gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
I've become pickier with my turbo vehicles and less picky with my non-turbo, low-powered vehicles.
How has BITOG influenced your oil selection?
- Thread starter OilUzer
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Originally Posted by OilUzer
Lots of great info on this site!
After being here for a while, are you for example going lighter, heavier, wider, euro, syn, dino, changed brands, more attention to details (certs, recommendations, specs), flip-flopping, more worried, more confused, or same as before?
Almost all of the above at one time or another.
Changes directly from BITOG:
In the 90s I went by Consumer Reports' information on motor oil. Now that I know about PQIA, I go there instead and also use manufacturers' sites.
Used to always go by the owner's manual for weight. Now I go by the international owner's manual for my engines, since CAFE mandates the specified oil in the US.
UOAs...never did one until I came here.
Used to go by owner's manual for OCI...now that's done by UOA. UOAs have shown just how many miles oil can be used and has changed my outlook and plan.
Changed from dino to syn in 2004 when I was driving 30,000miles(48,000km) annually. Explored Amsoil and extended drains. Now that I'm not going those distances and have more short tripping, considering a change. Plus their prices....hoooeee.
Filter choices and awareness have increased. Used Purolator for years prior to their quality control issues.
I'm sure there's more but that's a-plenty.
Lots of great info on this site!
After being here for a while, are you for example going lighter, heavier, wider, euro, syn, dino, changed brands, more attention to details (certs, recommendations, specs), flip-flopping, more worried, more confused, or same as before?
Almost all of the above at one time or another.
Changes directly from BITOG:
In the 90s I went by Consumer Reports' information on motor oil. Now that I know about PQIA, I go there instead and also use manufacturers' sites.
Used to always go by the owner's manual for weight. Now I go by the international owner's manual for my engines, since CAFE mandates the specified oil in the US.
UOAs...never did one until I came here.
Used to go by owner's manual for OCI...now that's done by UOA. UOAs have shown just how many miles oil can be used and has changed my outlook and plan.
Changed from dino to syn in 2004 when I was driving 30,000miles(48,000km) annually. Explored Amsoil and extended drains. Now that I'm not going those distances and have more short tripping, considering a change. Plus their prices....hoooeee.
Filter choices and awareness have increased. Used Purolator for years prior to their quality control issues.
I'm sure there's more but that's a-plenty.
Lowered my perceived need for different oils and extended my OCI's
Good thread. How has Bob the Oil Guy influenced my oil selection? Well just yesterday someone wrote that Super Tech isn't as good as Pennzoil Platinum and that the differences are worthwhile. I had just purchased two 5 quart jugs of ST 0w20 synthetic...I returned it and bought the Pennzoil.
I mean who knows? I did my research, they seemed comparable...but who knows? Who knows if it's worth it or not? I figured hey, I'm only spending an extra $12, let's return the ST and get the "better oil". And this was all because of a couple posts some member posted the other day.
I mean who knows? I did my research, they seemed comparable...but who knows? Who knows if it's worth it or not? I figured hey, I'm only spending an extra $12, let's return the ST and get the "better oil". And this was all because of a couple posts some member posted the other day.
I have read and learned much from oil analysis postings and filter cut and posts
I have learned that some folks here give good advice and some are full of [censored] and should not give advice
Stock up on oil when you find it on clearance as I am not brand specific or weight specific.
Use good quality oil and it works well.
I learned about PQIA and that great volume of information
Rebates are highly liked or disliked here depending on person. I like them and especially Mobil 1 semi annual rebate
I have learned that some folks here give good advice and some are full of [censored] and should not give advice
Stock up on oil when you find it on clearance as I am not brand specific or weight specific.
Use good quality oil and it works well.
I learned about PQIA and that great volume of information
Rebates are highly liked or disliked here depending on person. I like them and especially Mobil 1 semi annual rebate
Bitog has caused me to use Magnatec ( in the correct weight !!!) in the wife's EB Expedition over anything else because of its excellent performance here in the UOA section. Use Edge 0w40 in my old EB because it's a robust oil and there's plenty here that use it too.
So, yes bitog has influenced my oil selections.
So, yes bitog has influenced my oil selections.
I think I learned about LSPI and the PQIA on subaruforester.org, but BITOG has taught me cool things about d1G2, SN+, HTHS, VIIs, the details of W grades, and so much more.
I guess BITOG influenced my purchases of M1 AP and Pennzoil Gold 5W30, but they were both single purchases.
I mostly buy M1 5W30 for my vehicle, just like I did before BITOG.
I guess BITOG influenced my purchases of M1 AP and Pennzoil Gold 5W30, but they were both single purchases.
I mostly buy M1 5W30 for my vehicle, just like I did before BITOG.
Don't put 10w40 in everything anymore. Mostly just 5w30 in everything. Much Longer ocis now
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Yes. I've used brands other than Mobil now
Just ordered 12L of Ravenol 0w-40 to try in the Jeep.
Learned not to be concerned about brand names.
Learned (recently) that with a few (Mobil basestock) exceptions, that all conventional oils --5-30 and lighter--are really semi-syn, and not 2% either-- more like 40% depending on weight.
Because of the above, learned that paying extra for something called semi-syn is probably wasting money.
Learned I was mistaken when I ditched Firestone's oil change when they went from Kendall to semi-syn to QS conventional. It was all the same stuff!
After being sure that my car would die around a perfectly good engine, now worrying about engines again because of GDI and turbos. Have owned each, but would probably shy away from a combo platter in my old age.
Learned (recently) that with a few (Mobil basestock) exceptions, that all conventional oils --5-30 and lighter--are really semi-syn, and not 2% either-- more like 40% depending on weight.
Because of the above, learned that paying extra for something called semi-syn is probably wasting money.
Learned I was mistaken when I ditched Firestone's oil change when they went from Kendall to semi-syn to QS conventional. It was all the same stuff!
After being sure that my car would die around a perfectly good engine, now worrying about engines again because of GDI and turbos. Have owned each, but would probably shy away from a combo platter in my old age.
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Yes. I've used brands other than Mobil now
Just ordered 12L of Ravenol 0w-40 to try in the Jeep.
Is there a Canadian distributor?
Yes. I've used brands other than Mobil now
Is there a Canadian distributor?
Originally Posted by Jimmy_Russells
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Yes. I've used brands other than Mobil now
Just ordered 12L of Ravenol 0w-40 to try in the Jeep.
Is there a Canadian distributor?
Yeah how did you get some? When I inquired they said there was no distributor here yet.
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Yes. I've used brands other than Mobil now
Is there a Canadian distributor?
Yeah how did you get some? When I inquired they said there was no distributor here yet.
Originally Posted by StevieC
Originally Posted by Jimmy_Russells
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Yes. I've used brands other than Mobil now
Just ordered 12L of Ravenol 0w-40 to try in the Jeep.
Is there a Canadian distributor?
Yeah how did you get some? When I inquired they said there was no distributor here yet.
I would imagine he's shipping to the border. I thought about that but it's expensive and probably not worth the little (if any) gain.
Originally Posted by Jimmy_Russells
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Yes. I've used brands other than Mobil now
Is there a Canadian distributor?
Yeah how did you get some? When I inquired they said there was no distributor here yet.
I would imagine he's shipping to the border. I thought about that but it's expensive and probably not worth the little (if any) gain.
^^ Maybe but he lives quite far from the border compared to me.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted by Jimmy_Russells
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Yes. I've used brands other than Mobil now
Just ordered 12L of Ravenol 0w-40 to try in the Jeep.
Is there a Canadian distributor?
Originally Posted by StevieC
Originally Posted by Jimmy_Russells
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Yes. I've used brands other than Mobil now
Just ordered 12L of Ravenol 0w-40 to try in the Jeep.
Is there a Canadian distributor?
Yeah how did you get some? When I inquired they said there was no distributor here yet.
Nope, I got the same response from them as you gentlemen. I bought it on Amazon and am having it shipped to a friend there.
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Yes. I've used brands other than Mobil now
Is there a Canadian distributor?
Originally Posted by StevieC
Originally Posted by Jimmy_Russells
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Yes. I've used brands other than Mobil now
Is there a Canadian distributor?
Yeah how did you get some? When I inquired they said there was no distributor here yet.
Nope, I got the same response from them as you gentlemen. I bought it on Amazon and am having it shipped to a friend there.
Thanks...
Originally Posted by LeoStrop
Originally Posted by Shannow
Things I've changed in the last 30 years (and BITOG has been a big part of that).
...
* I'm probably never going to have a 15W anything in the shed ever again.
Shannow, if you had an old car (90"s) that manual says to use 15W40 or 20W50, what would you use? Would a 10W40 even be a better option? Consider you want to keep it for a long time and drive it hard on a tropical weather.
Selling the car and buying a new one will not be accepted as an answer.
When I had the 2003 Caprice with the L67, manual called for 20W50, and 15W40 in "continued snow"...I ran 5W30 A3/B4...Castrol edge could be had on raging specials (and still can).
Can't find a semi synth even 15W anything down here, so going a semi pushes you to 10W.
If I WAS to get an old holden with a carb, I'd think about dino and shorter OCIs, but even good oils like Delo400 are more expensive than edge on special (and Delo never goes on special)
Originally Posted by Shannow
Things I've changed in the last 30 years (and BITOG has been a big part of that).
...
* I'm probably never going to have a 15W anything in the shed ever again.
Shannow, if you had an old car (90"s) that manual says to use 15W40 or 20W50, what would you use? Would a 10W40 even be a better option? Consider you want to keep it for a long time and drive it hard on a tropical weather.
Selling the car and buying a new one will not be accepted as an answer.
When I had the 2003 Caprice with the L67, manual called for 20W50, and 15W40 in "continued snow"...I ran 5W30 A3/B4...Castrol edge could be had on raging specials (and still can).
Can't find a semi synth even 15W anything down here, so going a semi pushes you to 10W.
If I WAS to get an old holden with a carb, I'd think about dino and shorter OCIs, but even good oils like Delo400 are more expensive than edge on special (and Delo never goes on special)
Honestly, I've learned that it doesn't matter as much as some people think, and even the cheap store brand/Walmart oils are perfectly adequate for most people and most cars. Unless you're running an exotic, racing or doing a lot of heavy towing, just about any synthetic oil that meets specs (which is almost all of them) will work fine.
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