Which Oil should I go with?

Hello everyone! This is my first post.
I wanted some advice on oil and which one I should go with.

I have been using Motul Xcess 8100 (5w-40) , but am thinking about using pennzoil Platinum (0w-40). My car is a 2002 Porsche Boxster and has 125,000 miles and I live in NC.

Partially want to switch for the cost and easy of obtaining (available at Walmart). Which weight is better for my car with this many miles? is Pennzoil better?
I want to change my oil every 3000-4000 miles, but want to make sure I put good stuff in there. I do have the IMS upgrade.

Thank you!
I use Castrol Euro 0-40 in mine. Had been using Mobil1 but the Castrol quieted the motor down alot. LiquiMoly (sp?) was quieter still but significantly more expensive than the Castrol
 
229.5 requires a minimum TBN of 8.0. 229.51 minimum TBN 6.0
ACEA A3/B4 (base for all full saps MB/VW/BMW specs) reguires TBN of 10min...

And since all full saps Euro oils starts with ACEA A3/B4 + additional MB/BMW /VW "sentences"...those Euro oils has TBN of 10+
 
That's a good point. I just noticed I was quoting an old MB spec from 2009 when the TBN for 229.5 was 8+. In the 2017 spec it's 10+
 
I use Castrol Euro 0-40 in mine. Had been using Mobil1 but the Castrol quieted the motor down alot. LiquiMoly (sp?) was quieter still but significantly more expensive than the Castrol
Noise does not have anything to do with oil performance. It is certain additives that make that difference. Mobil1 always provides excellent UOA, so noise is irrelevant. Mobil1 0W40 is generally known as noisier oil. But, always provides excellent UOA.
 
My 3.2L V6 Mercedes was noisy and had intermittent ticking noises with the factory fill 0W40 M1. I switched to Red Line and it was quiet after the changeover. If you want quiet I would look at something other than M1. If you want cheap you can forget the Red Line. I don't use Castrol but there are many other alternatives....Valvoline?
 
My 3.2L V6 Mercedes was noisy and had intermittent ticking noises with the factory fill 0W40 M1. I switched to Red Line and it was quiet after the changeover. If you want quiet I would look at something other than M1. If you want cheap you can forget the Red Line. I don't use Castrol but there are many other alternatives....Valvoline?
Pennzoil 5W40 is very smooth oil. Castrol Edge 0W30 of all oils I sued was always smoothest. But, it is pricey.
 
Noise does not have anything to do with oil performance. It is certain additives that make that difference. Mobil1 always provides excellent UOA, so noise is irrelevant. Mobil1 0W40 is generally known as noisier oil. But, always provides excellent UOA.
Is it still valid for the last iteration of M1 0W40? I switched the Mazda from M1 0W40 to JD Plus-50 0W40 (apparently Rotella T6 in disguise), and I feel like the latter is slightly noisier.
M1 TDT 5W40 I had before the 0W40 was also significantly noisier than both others.

Now Castrol 0W40 at decent price became rare as hen's tooth here (just like the Pennzoil in 40 grade), so I can't compare to that. And I'm not going to buy Liqui-Moly...
 
Noise does not have anything to do with oil performance. It is certain additives. Mobil1 always provides excellent UOA, so noise is irrelevant. Mobil1 0W40 is generally known as noisier oil. But, always provides excellent UOA.
Is this your opinion? Can you provide a source for the "certain additives" that produce noise? I would like to know. Been wondering for a while. Regarding UOA results, the lab manager at Blackstone opined in an interview that based on the results of many 1000's of UOA tests there was no difference between conventional and "synthetic". Very confusing!

BTW- I never claimed the Castrol Euro 0-40 was in any way better in performance, only it that it was quieter. All things being equal, I think ppl prefer a quieter engine. You liked the "smoother" engine Castrol Edge 0-30 (?) gave you in a recent post. Is this irrelevant?
 
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Is this your opinion? Can you provide a source for the "certain additives" that produce noise? I would like to know. Been wondering for a while. Regarding UOA results, the lab manager at Blackstone opined in an interview that based on the results of many 1000's of UOA tests there was no difference between conventional and "synthetic". Very confusing!

BTW- I never claimed the Castrol Euro 0-40 was in any way better in performance, only it that it was quieter. All things being equal, I think ppl prefer a quieter engine. You liked the "smoother" engine Castrol Edge 0-30 (?) gave you in a recent post. Is this irrelevant?
So, certain additives like Boron will influence noise level. I am not saying conventional vs. synthetic. First of all, there is no conventional oil that can pass these approval specifications. There was a thread in general oil section about Challenger SRT where Blackstone was saying that oil was OK, yet at 127K, engine was full of varnish. So I am not sure conventional will perform same as synthetic when it comes to oxidation, deposits etc.
As for Castrol, yes, Castrol 0W40 is very smooth oil. I used it for years. I have now in the Tiguan 0W30 as I managed to get it on sale last year, and that oil replaced 0W40 that was in the sump. However, from oil performance level, wear etc. I do not think you will find any difference between Castrol 0W30/40, Mobil1 0W40, Pennzoil 5W40 etc. Those are all top tier oils. You wills ee though difference in shear etc. I know one thing, while M1 0W40 was always noisier, it literally did not shear at all in 5K OCI in my VW's, and those are DI engines (VW CC I had, and this Tiguan).Also one UOA I did in my Toyota, M1 5W30 EP still kept KV100 above 11 in 10K.
I will replace in my BMW in 10 days or so PP 5W40 and put M1 0W40 just to see how it does. I will not do UOA of PP as I mixed that with a bit of BMW TPT 5W30 that I had from previous OCI, but will do UOA of M1 and Castrol 0W30 that is in Tiguan.
 
So, certain additives like Boron will influence noise level. I am not saying conventional vs. synthetic. First of all, there is no conventional oil that can pass these approval specifications. There was a thread in general oil section about Challenger SRT where Blackstone was saying that oil was OK, yet at 127K, engine was full of varnish. So I am not sure conventional will perform same as synthetic when it comes to oxidation, deposits etc.
As for Castrol, yes, Castrol 0W40 is very smooth oil. I used it for years. I have now in the Tiguan 0W30 as I managed to get it on sale last year, and that oil replaced 0W40 that was in the sump. However, from oil performance level, wear etc. I do not think you will find any difference between Castrol 0W30/40, Mobil1 0W40, Pennzoil 5W40 etc. Those are all top tier oils. You wills ee though difference in shear etc. I know one thing, while M1 0W40 was always noisier, it literally did not shear at all in 5K OCI in my VW's, and those are DI engines (VW CC I had, and this Tiguan).Also one UOA I did in my Toyota, M1 5W30 EP still kept KV100 above 11 in 10K.
I will replace in my BMW in 10 days or so PP 5W40 and put M1 0W40 just to see how it does. I will not do UOA of PP as I mixed that with a bit of BMW TPT 5W30 that I had from previous OCI, but will do UOA of M1 and Castrol 0W30 that is in Tiguan.
Thank you for your helpful response. Regarding the Blackstone interview, the lab manager was speaking with the Saab owners club interview guy about what he has observed. It was not about a single individual engine, but results from many 1000s of lab analyses. He opined wear metals, etc. were similar between the conventional vs. "synthetic" oils and an engine using either one would last just as long. This is real world data, accumulated over years.

If the lab results are similar and engines can last as long - who cares (gasp)?

There was a GM power train engineer on this forum (since banned) who claimed "synthetic" oils were unnecessary, unless oil temp exceeded 305F or were to be used in very cold climates.
Now I am even more cornfused...
 
Thank you for your helpful response. Regarding the Blackstone interview, the lab manager was speaking with the Saab owners club interview guy about what he has observed. It was not about a single individual engine, but results from many 1000s of lab analyses. He opined wear metals, etc. were similar between the conventional vs. "synthetic" oils and an engine using either one would last just as long. This is real world data, accumulated over years.

If the lab results are similar and engines can last as long - who cares (gasp)?

There was a GM power train engineer on this forum (since banned) who claimed "synthetic" oils were unnecessary, unless oil temp exceeded 305F or were to be used in very cold climates.
Now I am even more cornfused...
Bcs. Blackstone knows better than vehicle manufacturer what should go into your engine? Or guy from GM?
Give us a break man.
 
Bcs. Blackstone knows better than vehicle manufacturer what should go into your engine? Or guy from GM?
Give us a break man.
You can't answer this, can you? Another internet expert...

Never said Blackstone said what should go in an engine. Just reported results/observations of lab tests. The GM guy was vehicle manufacturer . LOL
 
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I’ve been using Mobil 1 Euro 0w-40 in my Ford 2.0L turbo for a few months now and oil consumption and leakage has been eliminated. Previously I was running Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w-30 and my car was leaking a ton and consuming oil. I’m sold on the Mobil 1 0w-40. Probably the best oil a guy can find on the street right now besides Amsoil imo.
 
You can't answer this, can you? Another internet expert...

Never said Blackstone said what should go in an engine. Just reported results/observations of lab tests. The GM guy was vehicle manufacturer . LOL
I already answered you. It is not all about wear. You are one of those types that wake up in the morning sees something for the first time and expects that everyone owes him an answer how that works, bcs. we should be privileged you exist.
I told you look at thread about Challenger SRT. It is about deposits, oxidation, performance of oil in extreme temperatures, HTHS, etc.Oil is MUCH more than analysis that Blackstone does.
You can start here to find out more:
But, hey, here is your opportunity. Run conventional in European turbo engine and prove everyone wrong.
 
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I already answered you. It is not all about wear. You are one of those types that wake up in the morning sees something for the first time and expects that everyone owes him an answer how that works, bcs. we should be privileged you exist.
I told you look at thread about Challenger SRT. It is about deposits, oxidation, performance of oil in extreme temperatures, HTHS, etc.Oil is MUCH more than analysis that Blackstone does.
You can start here to find out more:
But, hey, here is your opportunity. Run conventional in European turbo engine and prove everyone wrong.
Thank you for that deep psychological analysis! Maybe you should consider becoming a psychiatrist instead spending your life here..

Seriously, I do use a top tier "synthetic" in my European super double turbo car, as pointed out by the "GM guy" (and many others) due to high oil temp. Regarding statistics, you value a single analysis vs many 1000s. Really?

Think I'll put on my mask (synthetic, of course) and venture down to WM and check out the latest in designer oil containers. I'll get back to you with that vital info. LOL

Thank you for your contributions on these forums. A lot of good info there. Really
 
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Thank you for that deep psychological analysis! Maybe you should consider becoming a psychiatrist instead spending your life here..

Seriously, I do use a top tier "synthetic" in my European super double turbo car, as pointed out by the "GM guy" (and many others) due to high oil temp. Regarding statistics, you value a single analysis vs many 1000s. Really?

Think I'll put on my mask (synthetic, of course) and venture down to WM and check out the latest in designer oil containers. I'll get back to you with that vital info. LOL

Thank you for your contributions on these forums. A lot of good info there. Really
Sometimes you do not need to be psychiatrist to see obvious.
 
My engine 6G74, is known for the lifter ticks. I used Mobil 1 0W40 and no noise. I have confidence with Mobil 1. There are many oils to choose from. Best of luck sir!
 
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