This is purely a financial decision - taking advantage of the FCP Euro "lifetime warranty" - in which he can keep returning the "worn out" oil for new.
The OP has a Ferrari - why they're cheaping out on oil is beyond me.
Ferrari F430 oil
- Thread starter mkiv808
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The OP has a Ferrari - why they're cheaping out on oil is beyond me.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
The official Ferrari oil in North America switched in 2018 from Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w-40 to Pennzoil Platinum Racing 5w-40. My independent Ferrari service center purchases it by the drum from the local Shell distributor. I have been unable to find it on the shelf anywhere and I rarely need a top up. If I do, I just add a little Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w-40 and don't sweat it.
There is one place on line sells 6pk quart bottles for like $100.
https://evolubesupply.com/products/...klvRZk2IUuSBGgicV6pwNJVQspYHP7jLRlyv4qVSgKEnj
https://evosupplygroupcatalog.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/brands/files/Pennzoil/550051259-pds.pdf
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
Ferrari actually specifies a "racing" oil, since 2018. No idea why. That said, many owners that DIY, use any Euro spec 5w-40 (usually an LL-01) and never heard of an issue. Many just continue to use the previously approved Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w-40.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
Don't be blinded because he has a Ferrari. None of his questions or actions denote being cheap about oil. He wanted to use Redline 5w-40, hardly a cheap product. He is asking if there are any suitable substitutes since it is back ordered. The F430 requires 11 or 12 quarts for a change, plus an occasional top up. That is a considerable quantity, and if you can send it back for credit, what is wrong with that? He's not allowed because he owns a Ferrari?
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Why throw out money when I’m 2 miles from FCP?
You’re not throwing it out if you get the oil that you want for your car. Instead, you’re restricting your choices so that you can take advantage of a company’s warranty, in a way that I find distasteful.
Why not take advantage of a company’s warranty while you can? I mean, look how well that worked out for L.L. Bean…
What’s your car worth? Is it worth saving 50 bucks for each oil change?
What about spending a couple of extra bucks so that you get exactly the oil you want, that meets all the specifications, you desire, instead of limiting your choices just to be able to take advantage of FCP?
Read his reply. This is purely financial.
He wants to be able to take advantage of FCP Euro. That’s it. That way he can keep getting free oil changes when he turns in the “worn out“ oil and filters.
I’m not blinded by his choice of car, I’m just astonished that someone with an expensive car is trying to cheap out on the oil. I know what it’s like to put 10 quarts of expensive oil in the sump of a high-performance engine, take a look at my signature
lol, what?
First off, it isn’t a warranty. It’s simply a replacement guarantee. It’s not a situation where you return oil as “defective” to scam them.
They ENCOURAGE this. It’s called a loss leader. It’s a marketing strategy. Gets more people buying from them. Many who buy don’t follow through due to shipping costs and effort. It’s worked out for them as they’re nearly a billion a year company now. I remember when they were tiny. This replacement policy got them a lot of attention.
Lastly, why would running Motul, Liqui Moly, or Redline be a compromise?
The Motul 5w40 meets all specs needed.
I just happen to like Redline products.
Sheesh.
PS: not all Ferrari owners have money to burn. Many of us saved for these vehicles and are working stiffs like the rest of us. Chiding me for wanting to save a little money on a car I plan to over-maintain is wild.
Whatever you wanna call it, the fact is that you were limiting your choices so that you can take advantage of this program.
This is a false economy.
So, the laughable part of this whole discussion is that they don’t have the oil you want for your car and you are restricting your choices just to be able to save a couple of bucks.
Get the oil you want.
Get the oil that works best in your car for the way that you drive it.
There’s nothing false about it. More laughable is your casting aspersions on a forum to someone you’ve never met.
Maybe you should read their policy too.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/page/lifetime-guarantee
Anyway, that’s all I’ll say on the matter.
I’ve read their policy. I’ve bought five figures worth of parts from them. I knew them when they were Foreign Car Parts, Groton.
I wasn’t casting aspersions on anything except the decision to compromise on the oil you want over money.
A more accurate thread title would have been “help me pick a cheap oil for my Ferrari” - because it’s not about oil.
It’s about saving money on oil.
I wasn’t casting aspersions on anything except the decision to compromise on the oil you want over money.
A more accurate thread title would have been “help me pick a cheap oil for my Ferrari” - because it’s not about oil.
It’s about saving money on oil.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
So what? How is he taking advantage of FCP Euro? It is FCP Euro's choice to allow the return for credit of fluids, filters, gaskets, suspension parts, etc. That is part of their business decision. It has been going on for years now and if it becomes financially burdensome, then they can obviously end it.
Somehow you take offense with FCP Euro's return policy, and their customers using it. So be it, but that's on you. Not FCP Euro, or their customers.
How can FCP Euro afford to offer this?
We only offer high-quality parts and reputable brands. This makes warrantying everything for life a little easier, but we also consider replacements the cost of business for keeping our customers happy and coming back for life.
I'm still not seeing anything about him "cheaping out". None of the oils FCP Euro carries are cheap.
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edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
I would say it is more of dual street and track oil, rather than racing. It is both API SN and ACEA A3 oil. Interesting proposition for people who track vehicles.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
Nah, the car has a lot to do with it...otherwise you would be beating down other forum threads about FCP oil purchases and returns. But you picked out the Ferrari guy. Its okay if you own a VW or BMW...but not a Ferrari?
Not about a Ferrari - it's about saving money by getting an oil that doesn't meet his desired specification.Nah, the car has a lot to do with it...otherwise you would be beating down other forum threads about FCP oil purchases and returns. But you picked out the Ferrari guy. Its okay if you own a VW or BMW...but not a Ferrari?
So, he's compromising on the oil so that he can get it replaced free, rather than getting what he wanted.
That's not saving money.
That's making a mistake.
Doesn't matter who made the car, buying an oil that doesn't meet spec to save money is never a good idea.
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Literally the Ferrari specialists oil is PP Euro 5W40 which is cheap and available everywhere.
I love a good oil debate as much as the next BITOG'er, but IMHO this is one time when it's not required.
I love a good oil debate as much as the next BITOG'er, but IMHO this is one time when it's not required.
I made the thread asking opinions on the 5w50. I like Redline’s high HTHS and base oil composition so that’s why I was considering it.
There’s a few 5w40’s at FCP that work well.
That’s a high ZDDP oil. More for old British cars and Harleys.
F430s are in the low 100s now. Definitely an expensive car, but somewhat budget in the exotics realm.
Everyone I know who's in that segment didn't there by burning money needlessly. If an off the shelf euro oil does the job and you don't have to deal with shipping, getting free replacements from FCP is simply good finance sense.
For entertainment, go read ferrari chat oil posts sometime. There's guys running M1 0w40, Valvoline 5w40 Euro, the full gamut of $5-6/qt parts store oils. And then there's the guys insisting that the dealer-spec oil "foams" and causes untold damage--so you have to run 300V, Redline, etc.
This guy's car is long out of warranty, spec is irrelevant. As discussed many, many times on other threads about much cheaper cars.
Everyone I know who's in that segment didn't there by burning money needlessly. If an off the shelf euro oil does the job and you don't have to deal with shipping, getting free replacements from FCP is simply good finance sense.
For entertainment, go read ferrari chat oil posts sometime. There's guys running M1 0w40, Valvoline 5w40 Euro, the full gamut of $5-6/qt parts store oils. And then there's the guys insisting that the dealer-spec oil "foams" and causes untold damage--so you have to run 300V, Redline, etc.
This guy's car is long out of warranty, spec is irrelevant. As discussed many, many times on other threads about much cheaper cars.
Yeah, I’m thinking either the Motul 5w40 or Redline 0w40 at this point. Either should be as good or better than the original Shell oil they used. Certainly neither is a “cheap” oil.
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