Why should I buy Mazda branded oil when I can get this Idemitsu oil for half the price?

[Cheesefactcaketory]

Link to the oil amazon: https://a.co/d/hEv0o4S

I have a 2018 Mazda 3 2.5L

So we're told we should use Mazda branded oil in our cars. However my brain is saying the oil above not only meets the specs but may surpass them. Below is my logic. Please tell me where I might be wrong.

I'm looking at the specs (link to official site: https://www.idemitsulubricants.com/product/ifg-3-0w-20) and I see this:

---------------------------

Specifications & Approvals

IFG 3 0W-20 meets the performance requirements for:

- API SP

- API SN Plus (Backward Compatible)

- ILSAC GF-6

- ILSAC GF-5 (Backward Compatible)

- Ford WSS-M2C962-A1

- Ford WSS-M2C947-B1



IFG 3 0W-20 is suitable for all OEMs requiring standards and specifications listed above.

----------------------

this site says the mazda oil Meets API SN and ILSAC GF-5 requirements.

If that is correct the Idemitsu oil would actually be better than the stock Mazda oil right? And cheaper?

I'm working on the assumption that the new standards for the idemitsu branded oil are better. It's been a while since I learned about motor oil specs and forgot a lot. I am hoping someone with a fresher memory can correct me if I am wrong.

So what do you think?

 

[vpr5703]

The Mazda 2.5L engines are not picky about oil. As long as it is API SP and ILSAC GF-5/6 it'll be fine. I ran all sorts of oil in my 2018 Mazda 6 with the non-Turbo 2.5L in it for 80,000 miles, and the engine didn't care at all.

 

[kschachn]

I don’t think I’d go out of my way to buy either one. Brand is mostly irrelevant at this level. Buy anything that meets your manual requirements. Ignore brand.

 

[SC Maintenance]

What Spec(s) does your car manual say you need?

Head to walmart and buy any that meet that spec. Good to go.

Seriosly - Mazda does not make oil.

 

[kschachn]

What Spec(s) does your car manual say you need?

Head to walmart and buy any that meet that spec. Good to go.

Seriosly - Mazda does not make oil.

It’s actually quite easy isn’t it?

 

[wpod]

What Spec(s) does your car manual say you need?

Head to walmart and buy any that meet that spec. Good to go.

Seriosly - Mazda does not make oil.

You mean Mazada doesn't have its own oil well! All these years I have been misled.

 

[vpr5703]

It’s actually quite easy isn’t it?

You've gotta admit - sometimes we BITOG'ers make it a little more complicated than it has to be XD

 

[Hermann]

You've gotta admit - sometimes we BITOG'ers make it a little more complicated than it has to be XD

Are you talking about the propensity of any topic to be discussed to the last minutia?

 

[vpr5703]

Are you talking about the propensity of any topic to be discussed to the last minutia?

Certainly not! We would never do that around here.

 

[k1xv]

You can use any oil that meets the specs, but for replacement electric bulbs, only genuine Mazda tungsten filament bulbs are permitted.

Mazda (light bulb) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[cptbarkey]

Are you talking about the propensity of any topic to be discussed to the last minutia?

I disagree lazily and point out that we need 10 more pages to evaluate

 

[demarpaint]

I have no idea why either.

 

[Cheesefactcaketory]

It's interesting. On the Mazda forums there's a panic: "if you don't use the Mazda oil your engine will die."

And here it's very much "nah you'll be fine".

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Welcome to BITOG

Even dealers don't use OEM branded oil for customer-pay work. If you have the dealer change your oil, they just use random bulk oil by the drum

 

[vpr5703]

It's interesting. On the Mazda forums there's a panic: "if you don't use the Mazda oil your engine will die."

And here it's very much "nah you'll be fine".

These engines are very well known as absolute tanks. If they were that picky about oil you'd see a warning in the owners manual. As it stands, these engine have some of the loosest specs for oil IIRC. Just "Hey as long as it's somewhere in the range of viscosities oil is typically produced at, it'll work" type of thing XD

 

[Passport1]

I bought two jugs of Idemitsu 0W-20 last year for $12 each on clearance at AZ. Got some in my Mitsubishi right now. Seems like good oil. Wouldn't pay $40 a jug.

 

[Cheesefactcaketory]

These engines are very well known as absolute tanks. If they were that picky about oil you'd see a warning in the owners manual. As it stands, these engine have some of the loosest specs for oil IIRC. Just "Hey as long as it's somewhere in the range of viscosities oil is typically produced at, it'll work" type of thing XD

These engines are very well known as absolute tanks. If they were that picky about oil you'd see a warning in the owners manual. As it stands, these engine have some of the loosest specs for oil IIRC. Just "Hey as long as it's somewhere in the range of viscosities oil is typically produced at, it'll work" type of thing XD

The manual says "Mazda Genuine 0W-20 Oil and Castrol® 0W-20 Oil are required to achieve optimum performance."

 

[Cheesefactcaketory]

Welcome to BITOG

Even dealers don't use OEM branded oil for customer-pay work. If you have the dealer change your oil, they just use random bulk oil by the drum

Is the work of dealers considered to be a high water mark of protecting a customers investment?

 

[vpr5703]

The manual says "Mazda Genuine 0W-20 Oil and Castrol® 0W-20 Oil are required to achieve optimum performance."

Interesting. Well for what it is worth I never used Castrol or Mazda oil on my 6, and I never noted a difference. And I'll continue that habit on my CX-50 Turbo as well.

Is the work of dealers considered to be a high water mark of protecting a customers investment?

The dealer is going to be responsible for problems caused if they use incorrect oil and the engine is damaged. So it would be absolutely in their best interests to not screw around. So I'd say yes.

 

[kschachn]

Most dealers (at least the Toyota, VW and BMW ones I've dealt with) are not required to do much of anything in regards to manual recommendations.