Does this make sense? Trying to find a new oil...

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Hello all, I've been looking around this site for awhile but as you can imagine, it's hard to find a definitive answer on things when there are so many factors involved (price, make, model, opinion...)

I bought a brand new 2010 Toyota Corolla XRS (5-spd manual, 2.4L I4) in June of 2011 and aside from the first two oil changes, I have been doing my own every 8-10k, full synthetic. The man. recommended oil is 0w-20 or 5w-20. Not sure what they used in the dealership/Mr. Lube, but I have been using Mobil 1 or Castrol 0w-20 for my own changes. For personal reasons, I would rather not use either of those brands, and I hear Amsoil is better anyway.

So, after looking at the Amsoil website (there's even a warehouse in my city), I have narrowed it down to two choices:
-0w-30 Signature Series Full Synthetic (AZO)
-5w-20 Dominator Synthetic Racing Oil (RD20)

About my driving.. I'm in the "big" city of Edmonton (1mil+) so there's a fairly balanced combination of highway/city driving. I drive my car pretty hard, getting it up to 210km/hr occasionally and frequently hitting 130-160 on the higway. Average highway cruise speed is 120-130, and in the city I still push it pretty hard. Winter temps drop to -40C (-40F) for at least 1 week every winter, and summers are mild and peak at about 30C (86F), lasting about 2 or 3 months if we're lucky
frown.gif


So after typing all this out, it feels like I've answered my own question and will likely go with the 0w-30. I do still like my good mileage after all that abusive driving! Any thoughts? Input is much appreciated..
 
If you're not racing, I wouldn't use the racing oil, narrowing down to 0w30. The corolla however calls for a 20 weight oil, so I'd be shy of running a 30 weight oil in that application.

What about using pennzoil or Quaker state? Both are good oils (so are mobil 1 and castrol), and would be perfect for your car.
 
Amsoil makes a SS 0w20 and 5w20. these are your best options.

you do not need the dominator racing oil in a street driven corolla. and i would stay with the factory recommendation of 20wt.
 
Welcome to the Forum.

You can use Amsoil 0W-30 AZO (as I do) in the summer and 0W-20 Signature Series in the winter.

0W-30 AZO year around is acceptable too.
 
+1
Originally Posted By: 147_Grain
Welcome to the Forum.

You can use Amsoil 0W-30 AZO (as I do) in the summer and 0W-20 Signature Series in the winter.

0W-30 AZO year around is acceptable too.
 
I do not advise using Dominator 5W-20 for street driving.

Any of the street 0W-20 or 5W-20's will serve you well, but for 8-10K the SS would be best.

If you want to pick up at the local warehouse you will need to be a Preferred Customer (PC). Please sign up as a PC through me, as I am the BITOG Amsoil sponsor. Thanks.
 
thanks all for the replies. I won't get into the Mobil or Castrol politics here, and since Pennzoil and Quaker State ranked 3rd and 4th, I would rather go with Amsoil. I bought brand new so I could maintain it from the get-go with the best products.

How much damage can actually be done from running higher viscosity oil than what Toyota recommends? While I do like good gas mileage, I feel like my driving habits don't totally correspond with the "green" 0w-20 choice. But, obviously, if 0w-30 is going to bunk up my car, then I would avoid it.

Also, does anyone NOT recommend using SeaFoam?? Friends have used it in the past, and it sounds good, but I'm still only 46k into my first car so I could be wrong..
 
Originally Posted By: b0ssh0gg
since Pennzoil and Quaker State ranked 3rd and 4th, I would rather go with Amsoil. I bought brand new so I could maintain it from the get-go with the best products.


What "ranking" are you talking about?

It appears you are still under at least the powertrain warranty period, why use anything but what the manufacturer recommends?

With a decent oil and OCI that works for your car there should never be any reason to use SeaFoam. SeaFoam is a last attempt to get a sludged up engine to run well enough to trade it off.
 
Just a thought have you considered using PetroCanada's Synthetic 0w20?? Most of the BITOG community don't think of this as an option because it's not readily available outside of Canada.

Great oil, a little pricey, but you are considering Amsoil, so I am assuming price is not factoring in too much.
 
Originally Posted By: BrandonT
Originally Posted By: b0ssh0gg
since Pennzoil and Quaker State ranked 3rd and 4th, I would rather go with Amsoil. I bought brand new so I could maintain it from the get-go with the best products.


What "ranking" are you talking about?

It appears you are still under at least the powertrain warranty period, why use anything but what the manufacturer recommends?

With a decent oil and OCI that works for your car there should never be any reason to use SeaFoam. SeaFoam is a last attempt to get a sludged up engine to run well enough to trade it off.


the ranking was something I looked up when I started doing oil changes, wasn't anything too in-depth but gave a quick overall summary of the major oils. Probably not too relevant, although the prices tend to follow the rankings to some extent.

I am still under warranty, however unbeknownst to me I was supposed to be keeping specific track of change intervals and receipts, which I have not done thus far. I've been told that voids the warranty in most cases, so hopefully Toyota's reputation holds up.

Seeing as how I already have a can of Sea Foam, it's certainly not going to hurt anything is it? I don't drink booze so I can afford all these little extras
smile.gif


Originally Posted By: Solarent
Just a thought have you considered using PetroCanada's Synthetic 0w20?? Most of the BITOG community don't think of this as an option because it's not readily available outside of Canada.

Great oil, a little pricey, but you are considering Amsoil, so I am assuming price is not factoring in too much.



I have seen that oil actually and did think it was quite pricey for a gas station brand oil...that being said Exxon and BP both have gas stations and sell some good oil under different branding. Thanks for the tip I'll look into it.
 
Originally Posted By: b0ssh0gg
I have seen that oil actually and did think it was quite pricey for a gas station brand oil...that being said Exxon and BP both have gas stations and sell some good oil under different branding. Thanks for the tip I'll look into it.


I wouldn't call it a gas station brand oil. PetroCanada is a Suncor company and is one of only 2 refiners that has the capacity to make their own Group III base oils in North America (Chevron is the other one). They were also responsible for packaging TGMO in Canada for a while. IMO it is one of the best 0W 20 oils on the market in Canada.
 
Originally Posted By: b0ssh0gg
How much damage can actually be done from running higher viscosity oil than what Toyota recommends? While I do like good gas mileage, I feel like my driving habits don't totally correspond with the "green" 0w-20 choice. But, obviously, if 0w-30 is going to bunk up my car, then I would avoid it.



No, don't worry about running 0w30 in your car. If you don't mind losing 0.5% in fuel economy that results from running 30 instead of 20, there is no issue.

Because of your -40 degree cold start temperatures, you should be looking for oils that have the best pumpability ratings (MRV on a spec sheet). M1 0w20 and 0w30 AFE have the best that I've seen in the States. PetroCanada specializes in winter blends, so I wouldn't be surprised if they also have some oils with excellent cold temperature performance.
 
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Originally Posted By: Solarent

I wouldn't call it a gas station brand oil. PetroCanada is a Suncor company and is one of only 2 refiners that has the capacity to make their own Group III base oils in North America (Chevron is the other one). They were also responsible for packaging TGMO in Canada for a while. IMO it is one of the best 0W 20 oils on the market in Canada.


Is PetroCanada new to oil then..? Because as far as I know, Suncor's acquisition of them is pretty recent.

Originally Posted By: A_Harman

No, don't worry about running 0w30 in your car. If you don't mind losing 0.5% in fuel economy that results from running 30 instead of 20, there is no issue.

Because of your -40 degree cold start temperatures, you should be looking for oils that have the best pumpability ratings (MRV on a spec sheet). M1 0w20 and 0w30 AFE have the best that I've seen in the States. PetroCanada specializes in winter blends, so I wouldn't be surprised if they also have some oils with excellent cold temperature performance.


So correct me if I'm wrong, but the tradeoff is 0.5% fuel economy for better engine protection when I'm driving it hard?

Driving is soft in the winter... what if I went Amsoil 0w-30 in the summer, and PetroCanada 0w-20 in the winter, similar to what someone previously suggested?

On a side note, PartSource had a special on Mobil1 5w-20 ($28.99 for 4.4L!) so I had to set my morals aside and save a few bucks, but I'm hoping to implement 0w-30 summer/0w-20 winter for the next change. I'll have to compare MRV #'s to decide on a brand.
 
Originally Posted By: b0ssh0gg

On a side note, PartSource had a special on Mobil1 5w-20 ($28.99 for 4.4L!) so I had to set my morals aside and save a few bucks, but I'm hoping to implement 0w-30 summer/0w-20 winter for the next change. I'll have to compare MRV #'s to decide on a brand.


I don't know what it is you have against the Mobil brand, but if you were standing in front of me and said you set your morals aside for an inexpensive bottle of oil, you can bet I'd kick you in the head and run away.

...or try to anyway.
 
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