OP here : For sake of arguement what I should have focused on is that Mobil 1 UOA’s or VOA’s can be deceiving just by looking at numbers alone (i.e. especially Moly if you don’t know the type of Moly used ?) Other additives may show low (or may not show up in a UOA or VOA at all) causing one to wrongly assume M1 oils compared to other brand oils make M1 oils not look so good …. The higher additive numbers must be better” hypothesis ? Now there is speculation that Mobil’s F1 racing oils use entirely new types of improved additives / formulations that will or have already made it into their consumer Triple Action oils may be better yet but still look plain in UOA / VOA reports … You end up with a “can’t judge a book by its cover” sort of thing going on with Mobil 1 UOA and VOA reports causing people to incorrectly think M1 oils again may not be so good . To end , I currently find Valvoline Restore and Protect intersting and may try it in the future . But day in and day out the Mobil 1 EP series or FS / ESP Euro SP conforming oils run at lower OCI’s (as long as I own Hyundai / Kia vehicles) is what I prefer to stay with .
Mobil 1 Undeserved Bad Reputation?
- Thread starter ChrisD46
- Start date
I’d love to see any data that confirms your claim on a statistically significant level.
Patman
Staff member
There is no such thing as “generic Costco Mobil 1”. They don’t alter their formula just to sell in Costco. It’s the exact same Mobil 1 that you can buy anywhere. Over the years many people have mistakenly assumed that when Mobil 1 is sold at a lower price in places like Walmart and Costco that it must therefore be a watered down version of it. But it’s not.Maybe this has been discussed in some other threads but I like to know what's so special about the Costco generic Mobil 1 (or Mobile 1 in South).
It is not Euro with any approvals and it's not EP or ESP and cost about $7 / qt.
I've bought LOTS of oil from Costco over the years mainly Chevron Supreme 5/10W-30 for ~ $2/qt on sale (proof that with shorter OCI, even dino or blend will do) or Kirkland Syn 5W-30 for ~$3/qt on sale. But when it comes to M1, I buy it at walmart. The EP and Euro are much cheaper than the generic Costco M1. I can always get the Euro for under $5 / qt same as Castrol Euro, I don't see the EP on sale as much but it's still ~$5.50 / qt and cheaper than Costco M1.
I currently have a $6 / qt (e.g. Valvoline EP) budget for engine oil.Mixed with using some cheaper Syn like Kirkland, Havoline, QS, etc. All with shorter OCIs. Every other oil change, the engine may get a nicer treat.
Agreed. Crazy stuff sometimes.
Official Ol’ of NASCAR… nuff said, bub. *spits tobacco into a spittoon*
Sure, but you'd need to show me the incremental value. To illustrate, I have a few jugs of Kirkland that I bought recently for pretty close to $15 each. I am generally not going more than 7,000 miles in the Honda products (usually 5,000 on the k series and 20-30% on maintenance minder on the J series. For me to go for the $27 product, you'd need to show me something for that $12 delta. Again, my inflection point is $23. If I see an in-spec Mobil 1 product at that price, I am a buyer.
Their prices are pretty good, but this brand is spendy.
How many engines have you had in that Hyundai?
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
There's multiple Kia and Hyundai messageboards around, to find the information you're interested in. Even here at BITOG, just give member Accent Abuser a PM shoutout. In the past few years, Abuser has pretty-much stuck with 5w50 and 15w50. I think he's replied once or twice inside this thread too.
Just because people haphazardly use something without a failure, that isn’t data you can draw scientific conclusions from. You’re obviously free to believe whatever you want, but I don’t trust one single brand-specific message board for anything relating to oil.
Somehow people on those boards tend to believe ouija boards and absolute nonsense rather than proven data and facts. This includes boards for the brands I own.
It’s even possible for some engines that you may be able to see some statistical difference in wear rates but never see any difference in the average lifespan, especially when there have been identified manufacturing or material issues.
Take the DOD engines from GM & Chrysler- you may have a failure at 25k or 250k. The only commonality is the poor quality lifters, and no oil is going to stop that eventually failure.
Not to get side tracked - but 2.4L Theta II failure hypothesis seem to center around soft bearings materials along with oil pump issues and : or oil pick up screen clogs . A Hyundai technician should be able to elaborate more . I just try to up the odds in my favor by using thicker X30 weight oils , keep oil level full , use a good oil filter and keep OCI’s low . If the engine goes - it won’t be because of my oil protocol and is beyond my control .
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
There are pics on those Kia and Hyundai messageboards that show the back wall of dealership service centers with failed motors stacked 3-4 high across the wall. There are also same customer receipts that show replacement work done. There's attorney documentions on those boards. There's stamped letterheads from Hyunkia Inc. of S. Korea that states to allow the use of 5w40 in some of those engines - to stop using 5w20 and switch to 5w30 in bulk tanks.
I used to trust your research + opinions here. Then after reading your reply, instantly I went 180 degrees in the opposite direction. Your data hullabaloo can't make Chris' nor my 2.4 run any better - wear-protect longer or stay cleaner. Like most-all oils, it's live trials that decide what's best for a particular engine in a certain price-point and I'm happy to say I did my part in helping Chris inside this thread and in numerous PMs.
I'm fine with what I wrote..... actually super happy that I can help Chris on occasion and he helps me on occasion. I'm fine with Amsoil Oils, despite the great data on the 0w30 Euro that instantly turned my wife's 2.0 Kia into an engine chatterbox. Five minutes later, the not-as-great Castrol Edge Euro oil and it's data returned her engine noise to a whisper quiet. Yet, there's no data on why that same used Amsoil Euro oil runs great and quiet in the 2.4 Hyundai I drive. I'm not running away from Amsoil Oils because of it. But that's a live trial I learned and a lesson learned that never trust data all the time. Our engines are the ones that tell us what works best, not 2nd party laboratories and math numbers that are allowed to change week-to-week, depending on inventories.
Last edited:
To your point about live trials being the ultimate nexus of what drives people like us here in this forum to do what we do, and not (always) what engineers and math nerds say, what would you say about me using an HPL 40wt on my Kia Sportage? It has the 2.4L and 111k miles on it. Uses a quart of oil every 500-600 miles or so (though that does seem to be improving, very slowly). I've used Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W30 for the last 6k miles, and am going to stick with it for the four 5k mile OCIs (at least) before trying HPL. But just something to think about.
To make the question easier for you to answer, I'll tell you straight up, I'd give a 40wt a try if the VRP had it available.
By generic Costco Mobil 1, I meant the regular M1 with no other bells & whistles like the EP, Euro or their ESP products. Maybe the way I worded it was confusing.
Also this regular M1 (generic / vanila?) formula is still relatively expensive at Costco at about $7/qt and it is NOT a lower price like you have suggested . And that's what didn't make sense to me. I buy the EP and Euro much cheaper at Wal-Mart. I can get the M1 Euro for under $5/qt practically every other month on sale. Both EP and Euro and even ESP at walmart regular prices are still cheaper than Costco M1.
Anyway, Costco has been selling this over-priced regular M1 for as long as I can remember. I assume lots of people think since it is Costco, it must be a good price!
It is interesting to me that they've been able to get away with it for so long!
You should read the posts more carefully or be more patient before initiating conspiracy theories and/or jumping into wild conclusions or making wild assumptions!
For example, can anyone post a thread without you finding 20 other similar threads and telling them that the subject has been discussed x many times before?
Do you think that's very productive? Should we shut down bitog since every subject has been discussed MANY times?
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2022
- Messages
- 832
What can I say. Incremental value ? I would probably run the ESP longer than the Kirkland.
There's value right there for me. I'm not into over paying but I'm not going to start being a chiseler especially if I feel I'm getting a better product. Deltas, incremental values, inflection points. Geez...
FYI
The ESP is a low(er) SAPS product and not suitable or intended for extended OCIs. It may have other benefits or qualities like higher HTHS, lower Noack and better for DI and IVD concerns but extended drain intervals is not one of them.
At least that's the theory.
As to comparing it with Kirkland when it comes to only OCIs, theoretically speaking, you would think that Kirkland may have a slight edge (fuller saps?) but who knows! It depends on so many other factors and variables hence a meaningless comparison ... That could be a whole new thread with new arguments!
You have to look at some VOAs, etc.
The ESP line has been on my radar recently and I do short OCIs (~5K +/- miles) so pretty much I don't care which syn oil I am using but this ivd thing has got me more curious about the ESP or this (C3, MB 229.51/52, C30) line of product.
Can it help with the GDI ivd? That's another theory and a loaded question!
Last edited:
Under the VOA column there was a recent M1 0W30 ESP VOA posted . The only potential concern for me with a DI engine is that the VI was 180 which is getting up there but perhaps no other way with a 0W30 oil spread . My concern is IVD tend to come from higher amounts of VI’s but depending on the type of VI’s used in the 0W30 ESP should be ok for an OCI of less than 5K miles in a DI engine . There also should be a spec for IVD in a Euro oil along with meeting MB and VW specs for same .FYI
The ESP is a low(er) SAPS product and not suitable or intended for extended OCIs. It may have other benefits or qualities like higher HTHS, lower Noack and better for DI and IVD concerns but extended drain intervals is not one of them.
At least that's the theory.
As to comparing it with Kirkland when it comes to only OCIs, theoretically speaking, you would think that Kirkland may have a slight edge (fuller saps?) but who knows! It depends on so many other factors and variables hence a meaningless comparison ... That could be whole new thread with new arguments!
You have to look at some VOAs, etc.
The ESP line has been on my radar recently and I do short OCIs (~5K +/- miles) so pretty much I don't care which oil to use but this ivd thing has got me more curious about the ESP or this (C3, MB 229.51/52, C30) line of product.
Can it help with the ivd? That's another theory and a loaded question!
It's apparent that you're unhappy (and perhaps even angry) that Costco has decided to sell M1 at a price you think is too high. What's overpriced to you may be a good deal for others. However, just like other places, and just like XOM, sometimes the price is reduced. They can charge whatever makes sense to them and you can choose to shop elsewhere. I don't understand your frustration, or whatever it is that's put a burr under your saddle.By generic Costco Mobil 1, I meant the regular M1 with no other bells & whistles like the EP, Euro or their ESP products. Maybe the way I worded it was confusing.
Also this regular M1 (generic / vanila?) formula is still relatively expensive at Costco at about $7/qt and it is NOT a lower price like you have suggested . And that's what didn't make sense to me. I buy the EP and Euro much cheaper at Wal-Mart. I can get the M1 Euro for under $5/qt practically every other month on sale. Both EP and Euro and even ESP at walmart regular prices are still cheaper than Costco M1.
Anyway, Costco has been selling this over-priced regular M1 for as long as I can remember. I assume lots of people think since it is Costco, it must be a good price!
It is interesting to me that they've been able to get away with it for so long!
Here's the latest price for Mobil 1 in my area, and probably many other areas as well:
Last edited:
