M1 0W-40 vs Shell Rotella 5W-40

[brucelee]

I think these are both pretty good oils. The car is a 1999 BMW 328I and BMW approves of the M1 oil.

Since the Rotella is so much cheaper, I am wondering what you oil expert guys think. The product data is pretty close on these I think.

Thanks!

 

[brucelee]

PS- I change oil and filter every 5K miles, the car has 93K on it and I drive about 10K per year.

Thanks again.

 

[Gary Allan]

I would use it. It's not as "continental" as the 0w-40 M1 ..but I'm sure will do a stellar job of keeping your bmw in fine shape. RTS is not whimpy like M1 0w-40.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Is Shell Rotella syn that much cheaper than Mobil1?

And I don't know how you call Mo1 (ACEA3) 0W-40 "wimpy." It's been in many Mercedes engines and was their single European weight for many years I believe...

 

[moribundman]

Last time I checked no run-of-the-mill MB came with ANY 0W-X from the factory -- only the AMG (hand-assembled engine, one (wo)man per engine).

 

[J]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nickdfresh:
Is Shell Rotella syn that much cheaper than Mobil1?

---

Shell Rotella synthetic is fake synthetic (group
III) and is $3.5/qt, which is cheaper than
Mobil 1.

Shell Rotella synthetic is a good oil.

 

[Nickdfresh]

I'm sure it's a good oil... I've been led to believe that it's a composite of GroupIII and GroupIV (at Shell's official forum), but I have no idea...

Anyhoo, I thought I've seen it a bit more pricey than that at Wally World and closer to Mo1 at over $4++ a quart, but it's been a while since I've been there...

 

[Gary Allan]

It may be over $4 a quart ..but it's $14.xx a gallon.

 

[Curious Kid]

"Shell Rotella synthetic is fake synthetic (group III)..."

I can't help but to see this as opinion. The lines are blurred if you ask me. Why else would it be able to be called a "synthetic"? Marketing? Someone's cashing in on the labling? I can't honestly say yes or no (though I would tend to think so). Then again, just how many of us use words by there published definitive meaning? I for one think that the words "never" and "always" should raise red flags for one's thoughts, but so could "should". Strange.

Thinking of the synthetics thing now, I wouldn't use a product just because it's said to be synthetic or synthesized, but rather because it has proven itself to be adequate or better in such an application, as many seem to point out when someone asks "what's the best motor oil for...?". I wonder just how much one has become entangled in the broad commercialized points - "benefits", even though few of us may ever see such extremes, for which I wonder what other design inadequacy may present themselves under such conditions???

 

[brucelee]

At Wally World, I usually pay about $13.50 for 4 qts of the Shell.

With the M1 0-40, I think the best I can do is $5 a qt.

So, it is not a huge difference.

 

[427Z06]

If the Rotella T-Syn 5w40 can save you some money, give it a shot. You can also look in the UOA section and see if anyone else has used it in this application.

 

[Kestas]

brucelee posts that he's from CA. Without the harsh winters, 5W-40 should be plenty good. If he drives a lot of freeway, then he could even go higher.