quote:
Originally posted by 3putter:
The SAE estsblishes ratings for various motor oils. For instance, my new Bonneville is supposed to use a 10w30 with an SL rating. SO isn't the quality of oil largely the same from brand to brand if they all meet the SL rating? In other words Auto Zone's Coastal for 95 cents a quart is just as good as the Castrol at $1.79, etc since they are both rated the same, and both meet the manufacturers warranty requirements.
Im not really going to answer your question just post a couple of statements.
1. All Attorneys passed the bar so all attorneys are equally skilled.
2. All Doctors graduated Med School so they all are equally adept.
3. All cars passed goverment crash test so they are all equally safe.
4. All Realtors passed the test so any Realtor will sell your house just as fast.
5. Any ASE certified Mechanic is just as good after all they passed the same test.
Shall I continue?
Assumming you have the 3800 and not the Northstar V8 it is not very hard on oil so any SL certified oil should suffice for 3,000 mi drains. For 5,000 mi drains I suggest something like Chevron, Havoline, Pennzoil, Castrol, or Motorcraft. Quality oils need not be expensive and neither does a high price guarantee quality. If you are going to go by the GM Oil Life Monitor I would use a quality synthetic like Mobil 1.
One of the ways to judge the quality of a synthetic oil is to see how many of the extended drain manufactures ratings it can pass. If a oil passes MB 229.5 and GM LL-A-025 and VW 505.00 for instance it is a outstanding oil capable of standing up to drains of up to 20,000 mi. Unfortunately to the best of my knowledge there is currently NO 10W-30 available in the US capable of passing these tests. At least not all of them.
Gene