Who has the best deals?

Should I stick to the Mobile 1 products or are there some other brands I should look at? What about the filter?

8/5/2008 10:38:47 AM

Mobile 1 is great stuff, buy it by the gallon @ Walmart. As far a filters I use Wix. Stay away from Fram, I have had 2 of them split at the top crimp.

8/5/2008 10:45:50 AM

Honestly, Mobil 1 is the best synthetic for the money. Anything else is gonna be WAYY more expensive AND not better in any appreciable way (i.e. AMSoil, royal purple, red line, etc...).

Getting a good filter is important. Having your oil analyzed is even more so.

Wal-mart has the best deal on 5 qt jugs. Pepboys has a 5 qt & M1 filter deal, but it has a MIR which is annoying.

It really depends on how far you want to take it. You can get a bypass filter system that will keep your oil absolutely clean, but the initial cost is expensive.

Don't buy FRAM filters, the supertech filters from wal-mart are much better.

[Edited on August 5, 2008 at 10:52 AM. Reason : Wix Gold are the best filters.]

8/5/2008 10:51:35 AM

is there someplace where i can get amsoil?

8/5/2008 10:55:01 AM

Quote :

"Having your oil analyzed is even more so."

What will that tell me? How much? Needed on a new car?

Oh and where do you get the Wix filters?

8/5/2008 11:01:03 AM

^ napa and carquest brand are wix

8/5/2008 11:17:02 AM

Quote :

"is there someplace where i can get amsoil?"

DMV license plate office has them off of wake forest rd, where melting pot is

8/5/2008 11:27:21 AM

walmart

8/5/2008 11:27:59 AM

It'll tell you how much longer you can run your oil, how your filter is working, what kind of wear your engine is experiencing, where the wear is coming from, etc...

I started having my oil analyzed when I bought a new car. I think it's $20 for the basic service and more depending on what else you want them to check for.

I use blackstone labs.

8/5/2008 11:41:19 AM

Are the Wix Gold filters worth making an extra trip for? I generally use Mobil 1 and the purolator PureOne filters, both of which I can get at the Advance which is about 2 minutes from my house...

8/5/2008 11:46:51 AM

Quote :

"I generally use Mobil 1 and the purolator PureOne filters, both of which I can get at the Advance"

bingo.

[Edited on August 5, 2008 at 11:57 AM. Reason : .]

8/5/2008 11:56:07 AM

The wix filters are generally less restrictive than the pure one filters. The pure one typically has more media (it's stuffed in there), but during startup it might go into bypass mode instead of filtering. You never want your filter to be the bottleneck.

So if you have the money, then yes I believe it's worth it.

If you have the inclination, take a oil filter cutting tool and open your filters up, it's interesting.

Oil flow is more important than ultimate filtering.

[Edited on August 5, 2008 at 1:14 PM. Reason : eh]

8/5/2008 1:05:46 PM

Quote :

"Honestly, Mobil 1 is the best synthetic for the money. Anything else is gonna be WAYY more expensive AND not better in any appreciable way (i.e. AMSoil, royal purple, red line, etc...)."

how and why?

8/5/2008 1:24:06 PM

yall should make a thread in which you recommend all the stores to get various items...for example, napa and carquest for wix filters, such and such other store for such and such product, etc

8/5/2008 1:33:46 PM

Quote :

"how and why?"

You tell me.

8/5/2008 1:34:37 PM

haha, i asked first.

I personally run Advance Auto brand oil + motorcraft filter in the civic, and Valvoline diesel oil in the cummins... so i have no knowledge on this subject matter

8/5/2008 2:04:37 PM

So why would you want to run synthetic as opposed to dino? I'm not just asking you to say whats on the back of the bottle.

I ran one change of synthetic through my jeep a couple years ago, then felt like a fucking fool for paying that. Now it is the cheap stuff with changes every 7-10k

8/5/2008 2:44:31 PM

About synthetic oils:

I work at a hydrostatic transmission manufacturer, we use an oil very similar to engine oil in them. Anyway, I had a day long presentation by an oil distributor / manufacturer and we got into automotive oils.

Mobil 1 is the only "off the shelf" oil that is actually synthetic. As mentioned before, amsoil, redline, royal purple etc are also true synthetic but are more expensive and harder to find.

The API has no definition for synthetic, therefore many manufacturers (castrol for example) use high quality dino oil base and a high quality additive package and call it synthetic, or synthetic blend.

Mobil 1, amsoil, redline, royal purple, etc use a polyalphaolefin base that has much more desirable characteristics.

8/5/2008 3:08:40 PM

^haha thats the info i wanted to hear. I just couldnt remember exactly.

8/5/2008 3:10:40 PM

with synthetics, it's a problem of diminishing returns.

you might pay more, but are you getting more? not really. wal-mart is test selling royal purple, you'll never see me buy it, esp. for $6+ quart. no point really.

[Edited on August 5, 2008 at 4:26 PM. Reason : for people that don't care about longer drain intervals, regular cheap oil is fine.]

8/5/2008 4:25:50 PM

I buy mine in 6x1 quart boxes at costco. About once a year or so there's a coupon in the costco member mailer. I believe regular price is $30, sale/instant rebate price is $22 and they have 5w30 and 10w30.

[Edited on August 5, 2008 at 4:40 PM. Reason : I'm talking bout Mobil 1]

8/5/2008 4:40:12 PM

amsoil FTW

8/5/2008 6:23:25 PM

Quote :

"So why would you want to run synthetic as opposed to dino? "

longer drain intervals (i change mine every 10K on my dmax diesel and 15k on my wife's. sent oil sample off to be analyzed and the results showed plenty of life left. http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ Mobil1 5W-40 & 5W-30), better protection, and better mpg's. test results prove an average of 1-2 mpg increase when synthetic oil is used throughout.

8/5/2008 6:50:42 PM

on the firebird I just used Castrol conventional. On the new car I am a bit more anal and am willing to part with the $6 a qt for mobil on a freaking 8.5 qt capacity engine. Someone beat with something so I will come to my senses.

On the plus side oil life is better. If you figure you would change your oil at 3000 miles with conventional you might get away with 5 or 6 on full synthetic. So figure if you do that its pretty much a wash.

Anyway, thats my rational and im sticking to it.

[Edited on August 5, 2008 at 6:54 PM. Reason : ..]

8/5/2008 6:54:38 PM

read here for information regarding oil:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php

8/5/2008 7:02:53 PM

5k miles on conventional oil is not only possible, it's fine. oil has come a long way from ND-30 oils from our past. A consistent drain interval is the most important, followed by checking your fluids religiously, and modifying oil change intervals if your driving habits change.

Not having to change your oil too early is def. worth it if you pay a lot for synthetic. Remember the term "beer foul" or "alcohol abuse" if you spilled your drink in college? Well this is the same thing, except with a more expensive resource. No need to waste money, even if you have a lot.

8/5/2008 10:27:11 PM

i use elf full synthetic

8/5/2008 10:36:09 PM

^ that's cause you're euro trash

[Edited on August 5, 2008 at 10:37 PM. Reason : elf ain't bad.]

8/5/2008 10:36:41 PM

I don't know who produces CAT filters, but they are pretty much the BEST when it comes down to uniformity and amount of media. That's not to say that Wix filters aren't the shit, b/c they are.

Wix GOLD 4 lyfe, but CAT makes some damn good ones, if they fit on cars of course.

http://www.cat.com/cda/components/fullArticle?m=37418&x=7&id=87563



[Edited on August 6, 2008 at 12:26 AM. Reason : v]

8/6/2008 12:25:35 AM

Quote :

"Mobil 1 is the only "off the shelf" oil that is actually synthetic"

I thought Mobil 1 changed their formula...I thought it was now also hydrocracked/Group III. Is it still the real deal?

Quote :

"A consistent drain interval is the most important"

what's so important about a consistant interval, as long as you never run it too long?

8/6/2008 12:43:45 AM

there is also a castrol syntec that is commonly referred to as "german castrol" that is green.. it is full synth.

8/6/2008 12:52:55 AM

the Mobil 1 5000, 7500 bottles are group 3, full synthetic is polyalphaolefin

8/6/2008 8:46:36 AM

Quote :

"I thought Mobil 1 changed their formula...I thought it was now also hydrocracked/Group III. Is it still the real deal?"

no it still has PAO in it.

Quote :

"what's so important about a consistant interval, as long as you never run it too long?"

consistent drains are more for the average person. someone who isn't performance minded, who doesn't care to use high dollar anything and would rather go to stiffy lube than DIY.

as for not running it too long, getting your oil analyzed does 2 things. engine condition AND oil life monitoring. saves you time and money over the long run.

8/6/2008 9:07:43 AM

Mobil1 is a groupIII oil. you'll have to step up to am[way]soil, royal purple, and shaeffers for true synthetic. however, with cost and availability in mind, Mobil1 can't be beat.

8/6/2008 7:32:17 PM

I've been out of the loop for a while, but when did they say M1 was group III?

I have a hard time believing that their 0w30 is a GIII.

8/6/2008 8:39:36 PM

i use amsoil, but only because they come and change it while i am at work

8/6/2008 9:11:30 PM

^^ been at least a year that folks on BITOG have been beating that drum. Exxon-Mobil refuses to say that it is PAO or not last i heard.

I stock up whenever AA has BOGO sales. They had Pennzoil and Valvoline full synthetic in the recent past.

8/7/2008 6:45:30 AM

i use castrol syntec and mobil 1.

I don't think it matters what oil I would use as i change it at 3500 miles.

there are a lot of things I cheap out on, but changing the oil in an engine that sees 8000rpms every time its cranked isn't one of them. I've come to terms with "throwing" that money away.




Ive put the oil from the roadster after 3500 miles into my civic before though, hahaha. That's probably not a very good idea!

[Edited on August 7, 2008 at 8:02 AM. Reason : .]

8/7/2008 8:01:24 AM

Any advice on change intervals in terms of time? both of my cars have gone from 12k miles/year to about 4k-6k per year each. synthetic in mine, standard in hers for now.

8/7/2008 8:36:43 AM

Quote :

"^^ been at least a year that folks on BITOG have been beating that drum. Exxon-Mobil refuses to say that it is PAO or not last i heard."

Not to confirm or deny what EM is saying, but from what I've read - AMSoil says the same thing. The only company that I know of that is honest about their ingredients would be redline.

The people on forums would rather you give out all your secrets than keep anything proprietary.

[Edited on August 7, 2008 at 11:03 AM. Reason : g]

8/7/2008 10:35:42 AM

g

[Edited on August 7, 2008 at 11:32 AM. Reason : g]

8/7/2008 11:31:34 AM

Quote :

"you'll have to step up to am[way]soil, royal purple, and shaeffers for true synthetic"

elf, motul, and liqui-moly (afaik) are all group iv as well

8/7/2008 12:24:39 PM

Hell I go 5K on dino oil. Should be able to go at least twice that with synthetic.

8/7/2008 12:29:00 PM

you can, easily.

Quote :

"i change mine every 10K on my dmax diesel and 15k on my wife's. sent oil sample off to be analyzed and the results showed plenty of life left. http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ Mobil1 5W-40 & 5W-30)"

8/7/2008 5:40:17 PM

i've run amsoil 100% synthetic for the past 45k miles and would recommend it - I also use an amsoil filter - there is a guy in north raleigh that sells it that I bought it from when I was still local - now I buy it iff of a guy on a forum for my car

if you want his contact info I can look it u - nice guy in a nice neighborhood - very reasonably priced comparatively

8/7/2008 5:40:37 PM

omar do you get your oil analyzed? if so, does your AMSoil thicken up at all? mine did and it was disturbing.

8/7/2008 9:35:12 PM

At first, I believed, oil was oil was oil. No difference right? Then, I tried Mobil1... I was getting horrible consumption with Mobil1. Losing a whole quart every 2K miles. Found out that it shears down big time after the first thousand miles

Switched to Amsoil, and now I'm doing fine again. A lot of Subaru owners have trouble with Mobil1. Stories of spun bearings and the like. Other people run it fine. Depends on your car.

8/7/2008 10:22:41 PM

Quote :

"I don't think it matters what oil I would use as i change it at 3500 miles. there are a lot of things I cheap out on, but changing the oil in an engine that sees 8000rpms every time its cranked isn't one of them. I've come to terms with "throwing" that money away."

Thats still overkill man. Relax, and at the least double that interval unless you're tracking your car every month. My engine also runs up past 8,000rpms and I change the synthetic oil in my car every 6 months or so. Thats usually 6,000-10,000 miles. My engine has 271,000 miles on it and still doesn't burn any oil. So I think its safe to say you're overdoing it.

8/7/2008 11:33:30 PM

Oh and does it matter what oil to use during break in? Someone on the GTI forum said something about using regular or synth blend during break in since the full synth is too slick for everything to seat properly or some such mess. Any truth to that? Doesn't sound too solid

8/8/2008 10:34:39 AM

yeah i used dino until 20k on my car per recommendations and didn't switch to synthetic until then

Quote :

"omar do you get your oil analyzed?"

nah i sure don't - probably need to though

8/8/2008 10:37:52 AM