Good oil?
- Thread starter 5038mario
- Start date
If you want dino (dinosaur oil, or non-synthetic), Chevron Supreme is cheap and the gold standard. Motorcraft 5/30 is a semi-synthetic, very high quality, and cheap.
If you want synthetic, Pennzoil Platinum is as good as synthetic oils get, and readily available. Amsoil/Redline/other obscure oils are good too, but expensive and a PITA to obtain.
The only reason to use synthetic in these cars is to extend the oil change interval, and reduce pollution/waste. If you run synthetic, buy good filters, the best common brand being Purolator and NAPA/Wix, with K&N and Amsoil being excellent as well; with the good oils and filters, run the longest interval you can according to the owners manual, OR...if you're anal and motivated, send oil samples off to www.blackstonelabs.com for a UOA (used oil analysis).
3k oil changes need to go away. THey're bulls***.
If you want synthetic, Pennzoil Platinum is as good as synthetic oils get, and readily available. Amsoil/Redline/other obscure oils are good too, but expensive and a PITA to obtain.
The only reason to use synthetic in these cars is to extend the oil change interval, and reduce pollution/waste. If you run synthetic, buy good filters, the best common brand being Purolator and NAPA/Wix, with K&N and Amsoil being excellent as well; with the good oils and filters, run the longest interval you can according to the owners manual, OR...if you're anal and motivated, send oil samples off to www.blackstonelabs.com for a UOA (used oil analysis).
3k oil changes need to go away. THey're bulls***.
Mobil One! Amzoil and Redline get used a lot at the race track, but Mobile One is high quality as well, and you can buy it at costco, and any auto parts store. Plus it is a bit cheaper. If it is good enough for shoroom stock Porsches, it is good enough for my Mazda 
!
!madsmartguy
Member
- :
- 2002 Mazda Protege 5
Castrol GTX
I buy Castrol GTX. I don't recommend going the synthetic route, because if regular oil was used before, switching to a thinner synthetic oil may cause oil leaks. I strongly don't recommend you to go with synthetic oils.
I recommend going with a good name brand oil (castrol, valvoline, a bunch of others) and consistently changing your oil every 3K miles. In the long run, it might cost you a similar amount to using synthetic oil, but you will always have fresh oil in your car, and it gives you an excuse to check other maintenance items so you don't get suprised and screwed due to something you weren't paying attention to.
I buy Castrol GTX. I don't recommend going the synthetic route, because if regular oil was used before, switching to a thinner synthetic oil may cause oil leaks. I strongly don't recommend you to go with synthetic oils.
I recommend going with a good name brand oil (castrol, valvoline, a bunch of others) and consistently changing your oil every 3K miles. In the long run, it might cost you a similar amount to using synthetic oil, but you will always have fresh oil in your car, and it gives you an excuse to check other maintenance items so you don't get suprised and screwed due to something you weren't paying attention to.
SocialStealth
Member
- :
- 2002 Mazda Protege ES, 120k miles
My dad says that the reason it used to be recommended that you change your oil either everything '3 months or 3000 miles' is because oil used to be far less efficient. However, now there are several additives in oil that help preserve it. And my dad, driving an 07 Subaru WRX STI said according to what hes read on forums, oil only needs to be changed once or twice a year, or every 7k-15k miles
Any thoughts on this?
Personally, when I changed my oil for the first time after 4000 miles, it was the same color as the new oil i was putting in...
Any thoughts on this?
Personally, when I changed my oil for the first time after 4000 miles, it was the same color as the new oil i was putting in...
Hogwash - synthetic oil will work just fine. Frankly, if you're getting oil leaks by switching from dino oil to synthetic, then you were on borrowed time anyway with your seals/gaskets.
I actually use the Walmart-brand synthetic oil - it's only about $18 for 5 quarts, and I have read several articles showing that the quality is the same as a lot of the higher priced brand-name full synthetics. To each his own, I guess
As for the 3k mile oil interval, again, hogwash. You're referencing back to the days of leaded gasoline, ignition points, and carbureted engines. The fact is, you can spend all day on here talking about why people should change their oil every 3k miles, but Mazda has spent tens of millions of dollars to tell us that we shouldn't. I gotta trust the engineers on this one.
But like I said above, to each his own. If the extra cost of changing oil every 3k miles gives you peace of mind, then by all means don't stop on my account.
Our manuals say every 5k-7500 miles, depending on the "severity" of your driving conditions. Like I said above, I gotta go with the guys who've spent the $20 million (or whatever) researching oil and its wear properties on our vehicles.
+1, slaverenz. The dino>synthetic causing leaks is BS, the 3k interval is BS.
The only reason to use synthetic is to increase your oil change interval, to decrease polution/waste, or if you drive a turbo or track car. You can safely drive a P5 to 7500 on dino under normal driving conditions. Redline it daily, you might consider shorteninG that, or using synthetic.. If you use synthetic, you could do a used oil analysis, and take it out to 10k or more, depending on what the UOA says.
Color has nothing to do with an oils efficiency, or lack thereof. Oil can turn black, and be just fine, or remain clear, and be trashed. Certain additives react certain ways to metals in some engines. Color means nothing.
Mobil 1 is an inferior synthetic, sorry. It's a grp III, not group IV, and it has a strong reputation for losing viscosity and therefore effectiveness, as well as burning off a lot in some engines. It's fine to use, especially in these engines, just keep an eye on it. And if you want to extend your oil change interval, use something else. In fact, use something else, period. Why buy inferior oil, when a great oil costs about the same?
The only reason to use synthetic is to increase your oil change interval, to decrease polution/waste, or if you drive a turbo or track car. You can safely drive a P5 to 7500 on dino under normal driving conditions. Redline it daily, you might consider shorteninG that, or using synthetic.. If you use synthetic, you could do a used oil analysis, and take it out to 10k or more, depending on what the UOA says.
Color has nothing to do with an oils efficiency, or lack thereof. Oil can turn black, and be just fine, or remain clear, and be trashed. Certain additives react certain ways to metals in some engines. Color means nothing.
Mobil 1 is an inferior synthetic, sorry. It's a grp III, not group IV, and it has a strong reputation for losing viscosity and therefore effectiveness, as well as burning off a lot in some engines. It's fine to use, especially in these engines, just keep an eye on it. And if you want to extend your oil change interval, use something else. In fact, use something else, period. Why buy inferior oil, when a great oil costs about the same?
my car ran regular motor oil for at least 55k miles then switched to synthetic absolutely fine. no oil leaks no knocks, a matter of fact, it ran much better.
if you want to switch go for it!
BlackCherry
Member
- :
- 2002 Mazda Protege 5
I use royal purple!
I use whatever brand name dino oil is on sale. That policy has served me well for more than 40 years on many cars. Never had an engine failure. I do change oil based on factory recommendations. It's OK to use expensive synthetic oil but it isn't necessary.
Clifton
Clifton
I use Repsol 5w/50 synthetic oil. I change every 3000miles or even earlier. Just remember to change earlier. It's better for the engine. If the oil goes bad, and you keep using it. It won't protect your engine at all. Especially, if you do the redline often, just do the oil change eariler.
+1 on that, great stuff. I order it from Jegs or Summit and it's at my door in 2 days.
I used to use synthetic until I figured out I was wasting money because I traded cars every few months. I do use it in my bikes, though. I have an old Roadracing World magazine form the 90s that tested synthetic vs conventional oil and the synthetic produced three more hp. That was only in a 110hp bike! Well, come to think of it, that is more hp than my P5.
You're kidding, right? Using Synthetic for 3k is asinine. It's a waste of money, unless you rallyx your car or something out-of-the-ordinary insane. Our cars can easily go 5k on dino oil, even up to 7500. A good synthetic is easily capable of surpassing 7500 even with 'spirited' driving under average conditions.
From what I have been told, synthetic will not cause leaks, it just leaks more if your car is already leaking oil. I have never heard any one bash mobil one before, that is a first. The point of using synthetic oil is so I can extend my oil changes. Castrol/kendall is supposed to be the best for conventional oil, but according to consumer reports, all the conventional oils provide pretty much the same. Valvoline however, does not provide as good of gas mileage. The donut does not say energy conserving.
I know it can go on 5000miles. Since mine is supercharged, it's better to change earlier in order protect the engine. I don't wanna break it again. When I do the redline often, the oil temperature reaches high. Therefore, the oil would become unefficient. I'd rather do oil change earlier. Don't wanna be like early this year, blue smoke and burn oil crazy. Burn down half liter oil per 100 miles.
theROOSTER
Member
- :
- 2002 Mazda Protege5
Anyone know what the typical MAZDA dealer uses?
we bought our P5 used, (with plenty of great service records) at 124 K, and my wife INSISTS I take it to the dealer for it's first oil change under us.... (freak)
I've looked throught the records, and although it seem 5w/30 has been the norm, cant seem to figure out if they kept is standard or synthetic....(dunno)
I was thinking of "from here forward" as long I I have it, synthetic.
we bought our P5 used, (with plenty of great service records) at 124 K, and my wife INSISTS I take it to the dealer for it's first oil change under us.... (freak)
I've looked throught the records, and although it seem 5w/30 has been the norm, cant seem to figure out if they kept is standard or synthetic....(dunno)
I was thinking of "from here forward" as long I I have it, synthetic.
SocialStealth
Member
- :
- 2002 Mazda Protege ES, 120k miles
Was it for the better?
