How cheap can I do a Euro oil change?

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
All the CT oils are only “meets” spec, not approved. Not really any cheaper than Castro’s when it is on sale anyways, might as well get the real stuff.

Do they even say that? The ones we looked at a while ago in another thread said "suitable for", which in my mind means even less than "meets".

 

[mightymousetech]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
All the CT oils are only “meets” spec, not approved. Not really any cheaper than Castro’s when it is on sale anyways, might as well get the real stuff.

Do they even say that? The ones we looked at a while ago in another thread said "suitable for", which in my mind means even less than "meets".


My bad, you are right.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
All the CT oils are only “meets” spec, not approved. Not really any cheaper than Castro’s when it is on sale anyways, might as well get the real stuff.

Do they even say that? The ones we looked at a while ago in another thread said "suitable for", which in my mind means even less than "meets".

My bad, you are right.

Maybe it means the same thing, I don't know. And maybe they changed the wording or have different claims on different oils.

To me though, when they say "suitable for" that means "out of all the oils we sell, this one is the most suitable" for the application being listed. But maybe I read too much into it.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
All the CT oils are only “meets” spec, not approved. Not really any cheaper than Castro’s when it is on sale anyways, might as well get the real stuff.

Do they even say that? The ones we looked at a while ago in another thread said "suitable for", which in my mind means even less than "meets".

My bad, you are right.

Maybe it means the same thing, I don't know. And maybe they changed the wording or have different claims on different oils.

To me though, when they say "suitable for" that means "out of all the oils we sell, this one is the most suitable" for the application being listed. But maybe I read too much into it.


I don't know what BMW has for an approved list, but Mercedes has a list for 229.5 oils (Mobil 1 0w40 meets 229.5 but not LL-01, but Castrol 0w40 does). Usually what "meets" means is that it's not on the manufacturer's approved listed which means they didn't pay a fee to get it on the certified list. Anyway, I don't see any CT oils on MB's list. If it were, it'd say MB Approved.

http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.5_en.html

 

[edyvw]

Are we again having conversation what "meet" means?

 

[PFP]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
You drive a BMW and think $115/year on oil changes is too much?

Maybe you should trade it in for a Corolla?


It is if you can get it done cheaper.

Mine is about 8.5 quarts on an E-350. Autozone clearance $2/quart Castrol 0w30 and some Purolator cartridge filters on clearance from rockauto that were made in Germany and is basically a Wix. They were about $2 each and I got 4 so with shipping somewhere around $3 each. 8.5 quarts works out to about $17 for the oil and $3 for the filter. So that's a $20 oil change. But oil is a lot more expensive in Canada so it probably can't be done.


About the cheapest LL-01 readily available here in Canada is the Castrol 0W40, goes on sale once in a while for under $30. You could use the Canadian Tire European oil, but that is only "suitable" for the listed specs, does not "meet". Would not put in my engine. Of course, if you can find an oil on clearance, that would be the cheapest, but those happen very infrequently.


The Canadian Tire Euro 0W40 is a Shell Oil and is likely just fine for an older BMW with high miles and driven 20-30K km per year. It goes on sale nearly every other month for 35-45% off. I have bought it for as low as $23 per 5 litres. Castrol 0W40 can be had at CT for 45% off twice yearly, at roughly $31 per 5 litres. I have not seen better prices anywhere else (WM, NAPA, etc.). The Fram cartridge filters for BMWs at CT are high quality and just fine.

 

[Bailes1992]

If you want to save money is it worth looking at bulk buying a quality 5w30 or 5w40 HDEO? It's what I do with most of my cars that are out of warranty, like Canada the UK seems to have high costs for engine oil, although seemingly not as bad as Australia.

 

[camrydriver111]

Thank you for the replies. I guess CT it is.

I found that Mann (OEM filter) at Partssource is cheaper than Fram.