Battle of the Big Three

Joined
Jan 25, 2003
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Location
Decatur AL USA
All else being equal (including price) which of the mainstream big three synthetics do you like and why.

Castrol Edge

Mobil 1 "Vanilla"

Pennzoil Platinum
 
Regular M1. I’ve saw OVERKILLS results using it and Tig1 has excellent results and been using it for over 40+ years 🇺🇸🇨🇦
 
Pennzoil Platinum would probably be my choice but wouldn't buy any of them unless they were cheaper than my store brand dino oil (which is rebranded SOPUS)
 
In the US I feel like Valvoline should replace Castrol as the 3rd option.

That being said, I guess M1 simply because of its never ending availability.
 
All else being equal (including price) which of the mainstream big three synthetics do you like and why.

Castrol Edge

Mobil 1 "Vanilla"

Pennzoil Platinum
If they meet the required spec, I'd consider them equal.

And price is almost never the same at a given point in time due to various sales/promos going on, so if they all meet the spec, then I'd go with the best deal ATM.
 
mobil 1, because it is the first synthetic motor oil that i “discovered” after buying my first new, nice car, a 1993 volvo 245 station wagon. it is also the first synthetic that my eyes still fall on when i’m checking out prices and availability of motor oils on display.

i bought that u.s. spec 245 in japan, took it to saudi arabia, back to japan, then to korea where i sold it 12 years later in 2005. annual oci with everywhere-available mobil 1 was simple and easy to remember. little bits and pieces on the volvo regularly failed but its engine was spectacularly spotless.
 
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I'm fine with any of them. I choose M1 as I have for decades but I realize that is brand loyalty behavior. If Pennzoil were $5 less per 5 quart jug I'd go with that. To take it further, if M1 wasn't sold in 5qt jugs at a reduced price over the quart price I'd be going SuperTech! :unsure:
 
I've used all three and prefer PP. Castrol Syntec was the very first synth I ever used. Then I was a die hard M1 15W50 user in my 300ZX. Next up was the PP program they did here and Gena sent me two cases of PPHM and two uoa kits. The way my 300ZX ran on PPHM was incredible! I've been a PP user ever since. With the occasional QSUD when I get bored :p
 
All of the modern oils from Valvoline, Castrol, Mobil and Pennzoil are so good. I'd rather use Valvoline over Castrol though. U.S. based company and I like their VIOC centers.
VAL ADV add pack looks like EDGE with intro of TI , wonder if both using AFTON , we could not tell them apart except EDGE had higher TBN . Wonder if that has changed with advent of API SP GF6 ?
 
I prefer Valvoline as you can look through the clear top to see if the foil seal has been tampered with or is missing.
 
Pennzoil would be my go to, Gena also hooked me up with PUP acouple years back. Have not looked back since. Also, Pennzoil was originally derived from Pennsylvania crude and I am a life long Pennsylvania resident.
 
Pennzoil would be my go to, Gena also hooked me up with PUP acouple years back. Have not looked back since. Also, Pennzoil was originally derived from Pennsylvania crude and I am a life long Pennsylvania resident.

:cool:(y)
 
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