any - Which oil do you use?

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Fri 16 Sep 2011 13:31
any - Which oil do you use? - balleballe

Hi there folks.

I've got a mazda 6 and i've been using castrol magnatec since i've had it (around a year now) under the premise is was fully synthetic and really good quality - after doing some reading last few days - clearly I was wrong!

I don't know which one to switch to now - maybe mobil 3000 but time will tell.

Question is - what oil brand do you use and why?

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Fri 16 Sep 2011 13:44
any - Which oil do you use? - RT

I totally ignore brand and whether it's mineral, part-synthetic or fully synthetic.

I go simply by the ACEA grade and the viscosity. I always make sure the ACEA grade matches the vehicle manufacturers' requirement for the specific model.

I use the vehicle manufacturers' recommendation for the hot viscosity but always use the lowest cold viscosity available, ie use 0W-40 rather than 10W-40 as this gives quicker and better protection during the warm up phase which is when most wear occurs.

On this regime, previous cars have got to 100,000 and still not using any oil while giving virtually zero HC readings at MoT time.

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Fri 16 Sep 2011 14:56
any - Which oil do you use? - madf

Agree with RT but never use mineral as out of date and dangerous in modern engines. (especially tubos or VAG, or high performance or diesels)

In my Yaris d4d, Toyota 5-30 semi synthetic or any synthetic 5-30 meeting the spec and cheap enough.

Castrol oil is overpriced and they are the people who Exxon sued and lost over the definition of "synthetic".. so I suspect Castrol synthetic is worse spec than Mobil One synthetic..

And of course Castrol use misleading labels...

Edited by madf on 16/09/2011 at 15:01

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Fri 16 Sep 2011 15:59
any - Which oil do you use? - Peter.N.

I use Morris's semi synthetic, just over a tenner from Trago Mills. I have been using their oil for many years and have had engines last for 300,000 miles. The important thing is not the oil you use (providing it has the correct spec for the vehicle) but how often you change it. I believe that many of the problems associated with modern engines are down to extended oil change intervals. All my IDI diesels I have changed at 5,000 miles my Hdi I have just changed 7,000, recomended mileage 12,000 which is not to bad.

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Fri 16 Sep 2011 17:04
any - Which oil do you use? - gordonbennet

I do similar to you PN, though i'm a Millers or Fuch's fully synthetic user usually, buy in bulk which brings the price down to accessory shop also ran levels.

get ready for posts telling you how you no longer need to do this, engine tolerances, magic oils, additives, cleaner fuel etc, and you are bad for the environment.

My motoring years have taught me that well serviced (and driven with mechanical sympathy) vehicles last long and are economical overall.

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Fri 16 Sep 2011 18:09
any - Which oil do you use? - balleballe

I use Morris's semi synthetic, just over a tenner from Trago Mills. I have been using their oil for many years and have had engines last for 300,000 miles. The important thing is not the oil you use (providing it has the correct spec for the vehicle) but how often you change it. I believe that many of the problems associated with modern engines are down to extended oil change intervals. All my IDI diesels I have changed at 5,000 miles my Hdi I have just changed 7,000, recomended mileage 12,000 which is not to bad.

Every 5,000 miles? That would mean 4 changes a year for me.

Castrol say change interval is 12,500 miles or one year - but my local mazda dealer said it should be fine for 15k as 80% of my miles are motorway miles

Thus far I have changed it every 10k miles - This makes it easy for me as only 1 oil change and one full service a year

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Fri 16 Sep 2011 16:16
any - Which oil do you use? - RT

Agree with RT but never use mineral as out of date and dangerous in modern engines. (especially tubos or VAG, or high performance or diesels)

That aspect is dealt with by using the correct ACEA grade for a specific engine.

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Fri 16 Sep 2011 17:08
any - Which oil do you use? - Victorbox

Mobil Super 2000 10W/40 semi synthetic when it's on offer at Asda or Wilkinson's 10W/40 semi synthetic when it's not. GM's own brand Dexos 2 5W/30 fully synthetic from ebay for the more modern engines that demand fully synthetic.

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Wed 21 Sep 2011 03:36
any - Which oil do you use? - 1litregolfeater

I only ever use Comma, as it always beats the others, specs v price, down at my local factors shop.

Always synthetic, if you're going to dress up like a tramp and mooch around dragging buckets and funnels, you need to do the best job to keep smiling.

Did invest in some of Morrisons finest mineral oil recently after a rebuild, which was cheap and completed the running-in process, but it was quickly in and out. It worked, but you could feel the difference after.

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Wed 21 Sep 2011 08:58
any - Which oil do you use? - Bobbin Threadbare

Mazda themselves suggest Dexos oils for their cars.

I use whatever correctly matches the grade in my handbook. I have no issues with buying Asda's oil for example, because it has to be of a certain standard; I can't remember who produces it but it's rebottled well-respected stuff anyway.

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Wed 21 Sep 2011 13:44
any - Which oil do you use? - gordonbennet

Let me use this thread to tell a little tale i've told before.

I had a Landcruiser some years ago, one previous owner about 40k on the clock as i recall. Out of warranty and one of the most simple easy to work on vehicles out there, i like simple...steady you lot..;)

So off i goes and buys a reputable oil of the correct grade, new filters, away we go, i'm happy it's now fully serviced up.

Thousand miles later the engine sounds like hell, sounded to me like big ends were knocking, i'm starting to panic now.

Take vehicle to Toyota dealer (luckily gone, no loss) mechanic tells me the engine's shot, and needs full rebuild...i'm really worrying now...but i know of another Toyota dealer (Collyweston, now also closed down which is a great loss) so off i go carefully for a second opinion, i'd have had Colly do the work anyway.

The mechanic at Collyweston rebuilt and rallied thse LC's so knew them inside out. He came outside and started the engine up and listened, then told me to take the truck home drain out the **** (insert your own mechanics terms here) that was in the sump out and put some good quality oil in.

I did as told and that engine went on for 5 years in my care to high mileage sounding as sweet as possible, my lovely SWM wrote the truck off, but the write off was bought by a chap i Bradford who contacted me later...he couldn't believe how sweet the engine was either...it had seen quality oils from then on.

The point to this tale is that all oils are not the same, that was my turning point.

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