What to use?

[AmericaWestCMH]

Currently driving 2004 Hyundai Elantra, 13,000 on the clock.

I have 2 changes worth of Havoline 5W-30 dino left, but I see Advance Auto has a special on Castrol Syntec (not GC I imagine), buy a case of 6qts. and get a $10 BP gas card by rebate.

Is the regular Syntec worth the money over the Havoline for winter driving? Most of my trips are short, but most mileage is freeway (drive 400 miles r/t every couple of weeks).

 

[drums57]

First of i dont think you will ever get that rebate from Advance Auto , i sent in 4 different rebates to Advance and never got one back. Now for the oil i would stay with HAVOLINE, Syntec WILL NOT protect your engine better than HAVOLINE. Go to the UOA section on this site and see for your self, hopefully i got this post in before the GC guys try to brainwash you in to thinking that GC is the best sense........ well you know what i mean.

 

[1bioguy]

I just recieved two rebate checks from AA for the cases of Havoline I bought a couple of months ago! I'm still waiting for the Exxon Superflo rebate I sent in.

 

[dB]

FWIW, Pepboys has the same deal.

I did get my $4.80 rebate from Advance Auto for some Mobil 1 I purchased a couple months ago.

 

[AndyH]

quote:

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Originally posted by AmericaWestCMH:
...but I see Advance Auto has a special on Castrol Syntec (not GC I imagine)

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Correct, in the U.S. you will only find GC at AutoZone...no other retail outlet stocks it.

 

[steveh]

I seen the rebate offer on the castrol web site so I don't think it's an Advance Auto rebate.

 

[beanoil]

The Advance offer is from BP, and is for a gas card. FWIW, if you are happy with Havoline, stick with it. Many have commented on it's ability to protect. The Castrol would do fine also, but if you change regularly, and have a balance of driving where you get the engine hot on a regular basis, there is little advantage IMO to Syntec over Havoline.

 

[AmericaWestCMH]

The rebate is also listed on Advance Auto's rebate site.


I'm mostly worried about start-up protection.

 

[Curious Kid]

FWIW AmericaWestCMH - There's more involved to start-up wear than oil flow, but this is one area that you or I can easily have an effect upon.

Other wear factors are things like temp. disimilarities and material expansion, thermal activation of wear control additives, corosive and particulat blow-by, etc.

http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=012887

Also, though I haven't been able to find much for test numbers for Castrol like VI to run their grades through a viscosity calculator, I have run some of the Havoline grades. Regular Havoline 5w-20 with a VI of 148 and is 45.5 cSt at 100c, at -30c (-22f), is calculated out to 6399 cSt. For comparative sake, Havoline 5w-30 is 8652 cSt at -30c; GC is 6351 cSt; M1 5w-20 is 5346 cSt; M1 EP 5w-30 is 6037 cSt; M1 T&SUV is 19483 cSt.

Take care.

[ November 16, 2005, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: Curious Kid ]

 

[Buzzsaw]

quote:

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quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by AmericaWestCMH:
...but I see Advance Auto has a special on Castrol Syntec (not GC I imagine)
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Correct, in the U.S. you will only find GC at AutoZone...no other retail outlet stocks it.

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I have heard that GC has been spied at O'Reilly Auto Parts.

 

[Buzzsaw]

To the original poster I would just keep on using the Havoline.

 

[bighead]

Buzzsaw, you are correct. I spotted GC at O'Reilly's and posted it here. Man, you talk about burden of proof LOL... And folks STILL don't believe me (I guess they think I don't know what GC is, even though I use it in my car). I suppose the next time I'm up that way I'll take some pics and upload em...

 

[97tbird]

"...First of i dont think you will ever get that rebate from Advance Auto ..."

Why is that? I got my rebate from AAP after 2-3 weeks for Mobil HM oil with no problems

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The dealer uses Castrol GTX 10/30 in my wife's 2003 Elantra(still under warranty), and it does fine, as far as I can tell. (although i do think this engine may benefit from something thicker)