Oil Recommendation: Mercedes-Benz M119 DOHC V8

[BenzFan]

Hello fellow oil enthusiasts! First time poster here so please be gentle. I would love to hear recommendations for my next oil change. Below are my details in the order suggested by user d00df00d in his post What oil should I use? What is the BEST oil?: Vehicle: 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 Sport with the M119 engine – DOHC V8, 303 cubic inches – with 105,000 miles on it. It uses no oil between changes and a recent BlackStone Labs UOA indicates minimal wear levels so things are in good condition. I have been running Liqui-Moly 5w40 and it currently has Mobil 1 5w30 (both full synthetics). Owner’s manual: Mercedes-Benz oil specification sheet 229.3 / 229.5. Mercedes-Benz recommends only the use of synthetic motor oil for all vehicles equipped with the Flexible Service System (1998 & newer, which applies to my car). Below is an alphabetic list of Mercedes Approved Synthetic Engine Oil (1998 – 2004 Models):

• 76 Pure Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.3
• Castrol Syntec 5W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.3
• Castrol Syntec European Formula 0W-30* | MB Sheet: 229.5
• ELF Excellium 229.5 5W-30* | MB Sheet: 229.5
• ELF Excellium LDX 0W-30* | MB Sheet: 229.3
• ELF Excellium LDX 5W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.3
• Kendall GT-1 Full Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.3
• Mobil 1 ESP Formula M 5W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.5
• Mobil 1 SuperSyn European Car Formula 0W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.3
• Mobil 1 SuperSyn European Car Formula 0W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.5
• Motul 8100 E-Tech 0W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.3
• Motul 8100 X-Cess 5W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.3
• Pennzoil European Formula Ultra 5W-30* | MB Sheet: 229.5
• Pennzoil Synthetic European Formula 5W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.3
• Quaker State European Formula Ultra 5W-30* | MB Sheet: 229.5
• Quaker State Full Synthetic European Formula 5W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.3
• Shell Helix Ultra 5W-30* | MB Sheet: 229.3
• Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 | MB Sheet: 229.3
• Valvoline SynPower MXL 0W-30*| MB Sheet: 229.3

I live in Houston TX and rarely visit anywhere that is even close to freezing. My driving ‘style’ is generally easy although on longer trips I push it fairly hard (I own and use a very good radar detector…). The car was designed to be a long-distance high speed tourer and that is what I use it for. This car is not a daily driver, it sits in the garage for weeks at a time and is used mainly for longer trips, from 50-100 mile daily jaunts to weeks-long several thousand mile trips. So very few short drives, it gets warm and stays that way most of the time. The car has no issues, runs like a charm and does not use any oil between changes. I am a firm believer in using quality oils in order to maintain engine life – oils are cheaper than engines - I love this car and I want to treat it well hence my use of UOA to check the internal wear condition. I think that a full synthetic oil is a better choice than a ‘dino’ oil given what I have read to date (Motor Oil University, etc.). What particularly intrigues me (in addition to the ‘approved oils’ list) are some of the newer “small company” synthetics such as Amsoil and Royal Purple as well as the really rare ones like SynLube Lube-4-Life (anybody ever heard of it?). Recommendations would be appreciated, thanks in advance!

 

[kschachn]

Out of all that you posted the only thing that matters is the MB specification(s) required for your car. Any oil which carries the requirement will be fine. I would not recommend any oil that does not actually carry the specification as you have no idea how it will perform.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: BenzFan

Vehicle: 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 Sport with the M119 engine – DOHC V8, 303 cubic inches – with 105,000 miles on it. It uses no oil between changes and a recent BlackStone Labs UOA indicates minimal wear levels so things are in good condition. I have been running Liqui-Moly 5w40 and it currently has Mobil 1 5w30 (both full synthetics).

Which Mobil 1 5W-30 carries the specification required for your car?

 

[RedOakRanch]

I love all the specialty and boutique oils but at the end of the day you can just get some Castro/Mobil 1 0w-40 at Walmart and be done.

 

[BenzFan]

Originally Posted By: kschachn

Which Mobil 1 5W-30 carries the specification required for your car?

Mobil 1 FS 5W-30 (buried in the 229.5 spec.)

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: BenzFan

Originally Posted By: kschachn

Which Mobil 1 5W-30 carries the specification required for your car?

Mobil 1 FS 5W-30 (buried in the 229.5 spec.)

That's right, thanks. I forgot about that one. Do you get it at an MB dealer?

 

[edyvw]

Go to Wal Mart get Mobil1 0W40 FS or Castrol 0W40. That is it..

 

[BenzFan]

Originally Posted By: kschachn

That's right, thanks. I forgot about that one. Do you get it at an MB dealer?

Nope, my local Euro car indie carries it for his MB customers. Actually you make a good point: I hear that MB sell their own-branded Mobil 1 5w40 at something like $7.80/qt which is a steal.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: BenzFan

Actually you make a good point: I hear that MB sell their own-branded Mobil 1 5w40 at something like $7.80/qt which is a steal.

Really? M1 or Castrol 0W-40 at Walmart is just around $5 a quart even without a rebate. Other than maybe a more prestigious bottle for your garage shelf, what will the MB oil get you that's worth almost $3 a quart?

 

[BenzFan]

Originally Posted By: RedOakRanch

I love all the specialty and boutique oils but at the end of the day you can just get some Castro/Mobil 1 0w-40 at Walmart and be done.

Understood. What interests me about the boutique/small company's products are things like new friction reducers that may or may not be a good thing. And more zinc and so on, all potentially useful for the higher mileage engine. I know what MB recommends, but what I want to find out is "are there better oils out there?", ones that might not have even been seen by MB at this time? I can only imagine that Royal Purple (for example) would not go the the expense of having MB analyze their product, I am sure that the cost would be prohibitive, but that does not mean that their product is not good.

 

[BenzFan]

Originally Posted By: kschachn

Really? M1 or Castrol 0W-40 at Walmart is just around $5 a quart even without a rebate. Other than maybe a more prestigious bottle for your garage shelf, what will the MB oil get you that's worth almost $3 a quart?

Nothing probably, but I could care a lot less about the price - I am not looking for bargains, I am looking to find if there is a "better than the rest" oil out there that offers some advantage in terms of reduced friction or better life or some other benefit. I am sure that all the oils in the MB spec are quite adequate for the purpose but (to paraphrase Mr Orwell) some may be more adequate than others. Or perhaps an oil that is not even in the spec might offer those benefits. I know that Mobil 1 is there along with all the others but could one of them be (in some yet-unspecified way) better for my purposes? So I am looking 'outside the box' as it were and not fussing about a few $$ or a nice label or other minor things. What I am hoping is that a real live oil guru might see my post and offer some suggestions.

 

[CT8]

I doubtif there a dimes worth of difference between the recommended spec oils.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: BenzFan

Understood. What interests me about the boutique/small company's products are things like new friction reducers that may or may not be a good thing. And more zinc and so on, all potentially useful for the higher mileage engine. I know what MB recommends, but what I want to find out is "are there better oils out there?", ones that might not have even been seen by MB at this time? I can only imagine that Royal Purple (for example) would not go the the expense of having MB analyze their product, I am sure that the cost would be prohibitive, but that does not mean that their product is not good.

There are no magic oils that contain unobtanium which will give you super performance. Royal Purple not paying for the certification means that the oil is uncertified, period. Not only that, they have no way whatsoever of demonstrating that it will perform worse, as good as, or better than a certified oil.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: BenzFan

I am looking to find if there is a "better than the rest" oil out there that offers some advantage in terms of reduced friction or better life or some other benefit. I am sure that all the oils in the MB spec are quite adequate for the purpose but (to paraphrase Mr Orwell) some may be more adequate than others. Or perhaps an oil that is not even in the spec might offer those benefits. I know that Mobil 1 is there along with all the others but could one of them be (in some yet-unspecified way) better for my purposes? So I am looking 'outside the box' as it were and not fussing about a few $$ or a nice label or other minor things. What I am hoping is that a real live oil guru might see my post and offer some suggestions.

How would you know if there is no standard to test against? That's how "super oils" or "super additives" survive. They make unsubstantiated claims which cannot be tested or compared to a standard. Therefore you are reduced to marketing words on websites or testimonials, both of which are worth nothing. That's all you'll ever see for those oils.

 

[metalone]

Another anal cheapskate that has no experience with any good oil and only one car made in the 21'st. century. Lmao. If Royal Purple gave him a case he'd be singing their praises. Another certification freak.

Originally Posted By: kschachn

Originally Posted By: BenzFan

I am looking to find if there is a "better than the rest" oil out there that offers some advantage in terms of reduced friction or better life or some other benefit. I am sure that all the oils in the MB spec are quite adequate for the purpose but (to paraphrase Mr Orwell) some may be more adequate than others. Or perhaps an oil that is not even in the spec might offer those benefits. I know that Mobil 1 is there along with all the others but could one of them be (in some yet-unspecified way) better for my purposes? So I am looking 'outside the box' as it were and not fussing about a few $$ or a nice label or other minor things. What I am hoping is that a real live oil guru might see my post and offer some suggestions.

How would you know if there is no standard to test against? That's how "super oils" or "super additives" survive. They make unsubstantiated claims which cannot be tested or compared to a standard. Therefore you are reduced to marketing words on websites or testimonials, both of which are worth nothing. That's all you'll ever see for those oils.

 

[metalone]

But you don't know do you?

Originally Posted By: CT8

I doubtif there a dimes worth of difference between the recommended spec oils.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: metalone

Another anal cheapskate that has no experience with any good oil and only one car made in the 21'st. century. Lmao. If Royal Purple gave him a case he'd be singing their praises. Another certification freak.

What part of my posts were incorrect?

 

[NateDN10]

Originally Posted By: BenzFan

... as well as the really rare ones like SynLube Lube-4-Life (anybody ever heard of it?). Recommendations would be appreciated, thanks in advance!

Oh, we have heard of it. We have of it. Run far, far away.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: metalone

But you don't know do you?

Originally Posted By: CT8

I doubt if there a dimes worth of difference between the recommended spec oils.

Please explain how you would determine that one of the recommended spec oils is better or worse than another.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: BenzFan

Originally Posted By: RedOakRanch

I love all the specialty and boutique oils but at the end of the day you can just get some Castro/Mobil 1 0w-40 at Walmart and be done.

Understood. What interests me about the boutique/small company's products are things like new friction reducers that may or may not be a good thing. And more zinc and so on, all potentially useful for the higher mileage engine. I know what MB recommends, but what I want to find out is "are there better oils out there?", ones that might not have even been seen by MB at this time? I can only imagine that Royal Purple (for example) would not go the the expense of having MB analyze their product, I am sure that the cost would be prohibitive, but that does not mean that their product is not good.

That expense is around $4000! It is in the interest of oil manufacturer as well as car manufacturer to have oils approved to clear confusion for customers. The fact that RP, RL does not have to do anything with expense, but rather ability to meet standards. And when it comes to "what is best?" You will hardly find anything better on market then M1 0W40 FS or Castrol 0W40 for your Benz.