Hey everyone,
From what I can gather automakers recommend a certain oil viscosity for a host of reasons. But it appears their choice typically boils down to protection and fuel economy. It seems that American and Asian car manufacturers prefer lighter weight oils as they provide a boost in fuel economy. European automakers on the other hand seem to like heavier grades.
I'm not trying to get into a debate over which approach is best. But I have a theory as to why automakers recommend a certain grade. I think companies like Toyota,Honda,Nissan, Hyundai, Ford, and GM choose lightweight oils because one of their main selling points is fuel economy. For example, the mid size sedan segment is very aggressive, I see a ton of commercials from different automakers saying how their car gets 1 or 2 mpg more than the competition. I think it's safe to say most drivers won't be redlining/flooring/abusing their cars every single day.
On the other hand European automakers like Mercedes and BMW recommend heavier grades for their engines. Now my guess for this is that their more interested in providing consumers with performance. So they make engines with high compression and attempt to squeeze out as much HP as they can. In my opinion people who own such cars have a tendency to drive harder. I think their aggressive engine designs are a hostile environment for oil to live in. As a result they call for robust oil formulations that meet their standards.
I'm not saying lightweight oils don't provide protection, look at the Corvette Z06 for example, the recommended viscosity is 5W-30. Owners of Corvette's certainly like to experience the performance they paid for and I doubt GM would choose an oil not up to the job. These are just some observations I thought I would point out, feel free to share your thoughts on the subject. I'm still new to oil related topics so forgive me If my statements are incorrect.
-Thanks
From what I can gather automakers recommend a certain oil viscosity for a host of reasons. But it appears their choice typically boils down to protection and fuel economy. It seems that American and Asian car manufacturers prefer lighter weight oils as they provide a boost in fuel economy. European automakers on the other hand seem to like heavier grades.
I'm not trying to get into a debate over which approach is best. But I have a theory as to why automakers recommend a certain grade. I think companies like Toyota,Honda,Nissan, Hyundai, Ford, and GM choose lightweight oils because one of their main selling points is fuel economy. For example, the mid size sedan segment is very aggressive, I see a ton of commercials from different automakers saying how their car gets 1 or 2 mpg more than the competition. I think it's safe to say most drivers won't be redlining/flooring/abusing their cars every single day.
On the other hand European automakers like Mercedes and BMW recommend heavier grades for their engines. Now my guess for this is that their more interested in providing consumers with performance. So they make engines with high compression and attempt to squeeze out as much HP as they can. In my opinion people who own such cars have a tendency to drive harder. I think their aggressive engine designs are a hostile environment for oil to live in. As a result they call for robust oil formulations that meet their standards.
I'm not saying lightweight oils don't provide protection, look at the Corvette Z06 for example, the recommended viscosity is 5W-30. Owners of Corvette's certainly like to experience the performance they paid for and I doubt GM would choose an oil not up to the job. These are just some observations I thought I would point out, feel free to share your thoughts on the subject. I'm still new to oil related topics so forgive me If my statements are incorrect.
-Thanks
