OK, OK, another oil question. I'm changing the oil in my 2004 MCS with 57,000 miles. No mods, pure stock. The manual suggests 5W30. Castrol says their European synthetic oil 0W40 is recommended for my car. I thought a 0 weight is thinner than water. Where would the protection be at start up? Am I showing my age? Thanks for any help.


tosa mini

 

What year model do you have that doesn't list 0W-40 as an approved viscosity class in the manual?

 

0w40 is good stuff.

You want THIN at startup, good flow, fast- even in the cold.

I use Mobil 1 0w40, meets specs, cheap at Wall-Mart.

 

+2 Been using M1 0W40 in all the MINI's, even TRACKRAT.

 

the mobil 1 0-40w is a recommended oil for the R53

 

I use Castrol 0-40 , water is thinner believe me, it's an excellent oil, fuel consumption will improve

 

I use Mobile 1 0w40 no problems.

 

Yup...
Ow-40, no worries...
Better oil flow at startup, and thicker film when hot...
Mobil 1 euro also is one of THE FEW MASS MARKET OILS (also common and cheap at Walmart, and often on sale, often with rebates 2-3 times a year) that meet explicitly meets the BMW specs, as opposed to "made to satisify or exceeds" but never tested like Amsol, Redline, and Royal Purple.... They are good oils, but NEVER tested to meet the bmw standards.

 

P.S.
Best thing, bar-none about a 0w oil is winter starting!! Polar voxtex or not, the 0w wight oil pumps great when cold, and gets to where you need it to prevent damage!!
If I recall right, MINI published 5w-30 in the US owners manual, but showed 0w-40 in the euro ones...think if I recap right the logic was 5w-30 was more "available" in the us market...
Not 100% sure if it is true, but have been told with the different "group" syenthics, the 0w-40 is a much better syenthic group (5, I think) meaning it started as a real syenthic base stock, while a 5w-30 is most often a group4 oil made from a "upgraded" crude/aka Dino oil base stock...
10 years ago, Mobil and castrol was involved in a big lawsuit when Mobil started using "upgraded" base stocks for making some Mobil 1 products but still labeled it as syenthic....
Net result is the 0w weight oils are usually a superior oil to most of the mainstream 5w syenthic oils...the "boutique oils" like amsol, Royal purple, etc still claim FULL (AKA GROUP 5) SYENTHIC in all weights...

 

looking forward to giving 0w40 a shot myself next year

 

Thanks to all. Still feel safer using Castrol 5W30 Syntec in the Gold bottle even though it is not BMW Long Life. Oil change every 5/6 months at 2,000 miles. Again, thanks to all who replied. Chalk it up to my many years of turning wrenches. Have a Blessed New Year!

 

5W30 Syntec is not the same Oil as European Syntec. Beware. You are looking for the 'German' Syntec.

I think some weights are made in belgium. Good read....

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...l_)#Post718643

 

Nothing wrong with an LL-01 approved 0W-40.

Having said that, most people who step up from 30 to 40 do so because they've modified their engines, and want more shear stability and wear protection because of the added power / heat. Either way you'll be fine, but I don't see the value in running it on a bone stock motor. Whichever you choose, make it full synthetic and LL-01 / Euro approved.