Originally Posted By: kohnen
Since GM came out with the Dexos spec, I've decided to use only oil that meets that spec and is licensed by GM for all my cars (mine and my kids'). It gives me reasonable assurance that I've got good oil. Of course, this really doesn't apply to German cars with their special requirements. Our cars are GM / Toyota / Ford / Hyundai.
For German cars, you have to look at the spec, MB is typically MB 229.5, BMW has their LL-01, VW 502/505. Only good thing about them is that they're usually still on the shelf when there's an Autozone clearance oil. Oh yeah, they're usually rock solid, no dash noises or other squeaks, but then again they're about 2-3x the regular price when new.