I need help understanding if Redline or Amsoil is worth it.

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2019 Accord Sport 2.0t
I don't find it funny, I think if I don't use the right oil the super the turbo will crap out some day and it will be a bazillion dollars to replace.
Nice car.

The oil cooled turbo on my '86 Volvo 740 Turbo lasted for the whole time I owned it, 18 1/2 years and 285,000 km with 3 monthly conventional oil changes. And oils back then weren't nearly as good as modern oils. So I don't really think you need some special oil.

The only things I did to baby that turbo were (1) to accelerate gently until the needle on the water temp gauge was at least off the pin, (2) to take it easy coming into my neighbourhood before shutting off the car, and (3) after running hard on the highway (where the turbo would glow dark red) to let it idle a few minutes before shutting off the engine.
 
tldr: is premium oil really worth premium prices for a daily ricer?

In doing some searching on the forum none of the threads really help me understand if it's worth either brand, just that there's tons of addictive in Redline, and Amsoil isn't really worth it. And this thread: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/am-i-wasting-money-with-amsoil-schaeffers.332678/ kinda makes me think the verdict is still out on "worth".

My car has a turbo direct injection gasoline engine that's open port with an aluminum block. I drive regularly 90% of the time, and beat it somewhat hard 10%. I live in a part of the country that is cold more than hot (PA). In my engine I notice a difference if I use Redline and the highest octane Shell Gas.

Today I switched to Amsoil and it just ... I'm not impressed. I definetly feel a difference but it's not an improvement. The other thing is I hear quite often "oil is just oil, and it's not worth the price". Is that true? I really hammer this car sometimes and want it to last at least 5 years.
I've been beating my car for years on bulk conventional/syn blend with 5k oci with no problems. I think using top tier higher octane gas is a good idea with DI/turbos, along with a bottle of Gumout/Techron every OCI. Maybe a good Euro synthetic. With today's high quality oils, past a point you're really paying a lot more for diminishing returns.
 
I mean if any of us were being honest about the economics of all this, we’d let Jiffy Lube change our oil and spend our time obsessing about home improvement projects to increase the values of our homes. You might save a few grand over a lifetime being obsessive about car maintenance. You build your own sunroom and deck and remodel your kitchen and bathrooms with your own labor, you did a heck of a lot better with your time financially than those of us using that time to send samples off to Blackstone!
I’m still trying to find things to sample in the house too! Actually 5th wheel because that’s home for a while. Only so many times you can pack trailer wheel bearings! 😂
 
Do you beat your engine like this?
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This is part of Porsche oil test. If you are that concerned with oil, get Castrol 0W40 in Wal Mart. Castrol 0W40 has numerous approvals, including Porsche A40. Redline is very application specific oil that doesn’t have ANY approval. It would be good track oil, short OCI oil. For daily driving you want regular oil that is designed for trips to daycare, school, work, occasionally fast drive, even track, like that Castrol. Oils like Redline have their drawbacks, and if you are not tracking your car often, you might end up doing more harm.
What I do when I beat it is dial it back a few gears at a time and give it a little bit more gas. That takes it to under 2k to above 4k, and sometimes above 5k when I go down 3 gears. I don't run it in sport mode long or do that often because it's for short blasts to overtake on the highway or do a fun turn. I don't do whole hours or even a quarter of one at "race speeds" on my car but in a blue moon, so not even once a month. I could do that in my v6s (I had a 2005 CTS and 2016 Accord Sport) and wasn't worried but these TDIs scare me because people just talk poorly about them despite some incredibly fast cars being TDIs and people beat on them!
 
Here's how I look at it.
If you drive the average everyday type of vehicle(even in its top trim line) and drive it like a human being or even a little aggressively(too many cups of coffee) now & again, you don't need any special oil other than what the owner's manual calls for. Just pick a brand that helps you sleep at night.

However, if you have an engine that is really something special for really aggressive type of driving, off-roading or racetrack type of driving, then you indeed need an oil that can handle those extra loads/revs/speeds.

Otherwise, save yourself some money and buy the proper oil for your vehicle at the best price you can and change it on time. Oils are that good today!
 
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If you feel the engine runs smoother or quieter on the oil of your choice, that's as good a reason as any to stay with that oil. Other than that oil is a commodity these days just as a cell phone is. Every phone you buy will take and make calls and let you send and receive texts. the rest is just unnecesary stuff trying to push you in buying a more expensive model. And there's nothing wrong with wanting that if you can afford it. Same with the oil.
 
tldr: is premium oil really worth premium prices for a daily ricer?

In doing some searching on the forum none of the threads really help me understand if it's worth either brand, just that there's tons of addictive in Redline, and Amsoil isn't really worth it. And this thread: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/am-i-wasting-money-with-amsoil-schaeffers.332678/ kinda makes me think the verdict is still out on "worth".

My car has a turbo direct injection gasoline engine that's open port with an aluminum block. I drive regularly 90% of the time, and beat it somewhat hard 10%. I live in a part of the country that is cold more than hot (PA). In my engine I notice a difference if I use Redline and the highest octane Shell Gas.

Today I switched to Amsoil and it just ... I'm not impressed. I definetly feel a difference but it's not an improvement. The other thing is I hear quite often "oil is just oil, and it's not worth the price". Is that true? I really hammer this car sometimes and want it to last at least 5 years.
Its winter time in PA right now -- it is not cold more than hot/warm in PA overall. Were just getting a good/old fashioned winter this year compared to the last couple years.
 
tldr: is premium oil really worth premium prices for a daily ricer?

In doing some searching on the forum none of the threads really help me understand if it's worth either brand, just that there's tons of addictive in Redline, and Amsoil isn't really worth it. And this thread: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/am-i-wasting-money-with-amsoil-schaeffers.332678/ kinda makes me think the verdict is still out on "worth".

My car has a turbo direct injection gasoline engine that's open port with an aluminum block. I drive regularly 90% of the time, and beat it somewhat hard 10%. I live in a part of the country that is cold more than hot (PA). In my engine I notice a difference if I use Redline and the highest octane Shell Gas.

Today I switched to Amsoil and it just ... I'm not impressed. I definetly feel a difference but it's not an improvement. The other thing is I hear quite often "oil is just oil, and it's not worth the price". Is that true? I really hammer this car sometimes and want it to last at least 5 years.
Simple answer is no !
There are plenty of off the shelf oils at a fraction of the cost that will give you the same results and likely never notice any difference.

In a Chrysler 300 that i had years ago the only BIG difference i felt in using redline was a wallet that was $70 dollars lighter than using valvoline that i normally ran .
 
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I really like Redline motor oils. Everything is at a price point. I purchase what I can afford. Only the consumer can decide! We are blessed to have so many options. Of course; follow your Owner's Manual for the specification required for your application. Best of luck sir!
 
are you doing a long oil change interval?

if so, then yes, amsoil is def worth it.
Yes, true. Others make a claim or two, but just don't have the proven extended drain capability.

But Amsoil also offers a variety of oils, some very price competitive if that is how you shop.

I don't quite understand the OP. "Feel" a difference? "Not impressed" ? This really is lacking detail. What was the expectation? What were you expecting to "feel"? If something isn't working right with the car after an oil change, it probably wasn't the oil itself.
 
If only 5 years life than Mobil 1 ESP or Pennzoil PUP will do the trick for a lot less money. In PA, are you considering a 0W20 or 30 oil . Should help the turbo in cold weather.
 
I mean if any of us were being honest about the economics of all this, we’d let Jiffy Lube change our oil and spend our time obsessing about home improvement projects to increase the values of our homes. You might save a few grand over a lifetime being obsessive about car maintenance. You build your own sunroom and deck and remodel your kitchen and bathrooms with your own labor, you did a heck of a lot better with your time financially than those of us using that time to send samples off to Blackstone!
Absolutely true!!!!!!!!!!
 
Again there are oils available off the shelf offering extended change intervals at a fraction of the cost.
I do an oil change in my buddy's Sequoia once a year.....every January. He has a year to find his juice of choice on sale. And at 8 quarts he needs to. M1 5/20 EP with a 20k life. This ended up being a $45 OC. Not bad for once a year.

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I doubt you could feel a difference unless it is confirmation bias. I think I can feel a difference immediately arter I change dirty oil for clean oil regardless of brand, but even that might be my imagination.
Honestly I sometimes do too. Usually I get an uptick in gas mileage for maybe a week or 500 miles. But that could be coincidence.
 
My goal is almost always to find/buy name brand synthetic with a rebate or on clearance. Like $2 dollars a quart when I’m done. I live for that stuff. Lol

But there are times when I do wonder if a boutique oil will be “worth it”. Probably more from a “mentally worth it” perspective, but hey, that’s usually worth it all by itself. But I haven’t done it yet, maybe some day...definitely not today, today I’m taking advantage of the Pennzoil rebate and heading out to Walmart to buy two jugs.
 
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