oil manufacturers?

[jasper65]

Been looking at some different 5W/30 synthetic and semi synth engine oils available. there's a fair difference in prices compareed to the Branded oils to some own makes.

whats the general opinions on this? are we paying alot extra because of the name or is their somthing special in the oils from some of the leading Manufacturers compared to the cheaper oil?

seen this one on Ebay which is a snip of the price to some I have seen! but is it any good?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320549342743&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[Dal]

Well that's Ford Formula F which is normally about £30-£35 if you go into a dealers so that'll be fine in your Puma.

As long as it's semi or fully synthetic and to the Ford specification, then it'll be fine.

 

[XIIVVX]

You are much better off buying an economically priced oil (to the correct spec), and then changing it at 6,000 intervals than to buy the gold-plated super-oils and run them for the recommended interval.

 

[YOG]

I'm sure a lot of us would be interested to know what facts you base your statement on? :wink:

 

[XIIVVX]

A mixture of thirty-five years working in and around the motor industry (including three years working for Burmah Castrol. Though this was on the Retail Fuels side (petrol), accumulated wisdom on lubrication couldn't be avoided) and sound, common engineering knowledge.

As you drive combustion by-products inevitably find their way into your oil, this is why it changes colour with use and doesn't retain its sparkly gold colour for 12,000 miles.

Exceeding the spec set by the manufacturer for your oil achieves nothing. If an economy oil carries the approvals required for your engine, then it is every bit as 'good' for your engine as a super-oil.

The degradation of the oil and its lubricant properties unfortunately doesn't work neatly so that super-oil comes down to the performance level required for your engine - having started off from a higher point. Super-oil does not keep combustion by-products out of the lubrication system in any way.

Fresh oil more often however does reduce the level of combustion by products since, if you change at 6,000 miles you'll only have half the volume of pollutants in your oil since it has only run for half as long.

If you want to use a super-oil and change it more frequently then feel free, you are hurting nothing other than your wallet.

If you are off on a track day or going racing / rallying then a higher spec oil might be advisable. But this oil will not necessarily be any good for your engine in everyday traffic.

 

[YOG]

Castrol recommend changing Magnatec 5W-30 A1 (fully synthetic) in the 1.7 Puma oil at 6,000 miles/12 months, should the economy oil be changed at 3,000 miles/6 months?

 

[Dal]

[cynical]

Castrol are not saying that to sell more oil at all then Rick? Even though Ford recommend 10,000 miles / 12 months?

[/cynical]

 

[martinthrapston]

i personaly have always changed oil in my cars every 6000 miles and if you do a lot of town traffic you should really change it alot more often,but im just a plumber with no engineering qualifications tho,but ive never blown an engine up so i must be doing something right :-D

 

[XIIVVX]

My FRP was regularly doing about 15,000 a year. I had the oil changed and the brakes serviced every 5 - 6,000 miles. Bog standard semi-synthetic.

(Just so some tw*t could scrap it and sell the engine for a miserable life in a Fiesta somewhere)

 

[YOG]

[cynical]

Castrol are not saying that to sell more oil at all then Rick? Even though Ford recommend 10,000 miles / 12 months?

[/cynical]

Castrol could be doing it to sell more oil, on the other hand, Ford could be recommending the higher mileage to reduce servicing costs, who knows?
Just trying to understand what is best, that's what the question to X11VVX is for.

 

[ElDude at Allison Automotive]

A mixture of thirty-five years working in and around the motor industry (including three years working for Burmah Castrol. Though this was on the Retail Fuels side (petrol), accumulated wisdom on lubrication couldn't be avoided) and sound, common engineering knowledge.

As you drive combustion by-products inevitably find their way into your oil, this is why it changes colour with use and doesn't retain its sparkly gold colour for 12,000 miles.

Exceeding the spec set by the manufacturer for your oil achieves nothing. If an economy oil carries the approvals required for your engine, then it is every bit as 'good' for your engine as a super-oil.

The degradation of the oil and its lubricant properties unfortunately doesn't work neatly so that super-oil comes down to the performance level required for your engine - having started off from a higher point. Super-oil does not keep combustion by-products out of the lubrication system in any way.

Fresh oil more often however does reduce the level of combustion by products since, if you change at 6,000 miles you'll only have half the volume of pollutants in your oil since it has only run for half as long.

If you want to use a super-oil and change it more frequently then feel free, you are hurting nothing other than your wallet.

If you are off on a track day or going racing / rallying then a higher spec oil might be advisable. But this oil will not necessarily be any good for your engine in everyday traffic.

i disagree with most of that...lol

 

[jasper65]

Out of Interest! what is added to the Branded oils to justify their premium price? I'm still thinking its mainly the name that ultimately decides the price tag.

 

[XIIVVX]

Premium marketing is always aimed at expanding profits by selling the 'top of the range' for a better margin than the price that can had in the more competitive mass-market.

There is generally some justification for this, some more expensive ingredient or similar. But if the manufacturer is making 5% on the mass market product they will try and make sure that they have 20 - 50% margin on the more expensive item.

But you need to assess what benefit that ingredient brings to you, your car, your situation.The premium fuels are a case in point.

Look at how many people use the 98-99 RON fuels when their car has no requirement for it, gains no performance benefit from it. Ask them and they will talk about 'Better for your engine - cleans the engine' feeding back the information they have gained from the manufacturers' promotion, which is completely unsupported by any truly independent testing. How many of us have ever suffered from a 'dirty engine'?

Let's say there is a super ingredient in Oil Brand X. Most Puma will finish in scrapyards because the body has failed, not the engine. If the cylinder bores in your scrapped Puma have a micron less wear than the hulk sitting next to it, what was the benefit to you?

There is a marketing tactic. "Price as an indicator of quality"

Google it. There is some interesting stuff to be found in the marketing treatise.

 

[YOG]

"Castrol recommend changing Magnatec 5W-30 A1 (fully synthetic) in the 1.7 Puma oil at 6,000 miles/12 months, should the economy oil be changed at 3,000 miles/6 months?"

And the answer to my earlier question is?

 

[XIIVVX]

Your handbook recommendation which from memory is 12 months 12,000 miles is all you need to do.

If you want extra reassurance then changing at 5,000 or 6,000 miles can be done, even though it is not strictly necessary.

3,000 mile changes would, in my opinion, be excessive with even the cheapest modern oil that meets the Ford specification for your car.

 

[mauritis]

I work for an oil company too though im not a techy science bod. We fill for a big named oil company for a large chunk of the EU and even Asia for them. Anyway iv worked on the production line filling the stuff for overtime.

Think you will find on most cases you are paying for the name and a change in the bottle. ie we fill for our parent company the top of the range oil, once that order is filled the line changes and we fill our brand of same specd oil. Only difference is rather than £30-35 ours is £20-25 and its identical.

Its funny as you get comments like - "i aint buying oil from them its crap" yet little do they know it probably coming from the same as the well known branded stuff.

Its very strict. I assume rather than look at the brand look at the spec of the oil - grade, ACEA, API (I think). I would have thought all companys must make the oil to a strict spec, if it doesnt meet them standards they cant claim it suitable for them specs on the bottle & could get into alot of trouble

Like I say i could be totally wrong & I cant confirm %100 because im not up on the science of it & I could tell you how other oil companys work. End of day I work for the company and get my stuff cost price. I wont tell you how much as it would probably make you cry lmao

Nice read XIIVVX Sound like a lab tech?

 

[YOG]

You are much better off buying an economically priced oil (to the correct spec), and then changing it at 6,000 intervals than to buy the gold-plated super-oils and run them for the recommended interval.

Your handbook recommendation which from memory is 12 months 12,000 miles is all you need to do.
If you want extra reassurance then changing at 5,000 or 6,000 miles can be done, even though it is not strictly necessary.
3,000 mile changes would, in my opinion, be excessive with even the cheapest modern oil that meets the Ford specification for your car..

So, what you're actually saying is, there's no need for your first quote re changing at 6,000 miles? If any oil (semi-synthetic/full synthetic) meets the Ford spec, it can be left in for 10,000 miles/12 months?

 

[XIIVVX]

Absolutely no need for an interim oil change - no..

But since I had the FRP brakes serviced every 5,000 or 6,000 miles (which is a good idea) it was no particular bother for an oil and filter change to be done at the same time.

Nice read XIIVVX Sound like a lab tech?

No just a marketing man with a lifetime involvement in the motor industry / trade.