Yet another motor oil thread

[JovianGhost]

Don't worry, I'm not gonna ask whether to go with synth, semi-synth or conventional, as it seems to be largely a matter of opinion. Some people say to switch to synthetic right away, as that gives the best performance. Others say to only switch to synthetic after putting on a certain amount of kms into the engine.

However from reading many threads, I have gathered the following (please correct me if I'm wrong on any of this):

- Synthetic is more expensive
- Synthetic has a better shelf life once a bottle is opened
- Synthetic (instead of conventional) is better suited for cars that are driven hard, or cars with older engines (i.e. high mileage)
- The brand of choice on these boards seems to be Royal Purple, Redline, and to a lesser extent, Mobil1.

That's all good and well, but I still do have a few questions about oil.

1) How long should I wait until my first oil change? The manual along with a lot of people here say I should just wait until the regular 8,000. Others say I should do it sooner, at 3-4000, to get rid of all the crap inside the engine from the break-in (loose particles, etc.) This makes perfect sense, but if so, why would the owner's manual say I should wait until 8k?

2) It's my understanding I can bring my own oil for the dealer to use when changing. Is it better to do this, or just let them use whatever oil they use? If I do bring my own oil, I assume they're going to charge me minus the cost of the oil they would have used, i.e. I pay only for the service.

3) If I take in the car and just ask for an oil change, without me asking for any specific type of oil, what would they use?

4) It is my understanding the aforementioned brands of oil (Royal Purple, Redline) are high-performance oils. I drive automatic and I drive moderately (not granny, but not like I have manual, either. ;)) Would these oils make a difference for me?

[mido]

Well, just my own opinion . . Synthetic lasts almost double the time as conventional , and costs almost or exactly double the amount of conventional. BUT: Do i really want my oil filter in there for that long? That is something to think about. Conventional oil works just fine, its just better for when the engine starts up the oil is alot less thicker so its easier to warm up but that doesnt really matter. As for the oil being changed for the first time, alot of ppl have different opinions on this too, but i think change it between 3-4000 because of all the particles. When they made the manual they didnt take into consideration that there is a bunch of crap in there from the manufacturing (metal shavings etc etc). Down at the dealer near my place (performance mazda) they use sem synthetic oil anyway ..
Good luck, there are hundreds of opinions, in the end it all comes down to what you feel comfortable with. I think, stay normal conventional, it will work just fine.

[Mazda3X2]

I am pretty picky with my cars. My wife owns a 2008 MZ3 2.3 automatic. For this I follow the recommended drain intervals and use Pennzoil Platinum 5W20.

A very reputable group III synthetic which will provide more than adequate protection for what use her vehicle sees.

For my Mazdaspeed3 I use "German" Castrol 0W30. A group IV synthetic. Only because it is a turbo and I tend to drive more aggressively. I still follow the recommended drain intervals as these engines can suffer from fuel dilution.

IMO any group III synthetic will perform very well in your case and these can be gotten at reasonable prices quite easily. Pennzoil Platinum, Mobile 1 etc. Going to group IV (RP, Red Line) might be a little "over the top".

[Sales 101]

I've been using Castrol Syntec since new in my 02 civic and never a problem. No oil loss between changes that I do every 8k. Done at Costco for $49.

This week i will be beaking the 250k mark.

My friend a mech says if keeping your car for many years or going high milage then syn is a good investment for a little extra cost.

Runs cooler in summer.
Easier Starts on engine in winter.

What more do you want?

[TheMAN]

Well, just my own opinion . . Synthetic lasts almost double the time as conventional , and costs almost or exactly double the amount of conventional. BUT: Do i really want my oil filter in there for that long? That is something to think about. Conventional oil works just fine, its just better for when the engine starts up the oil is alot less thicker so its easier to warm up but that doesnt really matter. As for the oil being changed for the first time, alot of ppl have different opinions on this too, but i think change it between 3-4000 because of all the particles. When they made the manual they didnt take into consideration that there is a bunch of crap in there from the manufacturing (metal shavings etc etc). Down at the dealer near my place (performance mazda) they use sem synthetic oil anyway ..
Good luck, there are hundreds of opinions, in the end it all comes down to what you feel comfortable with. I think, stay normal conventional, it will work just fine.
if having the oil filter for 12000km worries you then your engine must be falling apart! a perfectly good engine won't ever clog the oil filter up even past that many kms

its really more convenient, less wasteful, and costs the same (or cheaper) in the long run with synthetic compared to dino oil because of its extended intervals

and finally of course, due to the benefits of better protection, the engine will damn sure last past the life of the rest of the car... whereas with dino, it may still be OK in the end, but may have wear by then that basically make the engine run not quite as good as new

[TheMAN]

I am pretty picky with my cars. My wife owns a 2008 MZ3 2.3 automatic. For this I follow the recommended drain intervals and use Pennzoil Platinum 5W20.

A very reputable group III synthetic which will provide more than adequate protection for what use her vehicle sees.

For my Mazdaspeed3 I use "German" Castrol 0W30. A group IV synthetic. Only because it is a turbo and I tend to drive more aggressively. I still follow the recommended drain intervals as these engines can suffer from fuel dilution.

IMO any group III synthetic will perform very well in your case and these can be gotten at reasonable prices quite easily. Pennzoil Platinum, Mobile 1 etc. Going to group IV (RP, Red Line) might be a little "over the top".
technically, group 3 oils are not true synthetic oils.... as in they are hydrocracked oil... highly refined from crude.... group 4 and group 5 oils are really "artificial"... obviously I over simplified this as it is better explained all over the internet... you will also find out that only the americans and canadians accept group 3 oils as "synthetic" because it has been refined enough to have molecules that practically look synthetic and perform practically the same

in practice, you get what you pay and group 3 oils can never out perform group 4/5 oils in the most extreme conditions

redline oil is a group 5 oil FYI


and, running 5W30 is ok on a normal mazda3 (I have said that many times and why)
5W40 is now the (temporary north american) recommendation for the DISI engines as a countermeasure to the smoking turbo problem

no reason not to run the thicker oils as it has better shear strength, higher flash point, and handle fuel dilution better (turbo or not, DI or not)... that equates to better protection and longer drain intervals :)

not that anything is wrong with your choices, just letting you know that you don't *have* to run the silly north american recommendations
GC (I use that in mine) or valvoline maxlife full synthetic 5W30 for a normal 3 are excellent choices, 0W40 mobil1 or 5W40 mobil1 turbo diesel truck are excellent choices for the ms3 also... keeping to the same price range as what you're already using of course :) obviously there's lots of other better choices compared to these "cheap" oils like fuchs silkolene, redline, amsoil, etc... but they're all crazy expensive

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

See notes in red.



However from reading many threads, I have gathered the following (please correct me if I'm wrong on any of this):

- Synthetic is more expensive.. Yes.
- Synthetic has a better shelf life once a bottle is opened. Yes.
- Synthetic (instead of conventional) is better suited for cars that are driven hard, or cars with older engines (i.e. high mileage) No... Synthetic oil is best suited for any car, regardless of driving style or age.
- The brand of choice on these boards seems to be Royal Purple, Redline, and to a lesser extent, Mobil1. Go to BITOG and do your own research. Don't just believe the marketing hype, or be persuaded by what people on this site might run. In the end, pick an oil that you are comfortable with. As for me, I run German Castrol OW-30 in the 2005 Mazda 3 hatch and Amsoil 5W-30 in my MS3.

That's all good and well, but I still do have a few questions about oil.

1) How long should I wait until my first oil change? The manual along with a lot of people here say I should just wait until the regular 8,000. Others say I should do it sooner, at 3-4000, to get rid of all the crap inside the engine from the break-in (loose particles, etc.) This makes perfect sense, but if so, why would the owner's manual say I should wait until 8k? Ask this question to 100 people, you'll get a lot of different answers. In any case, leaving the factory oil to 8,000km is not going to kill your engine. That said, I do subscribe to the theory that after a break-in period, I want that factory oil out of the car. I always change my factory oil out between 2,000 to 3,000km and go full synthetic at that time. My dealer thinks I'm nuts for doing this. Basically, I wouldn't stress this too much. Just do what you're most comfortable with.

2) It's my understanding I can bring my own oil for the dealer to use when changing. Is it better to do this, or just let them use whatever oil they use? If I do bring my own oil, I assume they're going to charge me minus the cost of the oil they would have used, i.e. I pay only for the service. Yes, if you bring your own oil, they will deduct the oil cost portion from the service. I recommend bringing your own oil so that you can control what goes into your engine.

3) If I take in the car and just ask for an oil change, without me asking for any specific type of oil, what would they use? They will use the Mazda oil. This used to be semi-synthetic, but I believe (not 100% sure) that they recently went back to regular dino oil. If you ask them for synthetic, I believe almost all Mazda dealers use Motul synthetic.

4) It is my understanding the aforementioned brands of oil (Royal Purple, Redline) are high-performance oils. I drive automatic and I drive moderately (not granny, but not like I have manual, either. ;)) Would these oils make a difference for me?Any synthetic oil will make a difference for you over dino oil. Added protection etc. al.

[TheMAN]

yeah, to sum it all up... oil is NOT oil

it may come out of the ground, from plants, etc... but the end products are NOT the same!
don't buy into the marketing BS... each major brand has one good product out of their whole lineup (or a specific weight of a particular product for that matter)... this means, it's hard to say definitively "brand X is the win"... there's only the few handful of brands out there that consistently make everything good and those brands are rarely found at any retail store... even then, they have one thing better out of their whole line up

bottom line is, researching is the key... match your budget requirements, overlook brand names and be an INFORMED buyer rather than blindly following strictly one brand like some people do
only smart buyers get the most for their money after all ;) why buy brand A at $9.99 when brand B is better at $8.99?

[JovianGhost]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Lots of good information here! :)


My friend a mech says if keeping your car for many years or going high milage then syn is a good investment for a little extra cost.

Runs cooler in summer.
Easier Starts on engine in winter.

What more do you want?

Does this mean I should switch to synthetic right away, or only once the mileage gets up there? Is there any advantage to using synthetic right off the bat vs switching later on?

[TheMAN]

just change it on your first oil change... many people will say different things, but I think it's a good idea not to switch until at least 5000km because you want the piston rings to seat in right

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

just change it on your first oil change... many people will say different things, but I think it's a good idea not to switch until at least 5000km because you want the piston rings to seat in right

You can seat them sooner than 5K if you drive it properly. :) But yes... +1

[TheMAN]

you can, but it's a lot more simple to just do a "rule of thumb" rather than tell some uninformed person a complicated set of instructions ;)

[Gen1GT]

technically, group 3 oils are not true synthetic oils.... as in they are hydrocracked oil... highly refined from crude.... group 4 and group 5 oils are really "artificial"... obviously I over simplified this as it is better explained all over the internet... you will also find out that only the americans and canadians accept group 3 oils as "synthetic" because it has been refined enough to have molecules that practically look synthetic and perform practically the same

in practice, you get what you pay and group 3 oils can never out perform group 4/5 oils in the most extreme conditions

redline oil is a group 5 oil FYI


and, running 5W30 is ok on a normal mazda3 (I have said that many times and why)
5W40 is now the (temporary north american) recommendation for the DISI engines as a countermeasure to the smoking turbo problem

no reason not to run the thicker oils as it has better shear strength, higher flash point, and handle fuel dilution better (turbo or not, DI or not)... that equates to better protection and longer drain intervals :)

not that anything is wrong with your choices, just letting you know that you don't *have* to run the silly north american recommendations
GC (I use that in mine) or valvoline maxlife full synthetic 5W30 for a normal 3 are excellent choices, 0W40 mobil1 or 5W40 mobil1 turbo diesel truck are excellent choices for the ms3 also... keeping to the same price range as what you're already using of course :) obviously there's lots of other better choices compared to these "cheap" oils like fuchs silkolene, redline, amsoil, etc... but they're all crazy expensive

Wow Edwin...you've been doing your homework. You even recommended the diesel oil for DI...not a lot of people know that's a good option.

[Mazda3X2]

technically, group 3 oils are not true synthetic oils.... as in they are hydrocracked oil... highly refined from crude.... group 4 and group 5 oils are really "artificial"... obviously I over simplified this as it is better explained all over the internet... you will also find out that only the americans and canadians accept group 3 oils as "synthetic" because it has been refined enough to have molecules that practically look synthetic and perform practically the same

I am aware of this.

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=27852

You seem to be quite up to pace on engine oils. You should add to the thread above if you can think of things that might be missing.



5W40 is now the (temporary north american) recommendation for the DISI engines as a countermeasure to the smoking turbo problem


I was under the impression that this was more rumor than fact. I had searched and read about it on a thread on BITOG but couldn't get anyting definitive. My thoughts were to try the Mobil 0W40 at the time. But in switching to GC 0W30 I learned it was a fairly thick oil for a 30 weight and so far I am happy.

I started this thread a while back to see where it would lead.
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=35185

[mazda lover]

just change it on your first oil change... many people will say different things, but I think it's a good idea not to switch until at least 5000km because you want the piston rings to seat in right

+1^ also go to www.bobistheoilguy.com for more info. click on the forum at the top left of the main menu

[JovianGhost]

Alright, so looks like I'll be waiting for my first oil change.

I noticed that some people, such as Zoom Zoom Boy, use 0W-30 because supposedly it's better for winter driving (or was it winter startups?) If this is the case, why doesn't everyone in Canada just switch to 0W-30, considering some of the brutal winters we have?

[Flagrum_3]

Alright, so looks like I'll be waiting for my first oil change.

I noticed that some people, such as Zoom Zoom Boy, use 0W-30 because supposedly it's better for winter driving (or was it winter startups?) If this is the case, why doesn't everyone in Canada just switch to 0W-30, considering some of the brutal winters we have?

Because the cost? or just ignorance maybe!....Most people don't really think twice about thier oil, except when to change it.:)
The benefit of using the GC 0w-30 is the superior oil flow or pumpability in extreme cold temps...at -40C conventional oil or even some other brands of synthetic would be like molasses, whereas 0w synthetic will still pour freely...Also it does provide better protection at operating temps, as it runs closer to a 40 weight over other brands of oil rated at 30W.


_3

[condor888000]

Basically they don't know. But in reality, a 5W oil isn't a bad oil for winter, it's still quite thin during cold starts. And if you're using synthetic even better. Not quite to the same level at a 0W, but by no means is it bad.

Now, if you were using say a 10W, I'd switch to a 5W for winter.

[azn_outlaw]

How i see it

synthetic is a waste on a non high horsepower motor....there is no benefit to using

just stick with regular and have a nice day...

on stock motors or low horsepower vehicles such as the Mazda3 I see them burn synthetic oil more then regular.

so why bother?

Just use what came from the factory and save your money.

Its like people who use high octane for cars that use regular, there aint no benefit and all these people do is burn money.



Other wise the other point I only see using synthetic is vehicles that go through high heat cycles due to racing

or that the vehicle goes through extended time period oil changes, meaning 12,000KM oil changes or every 8 to 10 mths which ever comes first...

[TheMAN]

Because the cost? or just ignorance maybe!....Most people don't really think twice about thier oil, except when to change it.:)
The benefit of using the GC 0w-30 is the superior oil flow or pumpability in extreme cold temps...at -40C conventional oil or even some other brands of synthetic would be like molasses, whereas 0w synthetic will still pour freely...Also it does provide better protection at operating temps, as it runs closer to a 40 weight over other brands of oil rated at 30W.


_3
actually, tests have shown that GC quickly shears from the near 40 weight down to a true 30 weight oil and stay there

not that this is bad, since it shows that this oil can "stay in grade" as ACEA A3/B4 specifies

[TheMAN]

How i see it

synthetic is a waste on a non high horsepower motor....there is no benefit to using

just stick with regular and have a nice day...

on stock motors or low horsepower vehicles such as the Mazda3 I see them burn synthetic oil more then regular.

so why bother?

Just use what came from the factory and save your money.

Its like people who use high octane for cars that use regular, there aint no benefit and all these people do is burn money.



Other wise the other point I only see using synthetic is vehicles that go through high heat cycles due to racing

or that the vehicle goes through extended time period oil changes, meaning 12,000KM oil changes or every 8 to 10 mths which ever comes first...
if you have read what was said already, you'd see that synthetics aren't a waste of money on any car as long as you run extended drain intervals... it IS a waste running synthetic and doing 5000km oil changes because there's plenty of life left in that oil! the oil filters in the 3s are also big enough that it has more than enough capacity for twice the factory recommended mileages... you'd also know that synthetics don't just provide better performance (this means better gas mileage) in the heat but also the cold... it flows better in the cold, makes easier starts and reduces cold start wear & tear


what you have posted just shows ignorance in the matter
please research and maybe you'll switch over to synthetics too once you find the clear benefits of them and SAVE money

[Gen1GT]

How i see it

synthetic is a waste on a non high horsepower motor....there is no benefit to using

just stick with regular and have a nice day...

on stock motors or low horsepower vehicles such as the Mazda3 I see them burn synthetic oil more then regular.

so why bother?

Just use what came from the factory and save your money.

Its like people who use high octane for cars that use regular, there aint no benefit and all these people do is burn money.



Other wise the other point I only see using synthetic is vehicles that go through high heat cycles due to racing

or that the vehicle goes through extended time period oil changes, meaning 12,000KM oil changes or every 8 to 10 mths which ever comes first...

Let me guess...you're at least 40 years old, and you used to drive a lot of American iron?

The advantages of synthetic are common knowledge, so perhaps you should sit at the front of the class during the next lesson.

Also, if you think there's no advantage to using higher octane fuel, explain this:

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=38591

[JovianGhost]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is "German Castrol"?

[condor888000]

0W30 Castrol Syntec which says Made in Germany on the bottle. One of the more popular synthetic oils. GC is only the 0W30 weight stuff, the rest is not as good.

[Mazda3X2]

Let me guess...you're at least 40 years old, and you used to drive a lot of American iron?

Lol


actually, tests have shown that GC quickly shears from the near 40 weight down to a true 30 weight oil and stay there.

Interesting, I hadn't heard this about GC.

[Harbour Rat]

The only advantage to synthetic oils I have been able to "prove" is low temperature pumpability. I know from experience that after sitting outside for a week at -30 to -45 an engine with synthetic oil will turn over easier and oil pressure will come up more quickly than with the same viscosity conventional oil. I'm sure the claimed superiority at high temperature and/or high pressure, better shear stability, etc are all there too but getting the oil pumping ASAP is most important - any oil is better than no oil and synthetics reduce the time with no oil. That is enough for me.

[Flagrum_3]

The only advantage to synthetic oils I have been able to "prove" is low temperature pumpability. I know from experience that after sitting outside for a week at -30 to -45 an engine with synthetic oil will turn over easier and oil pressure will come up more quickly than with the same viscosity conventional oil. I'm sure the claimed superiority at high temperature and/or high pressure, better shear stability, etc are all there too but getting the oil pumping ASAP is most important - any oil is better than no oil and synthetics reduce the time with no oil. That is enough for me.

Big +1, The number one reason for using synthetic oil, as I would think it is common knowledge somewhere around 70+% or more of your engine's wear occurs during 'cold-starts' and not just in winter cold, but all year round (to a lessor degree, ofcourse) when most of the oil has drained into the pan and the top end of the engine is basically dry.


_3

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Also, if you think there's no advantage to using higher octane fuel, explain this:

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=38591

Shell 91 has 0% ethanol

Shell 87 has up to 10% ethanol

ethanol has less energy per volume than gasoline, meaning Shell 87 will require more gas to give the same energy in a burn than Shell 91.

[Gen1GT]

Shell 91 has 0% ethanol

Shell 87 has up to 10% ethanol

ethanol has less energy per volume than gasoline, meaning Shell 87 will require more gas to give the same energy in a burn than Shell 91.

Yes, but even if you look at Sunocu fuels, which use a lot of ethanol, their 94 octane has more energy content than their 87 octane. Shell just refuses to use ethanol in their premium, because they know how bad it is for fuel systems.

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Yes, but even if you look at Sunocu fuels, which use a lot of ethanol, their 94 octane has more energy content than their 87 octane. Shell just refuses to use ethanol in their premium, because they know how bad it is for fuel systems.

Sunoco 94 can't have more energy content per volume than Sunoco 87; the higher concentration of ethanol is what gives Sunoco 94 an octane rating of 94, as ethanol has a higher octane rating (116) than gas. With the higher concentration of ethanol comes a lower energy content.

Don't confuse octane rating for energy content as higher octane means better resistance to knock, not more energy.

[Gen1GT]

Sunoco 94 can't have more energy content per volume than Sunoco 87; the higher concentration of ethanol is what gives Sunoco 94 an octane rating of 94, as ethanol has a higher octane rating (116) than gas. With the higher concentration of ethanol comes a lower energy content.

Don't confuse octane rating for energy content as higher octane means better resistance to knock, not more energy.

Yeah thanks, no confusion here. Feel free to prove my claim wrong that both Sunoco 87 and Sunoco 94 don't both contain 10% ethanol then.

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Yes, but even if you look at Sunocu fuels, which use a lot of ethanol, their 94 octane has more energy content than their 87 octane.


Yeah thanks, no confusion here. Feel free to prove my claim wrong that both Sunoco 87 and Sunoco 94 don't both contain 10% ethanol then.

you didn't claim that Sunoco 87 and Sunoco 94 both contained 10% ethanol. they probably do as it is probably cheaper, compared to the high cost of ethanol, to refine gas to a low octane then add ethanol to bring it up to 87.

you claimed that Sunoco 94 octane has more energy content than 87 and that is wrong, even if they both contained 10% ethanol.

[Jeff0]

if you have read what was said already, you'd see that synthetics aren't a waste of money on any car as long as you run extended drain intervals...

If you're using synthetic and do the extended drain intervals would this be a problem in claiming a warranty in your engine?

[casperwonder]

If you're using synthetic and do the extended drain intervals would this be a problem in claiming a warranty in your engine?

If you are still under warranty. You should stick to the OEM interval to avoid any disputes in the future.

[Jeff0]

If you are still under warranty. You should stick to the OEM interval to avoid any disputes in the future.

Thanks, that's why I didn't switch to synthetic because I had a low mileage around 5-6K when I hit the oil change interval.

[aris]

Thanks, that's why I didn't switch to synthetic because I had a low mileage around 5-6K when I hit the oil change interval.

I switched to synthetic and still do my oil change every 8,000km untill my car is off warranty and then i am going to extended it 12,000km

I use castro syntec 5w30...i buy a few bottles when it goes on sale at canadian tires..i bought each jug 4.4L for $24.99

[casperwonder]

Thanks, that's why I didn't switch to synthetic because I had a low mileage around 5-6K when I hit the oil change interval.

Honestly, I drive less than you. I have no plan switching to synthetic any time soon. Modern engine is very well build and should last a long time even with regular oil. I prefer to have fresh oil in the engine than change it every 12000 km. It is just my personal preference. :)

[aris]

Honestly, I drive less than you. I have no plan switching to synthetic any time soon. Modern engine is very well build and should last a long time even with regular oil. I prefer to have fresh oil in the engine than change it every 12000 km. It is just my personal preference. :)

it's the oil's that are better...not the motors

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

it's the oil's that are better...not the motors

+1. The tolerances in modern engines are tighter, but they are actually more fragile and no longer 'over-engineered' like engines of the past. All the more reason to ensure you are using a high quality synthetic oil.

Also, 12,000km is way too long to run on dino oil. Get yourself a used oil analysis on your 12K dino oil and you will be horrified at what they will tell you in terms of contamination.

[aris]

+1. The tolerances in modern engines are tighter, but they are actually more fragile and no longer 'over-engineered' like engines of the past. All the more reason to ensure you are using a high quality synthetic oil.

Also, 12,000km is way too long to run on dino oil. Get yourself a used oil analysis on your 12K dino oil and you will be horrified at what they will tell you in terms of contamination.

I run synthetic oil..that's why i am going to extended to 12,000km once it's off warranty

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

I run synthetic oil..that's why i am going to extended to 12,000km once it's off warranty

Yah, that's not an issue with good synthetic and a good filter. I was actually commenting on Casper's post that he likes to run fresh dino oil and do 12K changes on it. Way, way too long on dino oil...

Saganaki FTW!!!! :winner

Don't ask... I just like saying it loud and fast. :chuckle

[aris]

Yah, that's not an issue with good synthetic and a good filter. I was actually commenting on Casper's post that he likes to run fresh dino oil and do 12K changes on it. Way, way too long on dino oil...

Saganaki FTW!!!! :winner

Don't ask... I just like saying it loud and fast. :chuckle



lol..you know alot of the greek words...:chuckle

[Gen1GT]

you didn't claim that Sunoco 87 and Sunoco 94 both contained 10% ethanol. they probably do as it is probably cheaper, compared to the high cost of ethanol, to refine gas to a low octane then add ethanol to bring it up to 87.

you claimed that Sunoco 94 octane has more energy content than 87 and that is wrong, even if they both contained 10% ethanol.

I've never seen a gasoline manufacturer with their regular fuel more dense than their premium fuel. Denser fuel has more energy content, and since engines meter fuel based on mass, not volume, a denser fuel will realize better fuel economy. I stand by my claim that even Sunoco 94 will yield better fuel economy than Sunoco 87.

[Tony Tone]

I can't believe I messed up in the first year of owning my new car. I bought the car in Nov 08 and changed the oil back in Aug 09 with just under 5,000KM. My father did the oil change for me and used 5w30 Synthetic Oil (which I requested). He did not have 5w20 at the time but said it's thicker and will protect engine better. It's not a brand that any here has mentioned but it's German and he said BMW uses them. With the previous cars I owned, I went by the odometer and not by the months. I am beginning to think that was a mistake though I never had any engine issues.

The car is due for a change now and car has 9,400KM. It's going to be expensive using sythentic in my situation as my wife and I don't drive too far and the months go by quicker than the mileage :( There is no way I'll ever reach the 8,000KM mark before 4 months. So it looks like I am draining the fluid 3 times a year and with around 10,000KM of mileage. Anyways, I only pay $40 to my dad for the oil.

[Tony Tone]

So is it worth it to still use Synthetic based on the nature of my driving habits which is 90% city driving on weekdays and 10% hwy on weekends? Or am I wasting my money and might as well use the well known or OEM conventional oil or even synthetic blend perhaps?

[Fuman]

So is it worth it to still use Synthetic based on the nature of my driving habits which is 90% city driving on weekdays and 10% hwy on weekends? Or am I wasting my money and might as well use the well known or OEM conventional oil or even synthetic blend perhaps?
If your car is in a garage, you can stick to regular.
If its kept outside, I'd suggest synthetic

Don't worry, I go by mileage too, although i hit mileage faster than months

[ShortBus]

synthetics protect better, flow better and last longer which is good if you are in constant stop and go traffic, it's up to you if you want to spend the money on sythetics or a blend.

if you are under warranty change the oil according to whatever comes first, time or distance.

[Tony Tone]

Thanks for the info guys. I think I will stick to Synthetic then due to the stop and go driving. I am parked underground where it's nice and warm as I live in a Condo. I also plan to keep the 3 until it no longer runs, rust to the point where it's unsafe to drive it. :pop

[Tony Tone]

I have the name of the Synthetic oil that I use. It's called Mannheim and here is the website. http://www.mannheimfrisco.com/aboutus.php. They are a distributor and importer company so it's probably repackaged from Europe.
Wonder how it compares to the Castrol at Walmart.

[RedRaptor]

I have the name of the Synthetic oil that I use. It's called Mannheim and here is the website. http://www.mannheimfrisco.com/aboutus.php. They are a distributor and importer company so it's probably repackaged from Europe.
Wonder how it compares to the Castrol at Walmart.

Street Performance uses this brand if you request for a synthetic oil change.