what brand of engine oil you put on your car and what grade?

[K_L]

what brand of engine oil you put on your car and what grade.?

penzoil platinum, ultra or mobil 1...

[stillmatic]

I use pennzoil ultra 5w30

[PearlM3]

I don't put any oil ON my car, but I do use Castrol syntec IN my car.

[Harbour Rat]

As long as it gets changed at appropriate intervals I don't get excited about what brand or viscosity of oil goes in the engine. I've used Syntec 5W20, Petro-Canada Synthetic 5W30 and Pennzoil Platinum 5W30. When I take it to the dealer they use 5W20 but I don't know what brand.

[Donutz]

Motul 5w30; I'll be changing to 5W40 this summer.

[GTA Fine Cars Inc.]

Synthetic is always best .. IMO
I wouldn't be so concerned about the brand though ..

There's plenty of reads out there but here is one good one:

http://www.canadiandriver.com/2000/11/21/auto-tech-synthetic-engine-oil.htm

[shu5892001]

amsoil asl 5w30

[VertigoM]

Pennzoil platinum 5w30 once I go for my first oil change

[RedRaptor]

Mobil1 5W-20 since 2004.

[JonsMazda]

Mobil 1 synthetic & Castrol 5w-20 & 5w-30

[sol_searchin]

Any name brand oil that's on sale! I change it every 3500km.

[SZ@Northern Performance]

Typically if you're one to change the oil on a more frequent basis, I will have to agree that as long as you're using a good quality oil it doesn't make a huge difference. However; if you drive hard and take the drain interval to the limit you might want to consider using a European grade oil. The reason for this is simple. Euro grade oils are regulated by the governments for fuel mileage and emission control, where as here in North America; the auto industry dictates the quality and standards of the oils. With that being said...there isn't one N.A. oil that will pass as a full synthentic in Europe. Total, Fuchs, etc. are some of the best oils on the market. If you have a hard time finding the proper grade the best alternative is Ford's 5W20 full synthetic. I would be really cautious on using anything much thicker than 5W30. Also, you may notice a difference in your fuel mileage as well...and not for the better.

[TheMAN]

A good quality oil for better fuel economy isn't the only reason, better protection and oil stability are also some of the benefits of them. Better oils and filters allow extended drain intervals also, which not only equal or saves you money on oil changes in the long run, it is also much more environmentally friendly. Getting imported European branded oil isn't a complete necessity either and typically has a poor dollar to value ratio regardless of the fact that they are some of the best out there. There are quite a few affordable oils that are easily found at any store and at different price tiers depending on your budget needs. All this requires is the buyer to know which specific product of a particular brand that outshines the rest of their product line up. This information have been widely spread across the internet and has been discussed to death.

[SZ@Northern Performance]

I agree, but typically if your purchasing any sythentic oil it will provide you with better protection and stability. But comparing synthetic oils a European brand is always a better option over a N.A. brand. Again, you need to assess your situation and use your circumstances to determine which oil is right for you.

[Nick]

castrol syntec 5w20

[TheMAN]

I agree, but typically if your purchasing any sythentic oil it will provide you with better protection and stability. But comparing synthetic oils a European brand is always a better option over a N.A. brand. Again, you need to assess your situation and use your circumstances to determine which oil is right for you.

Saying Fuchs, Motul, Total/Elf, etc are better than ANY North American brand is highly debatable. The only advantage they have are manufacturer and ACEA certifications, but the rest depends on how well the oil is formulated. Boutique US made oils are at least as good (if not better) than the European brands despite the lack of certifications. Certifications are not the end of all things as far as oils, actual performance is what really counts. Granted, for the uninformed consumer, looking at European approvals (ACEA is a start) is a reliable assurance that the oil is at least decent quality

[abstrakt]

castrol sybtec 5w40

[aris]

Castrol syntec 5w30 synthetic oil

[Elusivellama]

Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30

[K_L]

I agree, but typically if your purchasing any sythentic oil it will provide you with better protection and stability. But comparing synthetic oils a European brand is always a better option over a N.A. brand. Again, you need to assess your situation and use your circumstances to determine which oil is right for you.

hmm..when you say european and north american brand...which ones which..?

[SZ@Northern Performance]

European brands Like Total, Elf, Fuchs...just to name few...are manufactured to more stringent regulations. In order for a oil to be considered "synthetic" in Europe it must be refined to a 4 step process, which is outlined industry wide (including North America), this refining process will insure the oils integrity over it's lifespan. I'm not going to get into all the technical jargon but basically North American oils are not refined to the 4 steps...they're only refined to 3 of the 4, and in Europe refining an oil to only 3 steps is considered a blend not a full synthetic. There are N.A. oils that are refined to the 4 steps just like europe but they're not very common and usually more expensive than their European counterparts. Typically a European 5L jug of 5w30 sells for approx. 40-45 CDN. Which is comparable to Mobil 1, Castol Syntec.....when it's not on sale at Canadian tire.

[XTOTHEL]

I bought some quaker state synthetic 5w20 when they were on sale at CT...was about 4 dollars per lite? Figured any synthetic was better than no synthetic...right? XD

[TheMAN]

European brands Like Total, Elf, Fuchs...just to name few...are manufactured to more stringent regulations. In order for a oil to be considered "synthetic" in Europe it must be refined to a 4 step process, which is outlined industry wide (including North America), this refining process will insure the oils integrity over it's lifespan. I'm not going to get into all the technical jargon but basically North American oils are not refined to the 4 steps...they're only refined to 3 of the 4, and in Europe refining an oil to only 3 steps is considered a blend not a full synthetic. There are N.A. oils that are refined to the 4 steps just like europe but they're not very common and usually more expensive than their European counterparts. Typically a European 5L jug of 5w30 sells for approx. 40-45 CDN. Which is comparable to Mobil 1, Castol Syntec.....when it's not on sale at Canadian tire.

Red Line, Amsoil, Castrol Syntec 0W30 to name a few ALL "meet" the European "definition" of synthetic... they are all Group 4 or 5 base stocks
they are all sold here retail, and the former two are made in USA.

Flat out saying North American motor oils are not as "refined" is pure BS and doesn't have much to do with which group of base stocks the oil belongs to

Start posting something more substantial, technical, and with hard facts instead of continually saying the "R" word

[zmz3]

I am debating on the switch to synthetic but still not sure. Somehow, If I recall correctly, the off shelf 'synethic oil' that I saw at QEW Mazda, had semi-synthetic on the label... and they were charging 49.99 for it (I believe for the oil change as well - not too sure on that).

While we are on the topic of engine oil, any ideas what QEW or Mazda dealers use for their conventional oil brand? is it sourced? Petro? Castrol? The service advisors weren't sure either..


Thanks

[blackm3]

i use amsoil 5w20 XL, xl series is the only one that meets warrenty requirement, i use the stock oil filter because of the drain back valve built in

[olgeezer1]

Happy so far with German Castrol 0-30. Was using Royal Purple 5-20 and results from Blackstone Labs. showed the RP was doing fine at 9K. Consumption was a bit of a problem (added about 1 1/2 ltrs.). The 0-30 GC. seems to have fixed that problem.

[TheMAN]

I am debating on the switch to synthetic but still not sure. Somehow, If I recall correctly, the off shelf 'synethic oil' that I saw at QEW Mazda, had semi-synthetic on the label... and they were charging 49.99 for it (I believe for the oil change as well - not too sure on that).

While we are on the topic of engine oil, any ideas what QEW or Mazda dealers use for their conventional oil brand? is it sourced? Petro? Castrol? The service advisors weren't sure either..


Thanks

buy your own and bring it in
who cares what they use... they will use whatever that's good enough and also have the highest profit margins

[Mazda3X2]

German Castrol 0W30 here.

[pacmann33]

Castrol 5w30 synthetic. I'll use German Castrol 0w30 when I'm off warranty.

[TheMAN]

what difference will that make? you're already using a non-recommended oil in your car... if they want to give you any grief, they can already!

[essaarcee]

I user RP 5W20 synthetic oil

[W1CK3DD3M0N]

i use whatever the dealership slaps in the car..

[sas]

I’m exotic part of this forum, European resident. For first oil changes I used Mazda Dexelia Ultra. It’s a good oil but expensive. Now I switched to Valvoline Synpower, same price as Dexelia. In both cases it was 5w30. I didn’t any oil analyses, often you can judge about oil lubricating properties by rubbing it between fingers.
In my subjective opinion Dexelia well lasts 7000-7500 Km, Valvoline 8000-8500 kKm.
By the way ,the color is important too, the more carbon the worst adhesion the oil has, it’s not good for long time sitting cars.

[TheMAN]

How can you "judge" the lubricating properties with your own fingers? :loco
The colour doesn't mean anything! Different brands of oil will look different, and if the colour gets dark after the oil is used, that's a good thing! The oil is doing it's job by cleaning the gunk inside the engine!
By that logic, it's like saying an air filter that looks dark is a bad filter and a good filter is always white. :loco

If you want to judge an oil, it needs to be analysed by a lab. There's plenty available that will do oil analysis for a small fee. Only then will you know the true life of the oil and whether there's a good amount of additives.

Dexelia synthetic is probably a much better oil than the Synpower. Dexelia is made by Total S.A., which also owns Elf. They make some of the finest oils in the world.

[pacmann33]

what difference will that make? you're already using a non-recommended oil in your car... if they want to give you any grief, they can already!

I realize that but at least 5w30 is mentioned in the manual...0w30 (i realize it is better) is not mentioned anywhere. I may try it next oil change...

[sas]

.

I understand you, it sounds wild, you can’t determine by fingers how is worn the additive package but the base of oil you can feel , just enough to try it more often.
Oil analyses , usually single tests at different weather and driving conditions, often being compared absolutely different cars . Most like the oil of this model will be out of stock before you will have a reliable result speaking that the one oil is better than other.
Changed oil usually sitting on my shelf, and since time I use it for other purposes,
and I have a time to look at this oil closely to see how it was changed in comparison with brand new oil. There was one alerting thing with Dexelia, after sitting one month on the shelf ,there appeared a quite thick layer of gunk on the bottom of the canister. I used the Valvoline very long
time and never had any problems.
The color, don’t know what to say here, it’s just my observation, the used oil rich by carbon has a much less adhesion and parts lubricated by this oil becoming dry very quickly.

[TheMAN]

You have much to learn about oils. I suggest you go start reading threads on BITOG.

[B&T's 3]

I have a friend in the U.K. sending me Agip 5w20 full synthetic motor oil. It's kinda pricey but the engine seems to rev much more freely and I'm getting about 40-50 km's a tank better fuel economy than when I used the oil that the dealership provided. Super quality oil if you can get it.

[zmz3]

Interesting...

I talked to parts rep at QEW Mazda and turns out the conventional oil they use for your regular 8000km service is from Petro Canada... hmmm, what happened to Geunine? or is that most dealers?

[zmz3]

Interesting...

I talked to parts rep at QEW Mazda and turns out the conventional oil they use for your regular 8000km service is from Petro Canada... hmmm, what happened to Geunine? or is that most dealers?

Sorry about that,

Meant to say genuine products.


PS you'd think a Mazda dealership would use at least oil from brands such as Castrol... wishful thinking?

[zmz3]

buy your own and bring it in
who cares what they use... they will use whatever that's good enough and also have the highest profit margins

That sounds good.

However, my car has around 79,200kms and today I got my oil changed with dealership (Petro) oil they use.

If I start using Castrol, will it make a difference especially seeing how the vehicle already has mileage with oil I am not even sure about (pre-purchase).


Thanks in advance

[TheMAN]

you're plenty fine with that oil... the petro canada oils have always tested pretty good... much better than castrol (except the german kind) IIRC

[TheMAN]

Interesting...

I talked to parts rep at QEW Mazda and turns out the conventional oil they use for your regular 8000km service is from Petro Canada... hmmm, what happened to Geunine? or is that most dealers?

it is cheaper and more profitable for them to buy oil by the tank loads rather than buying cases of liter sized bottles from mazda
mazda doesn't like this (nor do other car makers), but there isn't a lot they can do about it on customer pay jobs
however, they can deny any claims under warranty if the job required an oil change (like changing a leaky oil pan gasket for example)... so in those cases, the dealer will use the mazda bottles instead for that particular job

the dealers still have a minimum order quota they have to fulfill annually, so they can't just not order this stuff

[zmz3]

it is cheaper and more profitable for them to buy oil by the tank loads rather than buying cases of liter sized bottles from mazda
mazda doesn't like this (nor do other car makers), but there isn't a lot they can do about it on customer pay jobs
however, they can deny any claims under warranty if the job required an oil change (like changing a leaky oil pan gasket for example)... so in those cases, the dealer will use the mazda bottles instead for that particular job

the dealers still have a minimum order quota they have to fulfill annually, so they can't just not order this stuff


Learned something new! Thanks :)

[Iceman_F1]

Been using 0W30 for quite awhile now (since ~48,000km). Forgot to mention on my 80,000 service so QEW Mazda put the regular back in and noticed a pretty big drop in fuel mileage. Put 0W30 back in recently (88,000 service) and already notice a bit better fuel mileage. Nothing scientific but seems to run better than what they put in usually. Never had an issue with it in that time.

[shu5892001]

Been using 0W30 for quite awhile now (since ~48,000km). Forgot to mention on my 80,000 service so QEW Mazda put the regular back in and noticed a pretty big drop in fuel mileage. Put 0W30 back in recently (88,000 service) and already notice a bit better fuel mileage. Nothing scientific but seems to run better than what they put in usually. Never had an issue with it in that time.

GC0W30?

[Iceman_F1]

GC0W30?

Sorry, yes. The German Castrol 0W30. Been using it for quite awhile and even tracked with that a couple times, no issues.

[shu5892001]

Sorry, yes. The German Castrol 0W30. Been using it for quite awhile and even tracked with that a couple times, no issues.

Thanks, no problem, but I heard 0w30 is a heavy 30 weight oil, close to 0w40 I don't get how you can get a increase in mileage? Maybe dealer didn't use synthetic?

[Iceman_F1]

Thanks, no problem, but I heard 0w30 is a heavy 30 weight oil, close to 0w40 I don't get how you can get a increase in mileage? Maybe dealer didn't use synthetic?

Yeah, I'm honestly not sure what they used. Whatever bulk they have I think though from what Tiffany at QEW Mazda was telling me, Mazda Canada might be doing a new "standard" on oil to use based off what the new cars coming out or something. All I know is I've been keeping track of my mileage since ~15,500KM when I was using whatever was done for oil change. By 40,000 I tried Amsoil 5w20 but that was for only 1 service. 48,000 I went to 0w30 until 80,000 where I forgot to mention I had my own oil and they used whatever.

Looking at my mileage, in the winter it was either low 9 to mid 9L/100km. Last winter it was mid to high 8L/100km. This winter wasn't looking bad but was steadily climbing from mid 8 to low 9 and higher than it was last year. The only changes since last winter was around my service went back to stock airbox, back to stock height and back to normal oil. Now back to 0w30 and already doing better gas mileage than I was seeing before (according to scangauge).

[cohenh]

Mobil1 5w20

[n00bMeiSter]

I just switched to Castrol Syntec 5W20 yesterday.

[zoomzoom!]

Mobile 1 :-)

[lay624]

I use Amsoil 0w-30 Signature series, just wanted to throw it out there :P

[Nextmod]

Motul 5w30; I'll be changing to 5W40 this summer.

hey you know we are having a crazy special on Motul right =)