Poll: Which FULLy synthetic oil do you use?

[Altitude]

From trini_per4mance: (the 300K mile Yaris - quote ripped from YouTube)

"I use Wal-mart Super Tech Synthetic 5w-30 oil with OEM Toyota filters which helps maintain the right amount of oil pressure in the motor, unlike the non-oem filters. "

[Benggolf2]

Mercedes Benz recommends Mobil 1 on all their AMG cars. Have been using Mobil 1 on our C32AMG (sold) and C55AMG for years and never had any engine issues.

Guess what's good for MB-AMG should be good enough for the Toyota motor too, eh?

[33OH]

Amsoil.

[nsmitchell]

I switched from Mobil-1 0W-30 to Valvoline 5W-30. It may be all in my head, but even on chilly days I seem to be getting about 3-4MPG better MPGs. Sounds crazy I know but it seems to rev more freely. Usually on chilly days I would get about 28 to 30MPG with M1, with Valvoline, I'm getting about 32-34 MPG on my daily round trip to and from work. The only change I've made is the oil. I also switched my Fit to Valvoline 5W-20 and my wife has been driving it. We'll see how it does.

[CompanyXPaladin]

AMSOil FTW

[1stToyota]

(PP 5W30) API approved and ACEA A5/B5 for teh win

[WolfWings]

Amsoil 0W-30 w/ EAO filter.

[IllusionX]

i used Mobil1 for the first 40k
then switched to Royal Purple.

now, i just found out about a new product. Prolab...

http://www.prolab-technologies.com/c...cheProduit=109

[TheSilkySmooth]

Originally Posted by talnlnky

ok... So here's the million dollar question....

Do all the oils sold in the US under "synthetic" that are actually these API group 3 oils.... do they protect engines any better than the normal oil that we would buy for a fraction of the price.

Should i go with a "normal" oil that costs me $2.xx - $3.xx a quart versus a castrol/penzoil/whatever for $6.xx a quart?

I've been under the belief that the $6.00/qt oils do in fact last longer, and have better cleaning/filtering properties.... is this not true?

I don't really care if my oil is a "true" synthetic or not.. I just care if the extra few dollars I spend actually nets ANY advantage/protection.

I have not seen any documented performance advantage that the "fake" synthetic oils sold in the USA ( Platinum, mobil-1, Syntec) have over a SM GF4 mineral oil (which are now semi-synthetic even though they dont say so). They may prove a bit better in the frozen north due to less heavy paraffins, and the Platinum has Honda HT06 approval for Honda Turbo use. I dislike Pennzoil so - noyt for me. personally after killing ALL my engines to early in the past 5 years with this crap US spec oils, I would only run the real stuff imported from Europe: Total(ELF), Motul, Fuchs, Pentosin, Haven't tried Amsoil yet. May give the ATM blue cap Amsoil a try, Better to give my $$ to the good ole USofA other than the EU.

[talnlnky]

Originally Posted by TheSilkySmooth

I have not seen any documented performance advantage that the "fake" synthetic oils sold in the USA ( Platinum, mobil-1, Syntec) have over a SM GF4 mineral oil (which are now semi-synthetic even though they dont say so). They may prove a bit better in the frozen north due to less heavy paraffins, and the Platinum has Honda HT06 approval for Honda Turbo use. I dislike Pennzoil so - noyt for me. personally after killing ALL my engines to early in the past 5 years with this crap US spec oils, I would only run the real stuff imported from Europe: Total(ELF), Motul, Fuchs, Pentosin, Haven't tried Amsoil yet. May give the ATM blue cap Amsoil a try, Better to give my $$ to the good ole USofA other than the EU.

thank you.... that's the best post i've seen so far... though I'd like to see/read/hear more that answers my question.

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by TheSilkySmooth

I have not seen any documented performance advantage that the "fake" synthetic oils sold in the USA ( Platinum, mobil-1, Syntec) have over a SM GF4 mineral oil (which are now semi-synthetic even though they dont say so). They may prove a bit better in the frozen north due to less heavy paraffins, and the Platinum has Honda HT06 approval for Honda Turbo use. I dislike Pennzoil so - noyt for me. personally after killing ALL my engines to early in the past 5 years with this crap US spec oils, I would only run the real stuff imported from Europe: Total(ELF), Motul, Fuchs, Pentosin, Haven't tried Amsoil yet. May give the ATM blue cap Amsoil a try, Better to give my $$ to the good ole USofA other than the EU.

Since you have this thing against what you consider to be fakes, funny that you'd pick blue cap Amsoil...you're meaning the XL series? It's group III and ACEA A1/B1 nothing too special about that.

[changchewsoon]

I'm using the ester based Motul 300V Power.

[Altitude]

Originally Posted by TheSilkySmooth

I have not seen any documented performance advantage that the "fake" synthetic oils sold in the USA ( Platinum, mobil-1, Syntec) have over a SM GF4 mineral oil (which are now semi-synthetic even though they dont say so). They may prove a bit better in the frozen north due to less heavy paraffins, and the Platinum has Honda HT06 approval for Honda Turbo use. I dislike Pennzoil so - noyt for me. personally after killing ALL my engines to early in the past 5 years with this crap US spec oils, I would only run the real stuff imported from Europe: Total(ELF), Motul, Fuchs, Pentosin, Haven't tried Amsoil yet. May give the ATM blue cap Amsoil a try, Better to give my $$ to the good ole USofA other than the EU.

Originally Posted by talnlnky

thank you.... that's the best post i've seen so far... though I'd like to see/read/hear more that answers my question.

I would never take automotive advice from someone who shamelessly admits to KILLING all of his cars engines in the past five years...

The man clearly doesn't know how to care for a car or its engine.

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by Altitude

I would never take automotive advice from someone who shamelessly admits to KILLING all of his cars engines in the past five years...

The man clearly doesn't know how to care for a car or its engine.

He must drive a little bit more spirited than I do; I've never let any brand of oil kill any motor.

[41magmag41]

Not to open a can of worms with this post, but I'm wondering if the added expense of Synthetic Motor oil is a waste of money in the yaris. Toyota recommends oil changes at 5000 mile intervals and has yet to recommend the use of synthetic in this particular engine. They do suggest that once synthetic is used to continue the use through the life of the car. Being that this is an economy car and we all bought her because of the lack of cost with upkeep why move to the cost of sythetic oil. I change my oil every 4500 to 5000 miles at the dealer because he runs oil change specials, 40 bucks for an oil, filter and tire rotation, and toyota trained techs do the work. I have over 49000 miles on my girl and get 36 mpg in the winter with no hard starts and 41 during the summer. Unless I see a post that shows me that there's an increase in mpg and reduction of wear on the engine I think I'll stay with the convetional oil at this point until and if I start doing my own oil changes again.

Again not to start a posting war just my two cents worth.

[1stToyota]

You'll do fine with the dealership oil changes. All makers that offer both always state that their synthetic outperforms the conventional, so it's a no brainer for me.

[MadMax]

41magmag41

Do what works best for you. What we are seeing in this thread is a lot of opinion and individual results, but I have yet to see any links to verified studies not sponsored by a particular oil company. There seems to be a lot of badmouthing of Mobile-1, but I've used it for years and have yet to have any engine damage because of it. I am not saying it is the best oil out there, it probably isn't; but it also isn't as bad as some claim. And there are a lot of other variables that factor into increased MPG results, not all associated with oil.

As long as you are doing regular interval oil changes within the guidelines of the manufacturer, you will be alright...

[Giobatera]

I've always used Castrol, no particular reason other then always being able to get good prices on it. But after this threat, I'm considering changing it to Mobil 1