Mobil 1 5w-20 vs. Redline 5w-20

[unDummy]

Ditto, I also support the smaller companies when I can afford to. I usually don't mind paying a little extra for boutique fluids.

M1 is great stuff. And, may even have better TBN retention for longer OCIs. But, Redline, IMO, is a better oil. My cars just sound and perform better on it which a UOA doesn't see.
Currently, I'm blending about 25% of Redline into my M1 or Rotella oils. Too bad that the Advanceauto clearance rack is all sold out. My Redline stock is running out.

 

[sprintman]

Why has nobody mentioned Fuchs Titan GT1 0W20? It's a well proven oil and for Northern Hemisphere winters should be better than 5W20 IMO.

 

[unDummy]

Nothing wrong with Titan oil other than the supply. Autozone/Wallyworld don't sell it. There are other oils like Neo, Torco, Motul, Lubromoly, Silkolene, Kemopro.... that are probably just as good. But, this is a M1 vs RL thread.

 

[Alcibiades]

"would I pay more for your 250,000 mile used car if you used Redline vs Mobil One?"

That's a good way to put the question. My sense of the matter, from my own limited research in this forum and a few other places, is that at 100k, you would pay a minimal differnce or no difference, at 250k a somewhat greater difference, but at 500k a significant difference. At some point down the road, perhaps after 500k, that difference would begin to decrease. This is assuming all other maintenance is carefully attended to.

Before the flamethrowers come out, let me add that my suggestion is hypothetical, could be entirely wrongheaded, and would probably need testing by several engine teardowns over time to confirm or dismiss.

 

[ruking77]

quote:

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Originally posted by Alcibiades:
"would I pay more for your 250,000 mile used car if you used Redline vs Mobil One?"

That's a good way to put the question. My sense of the matter, from my own limited research in this forum and a few other places, is that at 100k, you would pay a minimal differnce or no difference, at 250k a somewhat greater difference, but at 500k a significant difference. At some point down the road, perhaps after 500k, that difference would begin to decrease. This is assuming all other maintenance is carefully attended to.

Before the flamethrowers come out, let me add that my suggestion is hypothetical, could be entirely wrongheaded, and would probably need testing by several engine teardowns over time to confirm or dismiss.

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I also come from it with a reality base. I have gone 250,000 on a 1970 VW Beetle when the standards for oil were in fact primitive against todays standards. I needed a clutch job at app 109,000 or realistically was thinking the worst. When I saw I had a lot more to go on the clutch it became, do the job since it is apart anyway. In those days 3,000 mile ocis was "pushing it". Another one was a 1987 Toyota Landcruiser. I did 15,000 mile OCI's. So indeed I do not see 250,000 as particularly the "holy grail" anymore. What I do see as part of the game is to go 10,000-20,000 ocis and STILL do 250,000 and have only marginal wear if any at all and spotless innards on a 5w20 oil for a 2004 Honda Civic!!

 

[HondaMan]

quote:

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Originally posted by surfstar:

The big debate is whether or not dino would do the same.

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Amen brother.

 

[ThirdGear]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I suppose it's "do UOAs and see how things turn out." As far as the car being driven hard - no. He takes it pretty easy. He's as anal about his civic as I am about my Corvette.

I'd be open to researching other oils besides M1/Redline. Fuchs oil looks intersting (in a good way) I like to see some data on it though. I'd also have to see where the heck I could buy it from.

 

[buster]

ThridGear, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Any oil will give you long engine life. All the SM-GF4 oils are great. You really can't go wrong with the oil you chose. Just keep up with other maint. and you'll be fine.

 

[Thatwouldbegreat]

quote:

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And you don't think other oils that have bigger research products don't improve their blends?

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I'm sure they do. Although some big oil companies reformulate to the detriment of the oil's quality and performance, but profit margins and marketing hype sure increase.

Since Redline doesn't change their labels or have any ads about 'liquid engineering' or hockey players and firemen telling me its one tough oil, or Nascar driver's recanting their experiences...there has never been much communication from Redline about 'New & Improved'.

The reality is that they are constantly improving, when I had expected that the Redline bought this year was exactly the same formula as the Redline I bought two years ago.

 

[TooSlick]

I'd use Redline and change it every 10k-12k miles. Both oils will generate low wear rates, but I feel RL does better in terms of minimizing high temp engine deposits on the pistons and in the ring grooves.

TS

 

[Winston]

I am about to switch to Redline, with 10k OCI's. From the anecdotal evidence seen here regarding, cleanliness, anti friction, heat resistance, small oil company trying to make the best oil, etc. I think it is better than Mobil 1, and not much more expensive.