was selling it for a hair above the sale price at the other places, so it wasn't bad. Of course, that is nowhere near as good as the pricing on a 5 L jug.


Canadian Tire, as far as I know, has stopped putting 1L bottles on sale - sales from now on are only multi-liter jugs.

Want cheap A3 oil, similar to GC? the new Motomaster synthetic 0W-30 Euro 5L jug - check the specs - it's the same as GC, just made by Citgo.

They also, as you know, have a 0W-40 version, and a 5W-40 version that go on sale regularly.