Schaeffer’s vs Big name EP oils

[MuzzleFlash40]

How well do big name Extended Protection oils (Valvoline EP, Castrol EP) etc, and “premium” boutique oils like Schaeffer stack up to one another?

The EP oils are supposed to be the top tier of their respective brands having supposedly more additives and better base stocks to be able to go the distance of longer oil change intervals. Premium boutique oils like Schaeffers & HPL are without a doubt highly respected for the materials they use.

All situations being equal, what would be the benefit of one over the other? Besides the price.

I went with Valvoline EP this time around in my Ram Rebel because I wanted to start using a more stout product. I do a spring/fall OCI. It will never see more than 5kish miles in a 6 month time frame. I looked at Schaeffers and HPL but it would be more than twice the price. In the grand scheme of things an xtra $100 a year isn’t gonna break the bank but it got me asking the question of is it worth it?

Not starting a war here, just looking for honest opinions.

 

[Greasymechtech]

I'd doubt that its worth it. I am more of a believer in MOFT/HTHS than oil brands.

Your interval, unless extreme severe service, shouldn't see a difference among any of the major/minor/boutique/generic brands meeting the required spec.

Enjoy the locally sourced EP/advanced/extra/extended oils.

 

[pbm]

With a 5K/6 month OCI I doubt you would see any difference in engine wear/ longevity by using any synthetic or even syn-blend oil. The benefit of those EP and boutique oils would come with longer OCI's IMO.

 

[wpod]

Your oil choice will not be why you change vehicles. Barring poor quality parts, the engine will out live your ownership of the vehicle with your maintenance schedule.

 

[MSCH]

when a difference makes no difference, is there a difference?

 

[dubber09]

Personally, I went Euro oils route, specifically VW 504/507 that have to pass 650hrs engine run tests. With my average speed (including stops and idling) of 30mph or less - that's 650x30=19500 miles oils. Mind you there are two significant wear increase bumps happening at about 150hrs and 250hrs of engine run time, so I change oil every 150hrs or 4k miles.

 

[Auto tech]

I am a Schaeffer's and mobil 1 ep user. Is there that much of a difference? Schaeffer's uses grp 3 and Pao. Mobil 1 uses gtl.

 

[Bill7]

I'd doubt that its worth it. I am more of a believer in MOFT/HTHS than oil brands.

Your interval, unless extreme severe service, shouldn't see a difference among any of the major/minor/boutique/generic brands meeting the required spec.

Enjoy the locally sourced EP/advanced/extra/extended oils.

I totally agree. I went up a grade (from 20 to 30 weight) on the oils I use for higher HTHS and MOFT, and also believe that all group III full synthetic oils have no meaningful differences, so I prefer to buy the lowest priced choice and have no brand preference.

I think Group III oils are all you need for extreme high engine temps or very cold oil flow properties.

PAO (Group IV) based synthetics have a tendency to shrink oil seals, so I try to avoid those.
Ester (Group V) based synthetics have a nice cleaning ability, but you only need that to clean out your engine
if your vehicle has a history of infrequent oil changes. Anyone doing <=5k OCI using a set time based OCI as well (for short trippers) should already have a clean engine and shouldn't need this cleaning from Ester based oils.

 

[UncleDave]

Ester (Group V) based synthetics have a nice cleaning ability, but you only need that to clean out your engine
if your vehicle has a history of infrequent oil changes. Anyone doing

That's what I used to think.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

when a difference makes no difference, is there a difference?

I like it. As good as "if a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make any noise?"

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I am a Schaeffer's and mobil 1 ep user. Is there that much of a difference? Schaeffer's uses grp 3 and Pao. Mobil 1 uses gtl.

I like both of those. Shaeffer + Mobil 1. Matter of fact there are more brands I like than dislike. There are really only (2) I avoid after having some bad experiences with them years ago.

 

[RazorsEdge]

I am a Schaeffer's and mobil 1 ep user. Is there that much of a difference? Schaeffer's uses grp 3 and Pao. Mobil 1 uses gtl.

Myself, I used Schaeffer's oil for years,no issues.

I also used Mobil 1 for awhile.

Between the two, I personally like Schaeffer's oil better.

 

[Auto tech]

W

I like both of those. Shaeffer + Mobil 1. Matter of fact there are more brands I like than dislike. There are really only (2) I avoid after having some bad experiences with them years ago.

Which ones would those be and why?

 

[Auto tech]

Myself, I used Schaeffer's oil for years,no issues.

I also used Mobil 1 for awhile.

Between the two, I personally like Schaeffer's oil better.

Any reasons why?

 

[kschachn]

I am a Schaeffer's and mobil 1 ep user. Is there that much of a difference? Schaeffer's uses grp 3 and Pao. Mobil 1 uses gtl.

But since GTL is also a Group III base stock and ExxonMobil also uses PAO in some products, it's not much of a difference. I'd say the biggest difference is that some of the ExxonMobil products carry actual manufacturer approvals which are a guarantee of performance.

I have a hard time being excited about products that have "EP" in the name considering that many European approvals are long-drain specifications.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

W

Which ones would those be and why?

Kicking the sleeping dog but so what!

Number one was the Yellow Bottles. Pennzoil. From the 70s until the late 90s every time I changed vehicles I started out trying to use
Penn. This was back when everyone did the 3000 mi oci. Yet every time I tried Penn, half way thru the oci I found the engine to be almost a pint or more low. I kept thinking it was something to do with each different manufacturer but after all the tries I had to give up. Those were all new vehicles too.
Next one up is the QS. One of the first cars I had I religiously used QuackerState because my dad said to. Pulled the valve covers to fix leaks while I was installing a set of headers. When I removed the valve covers the entire insides were coated with what looked just like an intentional wax coating. Unreal. It took quite a lot of flusing (old time mechanics tricks) transmission fluid / Marvel Mystery Oil and a bunch of filters to get it cleaned out. Ended up using Valvoline on advice from mechanic at the time. I ended up running that car 90,000mi before I wanted a 4x4 for hunting n fishing. Traded it in on a GMC 4x4.
I realize those oils have been modified and changed etc .... by now and oil today is nothing like those oils were. Matter of fact the QS was not even a synth at the time. But the Penn I tried in the 90s was. Just see no reason for me to even try again when there are so many to chose from. I have settled over the years to Amsoil for long oci vehicles and to Mobil 1 / HPL or Shaeffers now for turbo engines.

 

[RazorsEdge]

Any reasons why?

For myself, I trust Schaeffer's oil more than Mobil.

 

[Auto tech]

For myself, I trust Schaeffer's oil more than Mobil.

Fair enough . I trust Mobil a little more than Schaeffer's. I guess because Mobil has certs and manufacturers approval instead of meets or exceeds that Schaeffer's states. I use both though

 

[RazorsEdge]

Fair enough . I trust Mobil a little more than Schaeffer's. I guess because Mobil has certs and manufacturers approval instead of meets or exceeds that Schaeffer's states. I use both though

Yeah I'm using HPL in our daily transportation. I still have Schaeffer's in the Mustang. If I get it out this summer, I plan to change it over to HPL.

I'm still using Royal Purple HPS in the lawn tractor

 

[wareze]

But since GTL is also a Group III base stock and ExxonMobil also uses PAO in some products, it's not much of a difference. I'd say the biggest difference is that some of the ExxonMobil products carry actual manufacturer approvals which are a guarantee of performance.

I have a hard time being excited about products that have "EP" in the name considering that many European approvals are long-drain specifications.

Castrol has approvals