Oil Recommendation Request

[glum]

Thanks for all the advice.

I'm not (quite) an idiot, so I know that I can use pretty much anything and have long engine life and all that. I also know this is a cheapo, low-performance car. But I want to do better than "good enough".

Why would there be no benefit to using synthetic with short OCIs? I thought syn afforded better wear protection, especially at low temps.

I can get a 5-quart jug of Valvoline SynPower 5W-20 at Walmart for $25. I can also get 5 quarts of Pennzoil Platinum and a Mobil 1 oil filter for less than $32 at Advance Auto Parts (by ordering online and using a discount coupon). I guess either one is a good option (and price).

 

[Johnny]

Out of those two options, I would use the Pennzoil Platinum 5W-20. Have not checked in a while, but the Platinum at Walmart is usually between $20-$24 for the 5-quart jug.

I'm using the Platinum 5W-20 in my Honda Elements doing 5K oil changes as that is what the manual recommends and our driving conditions just plain suck.

 

[NightRiderQ45]

Originally Posted By: glum
Why would there be no benefit to using synthetic with short OCIs? I thought syn afforded better wear protection, especially at low temps.
Because in your region, NC you really don't need it, especially will your short OCI. Any name brand conventional will work. How many miles are on your car? That should let you know that whatever you have been using prior is working

I use whatever conventional is on sale. If AAP or AZ isn't running any good sales, I'm going with Mobil Super 5000 without reservation! I've used synthetic oils in my car and my motor ran the same, didn't notice the difference. The only thing I did different was push the OCI to 8.5K using Valvoline SynPower

 

[glum]

The car just passed 45,000 miles. I've only had it a couple months. No idea what was used prior. For all I know it had the original oil in it (why not--it had the original air filter, yuck).

Sorry, what's Mobil Super 5000?

 

[sangyup81]

Originally Posted By: glum
Sorry, what's Mobil Super 5000?

Mobil Super 5000 which replaced Mobil Clean 5000

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
Out of those two options, I would use the Pennzoil Platinum 5W-20. Have not checked in a while, but the Platinum at Walmart is usually between $20-$24 for the 5-quart jug.

I'm using the Platinum 5W-20 in my Honda Elements doing 5K oil changes as that is what the manual recommends and our driving conditions just plain suck.


Once again, I agree. I wouldn't go with entry level stuff and his car doesn't qualify for High Mileage.

While I do respect Valvoline, if both are equal in price I'd pick PP with a mid-grade oil filter, PureONE OR WIX/Napa Gold etc. Maybe not a Mobil 1 on a short OCI. We aren't even talking 5k miles here.

 

[glum]

Entry level stuff? I don't understand. You mean conventional oil?

Why not a Mobil 1 filter? I assume because of the price.

Do all these Pennnzoil recommendations have anything to do with Pennzoil being a BITOG sponsor?

 

[sangyup81]

Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
I wouldn't go with entry level stuff

Are you implying that there are conventionals that will perform better than a cheap synthetic?

 

[qdeezie]

Pennzoil Platinum is currently on sale at O'Reilly's for $4.29 a quart. Try that and a Wix filter from O'Reilly's.

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: glum
Entry level stuff? I don't understand. You mean conventional oil?

Why not a Mobil 1 filter? I assume because of the price.

Do all these Pennnzoil recommendations have anything to do with Pennzoil being a BITOG sponsor?


Yes, just talking about conventional when you can pay slightly more for a very good synthetic by comparison. On the other hand, I wouldn't pay twice the price for a Mobil 1 oil filter when it really isn't needed in your application. I'd be more concerned with the choice of oil than the filter.

In the end, oil is one of the cheapest things you spend related to your car yearly.

Oh, and I don't use Pennzoil currently, but I do like their products. I'm new here. I'm an Amsoil user.

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: sangyup81
Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
I wouldn't go with entry level stuff

Are you implying that there are conventionals that will perform better than a cheap synthetic?


No, I'm simply saying I personally wouldn't continually use conventional oil all of the time. I would run it without hesitation for 3k miles from time to time, but if I want something better than today's conventional I'd rather pick my synthetic of choice.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: glum
* Hyundai recommends 5W-20, and I want to stick to that.


What would 5w30 do to the engine? How much damage would it cause?

 

[electrolover]

Originally Posted By: synthetic_crazy
Pennzoil Platinum 5w-20 would be PERFECT for your application. It would provide the needed protection for your short trips. You could probably extend your interval to an easy 5000 miles if you so desire. In addition PP is readily available in stores everywhere!

By the way, allow me to be the first to

you to BITOG!

 

[electrolover]

Originally Posted By: glum
Entry level stuff? I don't understand. You mean conventional oil?

Why not a Mobil 1 filter? I assume because of the price.

Do all these Pennnzoil recommendations have anything to do with Pennzoil being a BITOG sponsor?



i cant speak for others but i have been down on Pennzoil for years.
but my wife would not budge, she wanted Pennzoil Conventional in her car. after seeing the inside of her engine i thought i would give it a shot. to date PP and PU are the cleanest oils i have ever used. and for a syn the price is right.
the thing that made me want to try them the most was the answers they gave on the Q&A. every time some spoke of extended oci they shot em down and said all they care about are clean engines. maybe im a sucker but i believed them

 

[Johnny]

Originally Posted By: glum


Do all these Pennnzoil recommendations have anything to do with Pennzoil being a BITOG sponsor?


No. It's because it is a premium oil and was highly regarded long before they became a sponsor.

 

[glum]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: glum
* Hyundai recommends 5W-20, and I want to stick to that.

What would 5w30 do to the engine? How much damage would it cause?

That's a good question. I've been thinking about this. The more I read, the more I think that the 5W-20 recommendation is mainly in the interest of fuel economy. (They do say that 5w30 can be used if 5W-20 is not available.) I also think that the difference in MPG between 5W-20 and 5w30 is going to be so slight as to be within the margin of error you deal with when you calculate it (i.e. not totally accurate gas pump or odometer readings, not driving exactly the same way or with the same combination of stop-and-go/highway, etc.).

And I think that if anything, 5w30 probably protects the engine better than 5W-20 does (not that the difference is meaningful).

 

[Josh48065]

Ultra?

Originally Posted By: Johnny
Then I would also recommend the Pennzoil Platinum. I cannot think of a better synthetic oil to use.

 

[glum]

There's something I don't understand. People keep saying (in this thread and others) that any conventional oil will do, given the short OCI. But ... and yes I feel stupid having to ask ... don't synthetics offer better wear protection, especially at temp extremes? Better detergents? (Though I guess with short OCI it won't matter so much.)

Or is the answer "Yes, technically, synthetics provide better wear protection, but not enough to justify the price. Especially not for a cheapo Hyundai like yours."

 

[ltslimjim]

Your latter comment, I'd imagine. Some people are very frugal and don't believe in spending more at all for synthetic > conventional. IMO, you don't have anything to lose but $5-$10 that will be spread out over several months and you do have some potential gains, like you mentioned.

 

[glum]

If you're irritated by questions on OCI or oil type, please close this thread and move on. I'm not trying to be a pain in anyone's side by reviving this thread, but I'm still trying to arrive at a satisfying conclusion. Not so much what oil to use at this point (thanks for the suggestions), but what OCI to use.

First of all, I'm sticking with synthetic oil, and leaning heavily toward SynPower. I'd prefer MaxLife syn 5w30 but can't find it anywhere. Cheapo car or not, I cannot afford to repair or replace it, and I want it to last...

Hyundai recommends 3K/3mo oil changes for "severe use". I use this car for lots of really short trips, and most often, for nothing else. But I keep thinking that 3K/3mo is still overkill, at least for a syn.

So, can someone give an opinion on how far/long it would be safe to go with a good synthetic? Time is probably more important than distance for this car, the way it's driven. 6K/6mo?