It may be suitable. But it's going to be a hard sell to most VW/Audi/Porsche/BMW/MB owners without seeing any "Approved", or at the very minimum "Meets" to these Euro manufacturer specs. I won't put it in any of my Euro engines without this.
Valvoline Restore and Protect Euro
- Thread starter d_yf22
- Start date
Three flavors only but great choices. North America will likely keep pushing 0w-20 oil while 5w-30 and 5w-40 will be welcome Worldwide.
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Timing seems odd with base stock shortages …
Understandable, They pay good money for their vehicles so finding an actual approved oil is a good piece of mind.
I want to thank you for what you posted, with words like suitable and hard sell, your words, not mine. You also posted the words Approved and minimum and then Meets to these Euro manufacture specs. If these Euro specs are so good why is there a need for Valvoline Restore and Protect? Many of these vehicles are specked for 5W-40, but here they are using 5W-30 VRP and getting results with less oil usage. These so-called specks are not working out.
Your question implies that there is really only one function of motor oil that matters - how well it cleans. Hopefully most here on BITOG know better. Among other things, European specifications put emphasis on low SAPS, but also put a very healthy dose of phosphorus and zinc for wear protection. Some Euro oils, such as Mobil 1 ESP, use so much that they do not meet SN, SP or SQ specs. But ESP is still a well respected motor oil. BMW puts a lot of emphasis on HT/HS, which is also an indicator of wear.
Valvoline Restore and Protect may meet some of the European specifications. That would be great if it not only has the cleaning qualities it is respected for, but also meets the Euro specifications. All I'm saying is that they need to show that, as a bare minimum it "Meets" these specifications, but preferably do the required testing and submit for approval, so they can show "Approved" on their bottles.
If they can't do that, perhaps they could follow the lead of what Mobil 1 does with ESP, where they show that it meets SQ engine test requirements. That means something to people. I don't know if something like that could be done for the European specs or not.
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Hopefully this means better availability and lower prices for Valvoline products in the UK.
I used Valvoline Maxlife years ago and had to order it from OpieOils, which takes up to 10 days to arrive and they charge for shipping, making it expensive
If it was available in places like Costco it would be great.
Though not sure how many ICE vehicles we will own after the next year or so.
My 745Le is being replaced by an i7
Our Audi eTron 55 Sportback has just been sold, took less than 3 days to secure a sale at asking price, this will be replaced by a smaller used EV
The Smart ForFour we have owed since buying it as a PreReg with under 100 miles in 2017 is still going strong, just turned 80k.
But likely to be replaced with a used EV
The 2007 Skoda Octavia 1.6 FSi Auto that I keep around as a spare because the AC works, it is Auto and is ULEZ Compliant (ULEZ is a Daily Labour Party Fine for having a diesel that is not Euro 6 or a petrol that isn’t Euro 4)
When it goes, yes, likely to be replaced with a used EV.
I won’t have an EV as my retirement car though.
Either a Defender or Disco 4 with an OM606 conversion of a BMW of some kind with the B58, or an older one with a 6 cylinder petrol engine such as a 130i, 135i or M140i
I used Valvoline Maxlife years ago and had to order it from OpieOils, which takes up to 10 days to arrive and they charge for shipping, making it expensive
If it was available in places like Costco it would be great.
Though not sure how many ICE vehicles we will own after the next year or so.
My 745Le is being replaced by an i7
Our Audi eTron 55 Sportback has just been sold, took less than 3 days to secure a sale at asking price, this will be replaced by a smaller used EV
The Smart ForFour we have owed since buying it as a PreReg with under 100 miles in 2017 is still going strong, just turned 80k.
But likely to be replaced with a used EV
The 2007 Skoda Octavia 1.6 FSi Auto that I keep around as a spare because the AC works, it is Auto and is ULEZ Compliant (ULEZ is a Daily Labour Party Fine for having a diesel that is not Euro 6 or a petrol that isn’t Euro 4)
When it goes, yes, likely to be replaced with a used EV.
I won’t have an EV as my retirement car though.
Either a Defender or Disco 4 with an OM606 conversion of a BMW of some kind with the B58, or an older one with a 6 cylinder petrol engine such as a 130i, 135i or M140i
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I don’t think many people in Europe cares if an oil is “Approved” by a Manufacturer.
If it meets the specs then it’s all good.
I have never cared, nor do I know anybody that cares about it OE Approval
If it meets the specs for LL04 then it’s an LL04 oil and it goes in my car needing LL04 oil
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