@Cwatkin The base stock oils of European and American oils is basically the same; it’s the additives that make the difference. Most newer European oils have to have a synthetic base stock so they are equal to Mobil1 in that respect.
That’s why there are 2 Mobil 1 versions, the American and the European, which is often sold here as an extended drain type. Nearly all European cars sold here need the European spec oil.
Nearly all European cars sold here need the European spec oil.
BMW must not be in that list…because they only recommend Castrol syntec. And they specifically say NOT to use Mobil 1.
MikeInNH Castrol Syntec meets the European spec for long drain intervals. Mobil 1 long drain is suitable for most European cars, it reads so on the label which ones.
European oil standards had to be long extended drain for environmental reaons, only to reduce waste oil.
Castrol and BMW have had a long and stormy relationship. Way back when BMWs first were sold in any quantity, the Germans specified 20W50 (like that for Autobahn driving) year round, not realizing that drivers in Minnesota would fire up their un-preheated cars and drive off, depriving their cars of sufficient lubrication. BMW blamed Castrol, not looking at any temperature maps. They finally settled and Castrol became the preferred supplier.
To this day I take BMW’s oil spec with a grain of salt.
Castrol?
This is what Alldata lists for a 2012 328i;
BMW High Performance Fully Synthetic Oil
BMW Quality Longlife-01 ACEA: A3/B3, EC II
SAE 0W-40
BMW Part No.
83 21 0 144 456
2008 328i;
BMW of North America has introduced a line of exclusively formulated High Performance Engine Oils which exceed existing international quality specifications (SAE/CCMC) for motor oils. BMW part numbers are:
SAE 5W-30 (SJ/CF) 1 quart Part No. 07 51 0 017 866
BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil
SAE 15W-40 (SJ/CF) 1 quart Part No. 07 51 0 017 868
BMW High Performance Mineral Oil
http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Owner/SyntheticEngineOils.aspx
Castrol Edge is a good oil. So is Mobil-1. I think the BMW choice for Castrol is more of a marketing thing (paid for by Castrol). It’s like Sunoco being the official gas for Nascar.
@MikeInNH Years ago I helped develop a low ash oil for use in 2 cycle outboard engines. Plug fouling was a big problem, especially in ski boats which went from fas to slow very frequently.
We engaged Castrol to formulate the oil, but it was labeled Outboard Marine oil with no mention of Castrol, but Castrol was the sole formulator. The oil cured the plug fouling and the rest is history.
Today I’m not sure who supplies the oil for Johnson and Evinrude (Division of Bombardier Recreational Products) outboards.
I think having the oil in one’s car analyzed might be interesting but never necessary. As many have written here throughout the years, if you follow the owner maintenance manual, you’ll not need to worry about the brand of oil.
I have read that not all oils have the same base oils. While highly refined mineral oil (Group 3) can be labelled as synthetic in the US, European makes won’t recognize this type of oil as synthetic. They only consider Group 4 oil as suitable for their specs. I understand that most synthetics are blends of Group 3 and 4 oils. I understand that some of Mobil 1 5W30 and 10W30 oils are mostly Group 3 oils while the 0W40 and 0W30 grades are mostly if not all Group 4. I guess the rationale is that the Group 4 oils hold up a lot better in such a wide viscosity range than do the Group 3.
All this is lost on the guy who takes his 2nd hand beemer to a quick lube joint and gets bulk dino oil because he’s nearly broke.
I have heard all about this with people who are barely able to afford a luxury or performance brand car and then don’t perform the proper maintenance. They should have bought a run of the mill car and had money to spare for maintenance.
I think there is even a rap song about rolling in an Escalade with only $5 of gas in the tank or something along those lines.
When I was still working at the Benz dealership, I would laugh so hard when a high end car showed up sporting the latest fashion . . . Big O tires
@cwatkin You’re right, synthetic base stock varies, and only Group 4 is truly synthetic. These are polyalphaolefins (PAOs) and are used by Mobil 1 and other top rated oils, as well as industrial turbine oils. Fore regular mineral oils, base stock is a commodity produced by most large refiners.
There is a car “recycling” yard here specializing in foreign makes. At any one time you can see a lot of BMWs parked there as these guys cannot afford to replace mirrors and other parts that break. The owner has a roaring buisness in used BMW, Audi, Jaguar and other expensive parts.
I was hoping someone who knew about oil would respond to this - but no one did.
I think the answer to the OP question is that oil analysis is for the state of the oil and when it should be changed - and what is going on with the engine. It is NOT good for comparing brands.
So it should come as no surprise that no one answered the question - and that the thread diverged from the original topic.
I am sure the analysis would shed some light on which brand is better. As someone explained the Toyota engine that was known for sludge did just fine on synthetic oils but not conventional oils with the original manufacturer suggested change interval. I am sure an analysis would have shown a difference in these two oils when changed. I agree that one is probably not needed in most cases but could help one optimize an oil change interval, especially if higher end oils and filters are used.
I know people who run their cars for performance applications and they definitely see a difference in the oil and wear particles when using different oils. Now, all of these may meet or exceed the warranty requirements but some obviously do a better job. Also, certain oils may no longer hold up when performance upgrades such as an upgraded turbocharger with higher boost is installed while others do.
@CapriRacer Yes, I attempted to answer OP’s question in that mineral base oils are pretty much the same, and the additive package makes the difference. Under normal use, today’s oils behave much the same and Consumer Reports have tested oils after certain miles of use and found very little variation. That was not true in the mid 80s, and testing certification standards are much improved since that time.
We must remember there are different types of oil for different applications; a turbo equipped car will need a better oil, preferably synthetic. Different drain intervals demand different additive packages.
In summary, OP’s idea that oil analysis will yield different result under normal use is fictitious, today’s quality standards will show little or no different in results.
However, if use is heavy duty, such as trailer towing, the test results will often indicate a need for a better oil. In that case a synthetic will do better. Same for very cold starting, where a standard mineral oil will show increased engine wear, and a synthetic would do better.
But that was not OP’s question. I agree that the purpose of oil analysis is to optimize the drain interval as well as detect warning signals of impending failure. I just had a medical and I compare oil analysis with urinalysis and blood testing to identify impending problems.
“I was hoping someone who knew about oil would respond to this - but no one did.”
Hmmm, I think Docnick is pretty well versed in oil and petro products.
I sent a sample to blackstone when I had the supercharger installed my Mustang. I had never sent a sample off prior to that. I changed the oil when the blower was installed, and again 3000 miles after that, which is the point that sent the sample off. Turns out that in their estimation the oil was good for another 3k miles beyond what I had already put on it. So I just change the oil every 5k miles now. The oil was Pennzoil Platinum, and that’s what I usually use, as it’s often on sale at the local Advance Auto. I’ve used Mobil 1 a few times as well.
Can you imagine how many millions of miles you’d have to drive to accurately answer the OP’s question, in how many cars?
I thought it was a rhetorical question just to remind us that there is a Metro driving around with fancy oil in the crank case and the engine in your Chrysler is going to seize no matter what oil you use.
I wouldn’t run an analysis every oil change. Running it after having a major modification or just to see how a particular oil holds up in your engine is a good way to establish a safety margin and possibly save money over the long haul. In most cases, changing the oil at the manufacturer interval is likely just fine except in a few rare exceptions like the Toyota sludge issue.
I think that coming up with a change interval for your driving conditions is a good reason for an analysis. If you basically drive the car the same way every oil change, then one or two analyses can tell you a lot about how often you need to change the oil. This is provided conditions are similar and you use the same oil each time. Now, if you suddenly move to a new location and you are suddenly driving mostly stop and go in traffic where you were driving mostly highway before, you can throw away the results of that previous oil test.
As some may have noticed, I am not a big fan of Chrysler products. I have never owned one personally and likely never will if the current trends keep up. The experiences had by my friends and family have told me enough. I don’t care whatever other brands they have driven, it seems like the Chryslers are always the most problematic. I suggest looking up articles on the most and least reliable car brands or the best and worst car brands. Note that most or all MOPAR brands usually fall into the top 10 worst year after year. I would post links but this site seems to not like links, likely to prevent ad spams. That being said, I would trust the Metro on a long trip, at least mechanically, over most Chrysler products. Now if it was a Metro or Dodge Ram truck vs. an accident with a semi, I would pick the Ram truck. The Geo is definitely a tin can on wheels but it is an amazingly reliable and simple tin can on wheels.