2015 Prius... Toyota 0w20 or...?

[sdude2k2000]

My head is spinning from all the stuff I've researched lately about 0w20 oils for my new Prius. On one hand, there appears to be a camp of folks that seem to think TGMO 0w20 is golden elixir given to us from heaven... while I tend to feel it's just an oil specially made by Mobil for Toyota based on what Toyota requested (as most OEM's now do). Per the MSDS it's 70%-80% Group III+ (much like standard Mobil Super Syn)... but obviously is not exactly the same as the viscosity index is much higher and the add-pack is slightly different (no Boron - a bit more Moly). The pour point of TGMO seems not too good for a 0w20 and the CCS/MRV viscosities don't do as well as other 0w20 offerings (i.e. Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w20). AFE on the other hand is 30%-40% PAO + 30%-40% Group III+ (per the MSDS)... and it still includes a good shot of Moly with some Boron as well. Pour point, MRV, etc all appears superior... so overall impression is that the AFE is truly the better oil all around, with the TGMO only being better in viscosity index. Then again - is it really better if a whole bunch of VI-improvers are used to generate the high VI?

I guess I could just use some overall input on what others feel would be ideal for my application. My drivings habits include pretty short trips during the week (less than 5mi round trip to and from work)... but I typically get in a good 30-40mi highway trip a couple times a month. I can get TGMO 0w20 for around $5.50/quart at my local Toyota Dealer. I can also get 6-quarts of Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy @ Costco for $27.99 (on sale this month) AND get a $12 mail-in-rebate... which breaks out to $2.67/quart.

 

[bigt61]

Get the Costco 6 pack, you'll be fine. I'm pretty sure any 0W-20 will work OK with normal factory OCI.

 

[WankelRotorHead]

AFE will do just fine for the Toyota OCI's, for the price with rebate that's a hard deal to pass up.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

ENEOS Sustina or MGMO.

 

[Oregoonian]

To much head spinning.....Just choose any 0w20.....and your Prius won't know the difference. Why obsess with all this nonsense.

Common sense would cause me to choose the Costco deal on Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy. Save the money....to replace those batteries when needed.

 

[A_Harman]

You're mostly a short tripper, and Oregon doesn't get cold enough where you're going to be challenging MRV and Pour Point temperatures. Going with the TGMO may give a slight fuel economy benefit because it will be thinner than AFE most of the time you are driving.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

There is no formally defined API GRP III+ AKAIK.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Any Full Synthetic 0W20 will be good for any engine requires 0W20. I buy/use any name brand Full Synthetic 0W20 based on price.

 

[sdude2k2000]

Originally Posted By: Oregoonian
To much head spinning.....Just choose any 0w20.....and your Prius won't know the difference. Why obsess with all this nonsense.

Common sense would cause me to choose the Costco deal on Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy. Save the money....to replace those batteries when needed.


This is where I'm at for the most part. I know I'm over thinking it (call it my OCD).

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
There is no formally defined API GRP III+ AKAIK.


You may be right, but Mobil defines their Visom base stock as Group III+... so that's why I used the term.

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
ENEOS Sustina or MGMO.


Sustina is WAY too expensive... I have no interest in it. Mazda 0w20 was a thought, but I feel the same way about it as I do about Toyota 0w20.

 

[PandaBear]

Toyota needs to look out for the bottom line and they spec an oil that is good enough for the need but not perfect and overpriced for their need, this gets them TGMO.

Unfortunately Toyota won't be getting mail in rebate from Mobil for the quantity, so they will not be selling the oil for $2.67/qt.

If you can get AFE for $2.67, by all means get them and use them.

 

[[email protected]]

Soooooo Ive ALWAYS been a DIY'er with my oil changes UNTIL I bought my certified 2012 Prius. I figured I am going to let my dealer change the oil until the Certified Powertrain Warranty expires. Its $40, and I get to walk to the really awesome thrift store next door while they are changing it.

Ive talked to the tech and he said they DO use Toyota 0w20 (instead of generic bulk oil). From what I read here, that is not always the standard across Toyota Dealerships.

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted By: sdude2k2000
On one hand, there appears to be a camp of folks that seem to think TGMO 0w20 is golden elixir given to us from heaven...

If you are trying to find a more premium oil, why are you even considering Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0W-20 SN? Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w20 SN is a clearly more premium oil than Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0W-20 SN -- as stated by Mobil -- as it has far more PAO and a stronger additive pack.

I would say do a used oil analysis with TGMO and then another used oil analysis with Mobil 1 Extended Performance. If you notice a significant difference, stick with the better one.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: A_Harman
You're mostly a short tripper, and Oregon doesn't get cold enough where you're going to be challenging MRV and Pour Point temperatures. Going with the TGMO may give a slight fuel economy benefit because it will be thinner than AFE most of the time you are driving.


+1...not enough that you'll notice/measure, but it would be there.

If I had a Prius (and it was out of warranty), I'd be using Ravenol's 0W16...but those stars aren't in my alignment.

 

[sdude2k2000]

Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Originally Posted By: sdude2k2000
On one hand, there appears to be a camp of folks that seem to think TGMO 0w20 is golden elixir given to us from heaven...

If you are trying to find a more premium oil, why are you even considering Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0W-20 SN? Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w20 SN is a clearly more premium oil than Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0W-20 SN -- as stated by Mobil -- as it has far more PAO and a stronger additive pack.

I would say do a used oil analysis with TGMO and then another used oil analysis with Mobil 1 Extended Performance. If you notice a significant difference, stick with the better one.


I know Mobil 1 Extended Performance is a fantastic oil as well, but for the price difference between it and AFE, coupled with the lack of info regarding cold weather performance (which I do know is important in a hybrid) - it's not a consideration at this point. In addition - I'm curious how you say the add-pack is "stronger" than AFE as everything I see shows it to be generally the same. I DO know that there's about double the PAO content, but I'm also not going for a 15k OCI... so I don't know how beneficial that added benefit would be.

Just to be clear... my goal isn't to find the "most premium oil", but rather just trying to illicit general feedback and recommendations for my application. In this case... is TGMO truly worth twice the price (in the scenario I presented in my OP) as AFE? When from where I'm sitting - AFE appears to be a step above in terms of quality (per the things I mentioned in my OP).

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted By: sdude2k2000
Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Originally Posted By: sdude2k2000
On one hand, there appears to be a camp of folks that seem to think TGMO 0w20 is golden elixir given to us from heaven...

If you are trying to find a more premium oil, why are you even considering Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0W-20 SN? Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w20 SN is a clearly more premium oil than Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0W-20 SN -- as stated by Mobil -- as it has far more PAO and a stronger additive pack.

I would say do a used oil analysis with TGMO and then another used oil analysis with Mobil 1 Extended Performance. If you notice a significant difference, stick with the better one.


I know Mobil 1 Extended Performance is a fantastic oil as well, but for the price difference between it and AFE, coupled with the lack of info regarding its CCS/MRV, and the higher pour point (per the MSDS - not their website info) - it's not a consideration at this point. In addition - I'm curious how you say the add-pack is "stronger" than AFE as everything I see shows it to be generally the same. I DO know that there's about double the PAO content, but I'm also not going for a 15k OCI... so I don't know how beneficial that added benefit would be.

Just to be clear... my goal isn't to find the "most premium oil", but rather just trying to illicit general feedback and recommendations for my application. In this case... is TGMO truly worth twice the price (in the scenario I presented in my OP) as AFE? When from where I'm sitting - AFE appears to be a step above in terms of quality (per the things I mentioned in my OP).

Mobil already states that Mobil 1 Extended Performance has better cold performance than M1 and Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy. This is noted on their bottles with number of stars. This is because PAO has better cold performance than Group III. You should know to disregard MSDS's altogether -- they are not recipes. The reason they don't list MRV is because it's proprietary information, as disclosing it could reveal its PAO content indirectly.

Regarding the additive pack, used oil analysis show more detergents, boron, etc. in EP.

Regarding the price, Mobil 1 Extended Performance is less than 50 cents per quart more. TGMO's official list price is $6.58 per qt but good dealers sell it under $5 or $6 and bad dealers charge over the official list price:

http://www.toyomotorparts.com/parts/toyota-00279-0wqte-01_0w20-single-quart-w.html

http://www.trademotion.com/parts/index.c...p;siteid=214915

 

[sdude2k2000]

Gokhan - I'd encourage you to please re-read my initial post regarding price (I can get AFE for $2.67/quart after rebate right now). As for the EP -vs- AFE... I really don't want to get into a debate on it... just stating my rationale as to why I'm thinking the way I am. That's all.

 

[surfstar]

Since you'll never be able to decide on specs (no UOA will ever show that one of these is superior to the other), buy based on price! Its that easy. Go for the cheapest 0w20 you can get. Your car won't know the difference and you'll always have an easy way to make the decision. No more overanalyzing.

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted By: sdude2k2000
Gokhan - I'd encourage you to please re-read my initial post regarding price (I can get AFE for $2.67/quart after rebate right now). As for the EP -vs- AFE... I really don't want to get into a debate on it... just stating my rationale as to why I'm thinking the way I am. That's all.

I understand that you only care about the price.

However, Generation 3 Prius takes only 4.4 qt. If you got the 5 qt jug at Walmart or Amazon Prime everyday price, it's $28.68 (minus the $12 online Mobil rebate). So, you are paying only $0.69 + tax -- 69 cents + tax -- more for the entire oil change and putting in a more premium oil. For me, it's no brainer to pay 69 cents + tax more for a more premium oil change, regardless of the intended OCI.

 

[Nate1979]

I would not pay a penny more for an oil, especially one outsourced by Toyota just so it can have a Toyota brand on it. There is zero benefit to paying more for an oil when you can get cheaper at Walmart, especially when you can get top of the line oils for the same or less price. If it makes you feel better to run TGMO, I suggest you get your head examined

.

 

[sdude2k2000]

Originally Posted By: surfstar
No more overanalyzing.


LOL . Arguably the best advice given thus far!