Difference between budget friendly and Higher priced oil

[Bill7]

I'm sure this question has been asked countless times but I can't seem to get read data. I'm running a 5.0 Ford engine.
I'm looking to reset my budget on oil cost. However I don't want to use poor quality oil. I'm reading differing opinions
on Synthetic vs Synthetic blend 5W20. I currently use Super Tech by Walmart. I understand it's produced by Warren. I change oil and filter every 5-7,000 miles.
80% open road miles. Engine currently has 184,000 miles. Doesn't burn any oil between changes. Should I stay with what I currently use or move up to something like Motorcraft or AmsOil? Also, Is it really a good practice to run oil 10-15,000 miles? Is it a waste to change it every 5,000? Thank you in advance for your assistance.

I've been using SuperTech High Mileage Full Synthetic 5W-30 on all my vehicles.
I like it's additive package with high levels of anti-wear additives: phosphorous and zinc, and detergent additive: Calcium.
I also like that it's Dexos 1 Gen 3 approved, so it should do well in preventing sludge and varnish deposits.

My only concern about the SuperTech High Mileage Full Synthetic oil would be how effective are its seal conditioners to swell your engine seals to help prevent oil leaks. I have seen a few posts on BITOG about people using Pennzoil HMFS and Valvoline HMFS with them saying those oils helped to stop an existing leak. I was unable to find any posts about people saying SuperTech HMFS helped stop an existing oil leak, so it's unknow if it's seal conditioners are effective.

 

[Hermann]

If what your doing ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Hall]

My question was, Is it worth the money to upgrade "brand"?

No

 

[OilStainedNapkin]

syn blend. I've been going by the manual. My question was, Is it worth the money to upgrade "brand"?

Is it in an f150?

 

[thetricky]

The boutiques get you longer drains while maintaining protection and clean/keep clean power. If you don’t want longer drains then you still get the cleaning affect. Personally, it’s a waste to not extend drains for the extra you pay for those oils.

 

[Bill7]

The boutiques get you longer drains while maintaining protection and clean/keep clean power. If you don’t want longer drains then you still get the cleaning affect. Personally, it’s a waste to not extend drains for the extra you pay for those oils.

Nice post. You answered the question the OP had in 2 lines. Good answer.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Personally, it’s a waste to not extend drains for the extra you pay for those oils.

Waste is doing drugs, gambling, smoking, drinking, pro sports tickets, restaurants and bars....etc.

 

[thetricky]

Waste is doing drugs, gambling, smoking, drinking, pro sports tickets, restaurants and bars....etc.

A few of those are not a waste! So paying for a 20k oil and dumping it at 5k is somehow not a waste? Suppose if it makes you “feel” better…

 

[Redhawk454]

The benefits of higher priced motor oils are more anti wear additives, more anti friction additives, better base stock composition and sometimes higher priced oils are on the thicker side

Ymmv

 

[Redhawk454]

Waste is doing drugs, gambling, smoking, drinking, pro sports tickets, restaurants and bars....etc.

Yep. Couldn’t have said it better myself

 

[Nesterenko]

For not much more $ at all. Mobil 1 ESP whichever grade at Walmart. I think that would be an upgrade for sure. Or leave it be...

 

[4WD]

*

^^ This ^^

 

[thetricky]

The benefits of higher priced motor oils are more anti wear additives, more anti friction additives, better base stock composition and sometimes higher priced oils are on the thicker side

Ymmv

Yep, which all leads to the benefits I wrote about above.

 

[GRUMPYDUDE2]

"change oil and filter every 5-7,000 miles.
80% open road miles".

About as easy on oil as it gets, No worries with what your doing.
Any oil you choose will do very well, no need to change brand and expect something magic to happen.

 

[Hall]

Waste is doing drugs, gambling, smoking, drinking, pro sports tickets, restaurants and bars....etc.

Those are your opinion(s) of waste. Others think other things are a waste.

 

[Jetronic]

Waste is doing drugs, gambling, smoking, drinking, pro sports tickets, restaurants and bars....etc.

I'm glad you didn't mention hookers

 

[Bill7]

My opinion is if you buy a brand new car, and drive it 300,000 miles using exclusively any Dexos 1 Gen 3 oil like SuperTech Full Synthetic High Mileage ($18.64 for a 5 quart jug) with reasonable oil change intervals and did an engine tear down afterwards, you would have exactly the same outcome as if you used one of the expensive oils instead. The only difference would be your wallet would be a lot heavier if you used SuperTech.

 

[jetman]

Whatever fits your budget at WallyWorld or amzn.
and 5-7k miles will work, all as long as you're not towing/racing/short tripping it or driving like a fool.

 

[Redhawk454]

A few of those are not a waste! So paying for a 20k oil and dumping it at 5k is somehow not a waste? Suppose if it makes you “feel” better…

Oil changes are so cheap… and on the bottle somewhere it’ll say 20k mile oci, or one year AND follow OEM’s oil change interval.

And then if you do extended oci’s you have to pay money for a UOA..

I like 25$ VOA’s though to see additive levels and kinematic viscosity

 

[camrydriver111]

If what your doing ain't broke, don't fix it.

There is almost always better ways of doing things. We can always learn new things and improve.