Need some recommendations based on a few rules

[blmlozz]

First, I must thank the BITOG community, even when I thought I knew it all, lurking via google search for an hour has satisfied my needs to feel confident to use a non-dexos 1 oil in my LSA given that I had not realized I would be protected by FTC regulations. That said, I'd rather not tempt fate too much and give myself a good chance at winning any argument that comes up should the worst happen--
so, here's what I'm thinking might be some good rules to follow;
1) no dyes-- it has to look like any other oil, ie; no RP, Redline or GC
2) must say somewhere 'dexos 1 approved/recommended/ meets performance requirements' either on the manufacturers site or on the bottle.-- figuring that if GM wants to play that game, so can I.
3) come in 5W30 weight-- I plan to at least stick to this weight just considering the use.
4) no amsoil--not that I dislike the product, I would just believe it's popular enough to be common knowledge about their licensed product practices.


The car sees mostly plain driving, I'm planning 5-7.5K changes-- I'm not very interested in long OCI's, just wear protection. Price should be below $12-14/qt preferably. It does get a WOT stomp at least once when I drive, and I ocassionally do some drag/road course racing-- I'd prefer to not change oil to do so.

So far, the only product that comes to mind is Castrol Edge / Edge titanium, if there is a better oil from another big manufacture, I'm all open to suggestions. If not-- which between the two above would you suggest? PU worked well in the G8 but it failed #2

Thanks.

 

[JHZR2]

What's the matter with M1?

 

[OldCowboy]

What's wrong with Pennzoil Platinum? The 5W30 weight is dexos1 approved.

 

[Pablo]

I am not at all sure what exactly you are trying to accomplish.

Racing ("drag/road course racing") pretty much eliminates warranty coverage, yet you have made up some of your own rules. These rules accomplish exactly what? I am baffled.

Use Amsoi XL 5W-30. I would love to see GM go to town on you for using a top tier API oil.

 

[Smokefan1977]

PP is probably the best option that comes to mind.

 

[dparm]

He is probably trying to run a non-dexos1 oil but is concerned something might happen and they'll find unapproved oil in the car. That would be fraud to misrepresent it.

 

[blmlozz]

Originally Posted By: dparm
He is probably trying to run a non-dexos1 oil but is concerned something might happen and they'll find unapproved oil in the car. That would be fraud to misrepresent it.


yes, exactly. although, I'm not seeing the part where it would be fraud unless i would be changing recipts, which I'm not... the rules are there to decrease any standing they would have to say the oil was at fault because of X.

 

[Eddie]

I see no purpose to this logic

 

[blmlozz]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
I see no purpose to this logic


The list of testimony of people whom had had to go through this with GM are far and few between. Do you have experience or have evidence to support the fact that these would not be helpful in anyway, shape or form in or out of court? Maybe I am over-analyzing this whole situation. If I had some examples of people with experience and successful litigation using non-GM approved, I would feel better, as of today, I have seen none, I've only seen the opposite..

Quote:
What's the matter with M1?

good question, I haven't seen any hard driving UOA's on it, so my answer would be, I don't know, I'm going off limited past experience.

 

[30valve]

So you will support GM with their charging to put a 'dexos1' label on oil bottles that already meet the specs anyway, but won't use Amsoil due to their tier system? Just run some PP in a weight that suits your climate and driving conditions/style and stop being so paranoid with the rules.

BTW GC has no dyes in it. Original GC was green due to the actual high concentration of special additive in it. New GC is gold and just as good, but is only SL rated so doesn't apply here anyway.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Smokefan1977
PP is probably the best option that comes to mind.


Based upon what compared to M1? This isnt a root for your favorite type thing. If M1 is dexos and used as OE fill in GM engines, including corvette, then what is the issue?

 

[blmlozz]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Smokefan1977
PP is probably the best option that comes to mind.


Based upon what compared to M1? This isnt a root for your favorite type thing. If M1 is dexos and used as OE fill in GM engines, including corvette, then what is the issue?


Mobil 1 has not been specified as the FF or required oil for any GM product since the introduction of Dexos. It's anyone's guess as to what's FF in GM products these days. When I posted up my 1300 mile UOA, someone commented that it actually looked a lot like the ACDelco brand synthetic blend stuff. At the very least, it's not marketed as such any longer. Although the argument could be made that since the oil was spec'd for the same engines a year ago and since there have been presumably no major mechanical revisions *that* Mobil 1 should still work the best, GM doesn't care what goes in there, as long as it's Dexos 1.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: blmlozz
good question, I haven't seen any hard driving UOA's on it, so my answer would be, I don't know, I'm going off limited past experience.


Yet, you're asking for something that might "fit" within dexos1, yet not actually be dexos1 licenced, to try to avoid any potential conflicts with a dealer and/or GM, which, considering how recent dexos is, is another extremely limited experience?

If you're looking to buy synthetic, there are plenty of dexos1 licenced products. If you check http://www.gmdexos.com/licensedbrands.html you will see there are loads of officially licensed products, including some that have very competitive price points. CAM2 and National jump out at me as products that are priced very attractively, though I have no personal experience with them.

If you don't like the dexos specification from an ideological standpoint, well, I really can't help you. I have mixed feelings about it, but if I choose to use Mobil 1 5w-30 or Petro-Canada 5w-30, for instance, I'm stuck supporting dexos licensing fees, even without owning a GM product.

If you simply want to be cheap, go conventional. You do so at your own risk with respect to possible warranty issues. You do the same thing if you want to stick with an oil that claims to meet dexos1, without actually being licensed. At least Amsoil and RP state they will back their products, even without being appropriately licensed.

 

[hotoil]

Originally Posted By: blmlozz
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Smokefan1977
PP is probably the best option that comes to mind.


Based upon what compared to M1? This isnt a root for your favorite type thing. If M1 is dexos and used as OE fill in GM engines, including corvette, then what is the issue?


Mobil 1 has not been specified as the FF or required oil for any GM product since the introduction of Dexos. It's anyone's guess as to what's FF in GM products these days. When I posted up my 1300 mile UOA, someone commented that it actually looked a lot like the ACDelco brand synthetic blend stuff. At the very least, it's not marketed as such any longer. Although the argument could be made that since the oil was spec'd for the same engines a year ago and since there have been presumably no major mechanical revisions *that* Mobil 1 should still work the best, GM doesn't care what goes in there, as long as it's Dexos 1.

Mobil 1 5W-30 and Mobil 1 5W-30 EP are now shown as Dexos1 approved. When I phoned Mobil last year, they said the existing Mobil 1 met the Dexos1 standards without any change in formulation, they just needed to put the new information on the labels.

 

[A_Harman]

Just run an oil that has the dexos label on the bottle, then rest easy at night. Doesn't sound to me from the way that you're going to use the car that you need any special oil over what GM recommends.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: blmlozz
Originally Posted By: dparm
He is probably trying to run a non-dexos1 oil but is concerned something might happen and they'll find unapproved oil in the car. That would be fraud to misrepresent it.


yes, exactly. although, I'm not seeing the part where it would be fraud unless i would be changing recipts, which I'm not... the rules are there to decrease any standing they would have to say the oil was at fault because of X.


You seem to place a lot of thought into legal rules you can get around rather than a quality oil for your engine. What's wrong with just using the oil your engine builder advises you to use? Dexos1 is typically a better producy than a non Dexos1 oil anyway. Also an oil below $12-$14 a qt.?

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: blmlozz
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Smokefan1977
PP is probably the best option that comes to mind.


Based upon what compared to M1? This isnt a root for your favorite type thing. If M1 is dexos and used as OE fill in GM engines, including corvette, then what is the issue?


Mobil 1 has not been specified as the FF or required oil for any GM product since the introduction of Dexos. It's anyone's guess as to what's FF in GM products these days. When I posted up my 1300 mile UOA, someone commented that it actually looked a lot like the ACDelco brand synthetic blend stuff. At the very least, it's not marketed as such any longer. Although the argument could be made that since the oil was spec'd for the same engines a year ago and since there have been presumably no major mechanical revisions *that* Mobil 1 should still work the best, GM doesn't care what goes in there, as long as it's Dexos 1.


You are incorrect. I was at Mid-Ohio this summer and spent some time at the Corvette display, in which the sign/information board clearly stated that Mobil 1 is the factory fill for ALL Corvettes (5w-30 flavor, not that it matters for the sake of this discussion though), and the display had the Dexos1 label on it, as did the Mobil 1 bottle in the engine bay as part of the ZR1 display car.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Klutch9
I was at Mid-Ohio this summer and spent some time at the Corvette display, in which the sign/information board clearly stated that Mobil 1 is the factory fill for ALL Corvettes (5w-30 flavor, not that it matters for the sake of this discussion though), and the display had the Dexos1 label on it, as did the Mobil 1 bottle in the engine bay as part of the ZR1 display car.


Hey, I finally saw SN/GF-5/dexos1 Mobil 1 5w-30 today in the big jug. It took forever for it to get here. Of course, they have a fantastic price on it now, where it's only a hair above regular priced conventional. That's really handy, considering I already bought five gallons of PYB.

 

[SteveSRT8]

I like the new Dexos 1 spec. Nice oil.

But in the old days Chrysler was in bed with M1 too. It's right on the cap in my car: M1 0w-40.

Now they are no longer friends. Purely marketing, and in no way does it make M1 superior to any other.

 

[Tomhollywood]

Service Pro dexos1 5/30 sells locally for $21.15 per 6 qt case, about $3.53 per quart.