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

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On Mobil's website and thought I'd query their "Find the right oil" for my BMW application.

This came up...

"Based on what you've told us, your vehicle manufacturer recommends a 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30 or 5W-40 viscosity and oil that meets BMW Longlife-01. We currently do not offer any motor oils in the United States that meet these specifications."

I thought M1 0W-40 FS was an anomaly that was some type of temporary market realignment or a short term reformulation due to base stock availability.

As a company in the motor oil business, how do you walk away from BMW with the substantial number of vehicles on the road in the US?
 
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
It probably wasn't selling well?


Don't think that is the answer.
 
Originally Posted By: SilverC6
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
It probably wasn't selling well?


Don't think that is the answer.


Agreed, it was the go-to choice for a lot of BMW owners I know.
 
I know it's a dead horse.

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But it stuns me that M1 turned its back on its customers here.
 
Maybe it's requirements made it incompatible with other standards that sold better and they didn't feel it was profitable enough to make a BMW only blend?

I'll be honest I really don't know there specifications but common sense would suggest there was a valid reason to no longer support it.
 
Originally Posted By: 4WD
What is current factory fill for BMW?


For gas engines it's LL-01, LL-01 FE, and the new LL-14 FE (0W-20) for certain engines. I've heard most dealers just fill with the standard 5W-30 LL-01 since it works in everything.
 
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Interesting - did not realize BMW did any 20's ...
And - also curious who has contract ?
Thanks
 
Originally Posted By: 1JZ_E46
Originally Posted By: 4WD
What is current factory fill for BMW?


I've heard most dealers just fill with the standard 5W-30 LL-01 since it works in everything.


Almost.

About 95% of BMW products that originally called for LL-01 have now been back-spec'd for LL-01FE.

At the dealer where I work we pump LL-01FE into everything unless it specifically calls for LL-14FE+.

We only keep a few boxes of LL-01 around for the cars that are not back-spec'd, or for the customers that specifically ask for it, which is virtually zero.
 
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Originally Posted By: Seventh


Almost.

About 95% of BMW products that originally called for LL-01 have now been back-spec'd for LL-01FE.

At the dealer where I work we pump LL-01FE into everything unless it specifically calls for LL-14FE+.

We only keep a few boxes of LL-01 around for the cars that are not back-spec'd, or for the customers that specifically ask for it, which is virtually zero.


Good to know. I think the 5W-30 usage was from a year ago or so when the new TPT 0W-30 was relatively new. I would be that naggy customer asking for the LL-01 haha.

Question, are the engines that are spec'd for LL-14 FE+ also spec'd for LL-01 and LL-01 FE? I heard LL-14 FE+ was predominately a North American only spec.
 
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Originally Posted By: 1JZ_E46
Originally Posted By: Seventh


Almost.

About 95% of BMW products that originally called for LL-01 have now been back-spec'd for LL-01FE.

At the dealer where I work we pump LL-01FE into everything unless it specifically calls for LL-14FE+.

We only keep a few boxes of LL-01 around for the cars that are not back-spec'd, or for the customers that specifically ask for it, which is virtually zero.


Good to know. I think the 5W-30 usage was from a year ago or so when the new TPT 0W-30 was relatively new. I would be that naggy customer asking for the LL-01 haha.

Question, are the engines that are spec'd for LL-14 FE+ also spec'd for LL-01 and LL-01 FE? I heard LL-14 FE+ was predominately a North American only spec.


Possibly just for North America, not sure on that one.

The engines spec'd for LL-14FE+ are spec'd only for that oil, however that spec came two years after the release of the BMW modular engines that mostly call for it. Two years after we had been filling them with LL-01 for a short period and then the LL-01FE. The engines have no internal differences between those that call for the 20wt oil and those that call for the 30wt.

I'm going on record here saying you can pretty much use whatever you want (within reason) in a B series modular engine and it will be fine. BMW has officially lost their credibility with "oil specifications" as far as I'm concerned. They're all over the place, and the B series engines have proven to be really tough to hurt from what I've seen.
 
Yes - CNN ran the story whereas WSJ reported they have 2% of US market share
(and 45% BITOG) ...
 
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