Whats a viable option for M1 0w40?

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Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Actually, there is an acceptable cheap option and that would be any 5W-30 oil on sale. The Merc' particularly during the up coming winter doesn't need a 40wt oil.


Is that true??? I'll have to see what the owners manual says,provided they have it.
 
If you can shorten the changes any 5w40 would probably work in an M112.


If she can't afford to change the oil how is she going to change the transmission fluid? 722.6's are about $250 to service and they do need it.
 
I have nothing to add except a giant "LIGHTEN UP" to all the holier than thou smugness.

This is an ELEVEN YEAR OLD Merc. Do you know if she bought it used?

Or lost her job when the economy tanked? BankofA is laying off 10s of thousands of people. You think none of them bought Mercs when they were making six figures and now they're on the unemployment line?

Jeez, you guys are pretty judgmental.
 
I think your missing the point, the OP knows.

The OP is just looking for suggestions, to make the oil change cheaper. He understands that he may or may not be using the "correct" oil. The thread title is "Whats a viable option for M1 0w40?".

Bambam, i honestly would suggest 5w40 and not sweat it at all. However if your daughter is living in the Connecticut area, i hear that the winters get awfully cold there.

Caterham, has a point. 5w30 may not be a bad idea at all, for a winter fill. Summer maybe a different situation.
 
Also, he asked a question. No need for you people to be judgmental without knowing the facts of someones life. Answer the question or move on. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
 
I will be the first person to say I had a response all typed out.. and it was basically similar to alot of other peoples post..(would have been the first reply)

then I hit the back button and didnt post because it wasnt helpful.


Basically if you want a 1 year OCI go with the m1 0w40. Might want to talk to them about trading it in before you have to pay for the 250 transmission service and 500 bend me over service etc. Older MB's can be a huge money pit for maintenance.
 
Originally Posted By: bodeh6
Just wait till M1 goes on sale. You can usually find 5Qts plus a oil filter for ~$30 then buy a few more Qts.


Aside from M1 0W-40, RL 0W-40 or RP 0W-40, between those three you really can pick M1 for accessibility, RL for sheer performance, and RP as an alternative.

Maybe, just maybe, you can use a 0W-30 in the Mercedes Benz engine. CATERHAM's theories of minimum oil pressure would be applicable there, and the RL 0W-30 may be ideal as it may be close to a light-40 yet be very good on start-up.

Cost be [censored], you have a Benz! Unless you dont really care about the car, and some people do not, Id buy the proper oil instead of on sale dino 5W-30. Thats just me.
 
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sell the car and buy a beater.


As if a Mercedes can't be a beater?!? There are some models that weren't all that expensive up front and/or that haven't held their value well, and can be had on the used market very cheaply. Maintaining it... maybe another issue, but if it was cheap to buy then it might be worth it overall.

I think its a little pointless (not to mention snarky) to tell anyone to buy something else. His daughter has what she has, and the question is about what course of action to take GIVEN that situation. i.e., what are the other oil options and what is the savings-vs-risk situation. None of that is invalid just because its a Mercedes instead of a Neon.
 
Besides, I'm thinking even a beater may require about $60 worth of oil changes annually (assuming 2 oil changes with mineral oil).

The main reason for switching to a beater would be to improve fuel economy, depending on how much she drives. In mostly city driving, this thing is probably lucky to get 15 mpg. Heck, our C300 is lucky to get 15 mpg in the city...
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Besides, I'm thinking even a beater may require about $60 worth of oil changes annually (assuming 2 oil changes with mineral oil).

The main reason for switching to a beater would be to improve fuel economy, depending on how much she drives. In mostly city driving, this thing is probably lucky to get 15 mpg. Heck, our C300 is lucky to get 15 mpg in the city...



Wow really? is that on premium fuel? My wife`s gets around 17mpg city, and over 30mpg on a highway trip.
 
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Originally Posted By: lexus114

Wow really? is that on premium fuel? My wife`s gets around 17mpg city, and over 30mpg on a highway trip.

Well, that's just my guess. Wife's average from the past 15K miles is 20.8 mpg. That's in mixed city-hwy driving. And yes, that's on premium.

EPA ratings are 17 city, 25 hwy, and it'd be hard to beat these in real life. This car really gets shameful gas mileage.

By the way, the OP's ML320 is rated at 15/18.
 
FWIW, I just saw this oil in O'Reilly's on sale, $29.00 for the 5.X liter jug. Don't know if that's a northwest thing or not, but it should ease the pain a little for folks who use this oil.
 
Originally Posted By: JOD
FWIW, I just saw this oil in O'Reilly's on sale, $29.00 for the 5.X liter jug.

Was that an in-store price? It shows 39.99 on their website.
 
Aside from M1 0W-40, RL 0W-40 or RP 0W-40, between those three you really can pick M1 for accessibility, RL for sheer performance, and RP as an alternative.

Maybe, just maybe, you can use a 0W-30 in the Mercedes Benz engine. CATERHAM's theories of minimum oil pressure would be applicable there, and the RL 0W-30 may be ideal as it may be close to a light-40 yet be very good on start-up.

Cost be [censored], you have a Benz! Unless you dont really care about the car, and some people do not, Id buy the proper oil instead of on sale dino 5W-30. Thats just me.


Also, a beat up Mercedes can be more of a POS than any locally available $1000 Honda.
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However, that has nothing to do with the question at hand.

The life advice isnt really relevant to the OP's question about MOTOR OIL.
 
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Actually, there is an acceptable cheap option and that would be any 5W-30 oil on sale. The Merc' particularly during the up coming winter doesn't need a 40wt oil.

I agree. For winter months I would use 7-7.5 quarts 5W30 synthetic that can be bought on sale. In spring I would add 1/2 quarts xW40 or xW50, then another 1/2 quarts in summer and do the oil change in fall.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Actually, there is an acceptable cheap option and that would be any 5W-30 oil on sale. The Merc' particularly during the up coming winter doesn't need a 40wt oil.

I agree. For winter months I would use 7-7.5 quarts 5W30 synthetic that can be bought on sale. In spring I would add 1/2 quarts xW40 or xW50, then another 1/2 quarts in summer and do the oil change in fall.



Uh.....What? I wouldnt use anything non spec. for that car.
 
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Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Actually, there is an acceptable cheap option and that would be any 5W-30 oil on sale. The Merc' particularly during the up coming winter doesn't need a 40wt oil.

And then what? Spend more money and change to a correct oil come Spring? How is that any more cost effective than just using the proper spec oil year round and replace it annually?
 
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