Hi, I got a '12 S and was excited to see Costco announcing synthetic oil. Haven't checked my local store to see if it's there yet but wanted to get opinions. I have used Royal Purple and Liqui Moly in the past so have fun comparing and contrasting
Edit: $29.99 for two 5-qt bottles

 

Looks just like the $17:99 Walmart brand I use.......

 

Uh...pass.

 

Is it really worth it to skimp on oil in a turbocharged application? I have an R50 and all it gets is Mobil 1. It is more expensive but I know I can trust it. I will only use cheap, store brand oil in beaters like my 1998 Nissan Frontier shop truck. It has 411,000 miles on it and compression is out of spec (140psi). However, it lived most of it's first 330,000 miles on Mobil 1 too. My Last oil change in the truck was WalMart Supertech high mileage full synthetic, which is $15 a gallon. It is made by the same company as the Kirkland, Warren Distribution.

 

I have read that Kirkland items are usually re branded versions of trusted name brands. Although, I would still stick to Mobil 1 myself. I actually stocked up on Mobil 1 at Costco when they were on sale for $24 for 5 quarts.

 

I've been using Mobil1 on my cars for a while and will probably stick to it.
But with that said, Costco typically seems to have fairly good quality products. I'd try it on my wife's car =P

 

Best advice I can offer is get the specs for any oils you want to consider, and include the specs for the oil recommended by the factory, and compare the specs.

When I have done this in the past with other oils for other brands of cars and engine oils generally the factory recommended oil comes out on top.

Me I don't bother. I have no desire to use my cars as test beds to try to come up with an alternative oil to what the factory recommends so. I just use what the factory recommends.

 

The 5w-30 Mobil 1 at my costco doesn't meet the LL-01 or ACEA a3/b4 spec, although I guess Royal Purple doesn't list it on their bottle either. Liqui Moly has been cheaper recently and does list these criteria so I guess I'll stick with that. It never freezes here and I change oil every 5k miles.

 

My R60 dipstick bracket says to use Castrol Synthetic.

 

Is it really skimping though? The Kirkland is SN PLUS and has the same certifications as the Mobil 1 right? So shouldn't they be identical to the engine?

Here is the Kirkland analysis: https://pqia.org/kirkland-signature-...-30-motor-oil/

 

Being on spec means it meets minimum standards. I haven't researched this oil, and don't plan to (if this is like 3very other automotive forum, there will be an Amsoil distributor here soon to take over this thread--they can do it).

PQIA is some sort of manufacturers' association, which includes, among others, the manufacturer of Kirkland brand oil. This is a marketing website not an industry standards organization like API.

Is this oil acceptable? If it meets MINI's published specs, then yes.

Is it good enough for average consumer applications. Most likely yes.

Is it good enough for my car? Possibly, but I doubt it. I've been running Mobil 1 since 1991 when I attended my first course at the Army Petroleum Lab.

I haven't had a reason to change yet. Saving $40/year on my car maintenance isn't sufficient reason for me.

 

PQIA is not a manufacturers association. They're an independent verifier of manufacturer claims. They test oils from all manufacturers and post the results for consumers to make up their minds. It's basically Blackstone analysis of brand new, unused oil.

I've yet to see any evidence that Mobil 1 is objectively better than all others. I'm new to car maintenance and actually looking for the best that's out there. But I've been researching this for a few weeks now and the most consistent post across all forums is that oil is a controversial and heated debate. And in line with what you just said about having used Mobil 1 since 1991, it seems to me that people use whatever oil was heavily marketed to them when they started out and just swear by it, even though oil tech and standards have advanced significantly since then.

If it meets minimum API requirements for SN PLUS, that means API is certifying that it's objectively good enough for virtually every gasoline car ever made. And a lot of these oils test above the minimum as evidenced by the PQIA or Blackstone tests.

I guess I'm missing the point of the debate on oils. It seems it's mostly emotion driven. Even Blackstone has said in their analysis over all their testing, it hasn't mattered what you use as long was you change it with some frequency.

 

Umm, yeah. Independent, but their advisory board consists of representatives from a few manufacturers--with most of them being marketing folks.

http://www.pqiamerica.com/Advisory%20Board.html

I have seen objective evidence. I've done the research. I shared my informed opinion. I agreed that any oil that meets API spec meets the minimum standard. I've also seen the insides of high mileage engines that ran high quality (eg, well above minimum standard) oil vs lower quality oils.

You can get away with a lot, and for most, good enough is exactly that. But there is a difference.

 

Okay but what's your point about PQIA. They are just providing a database with lab analysis of different oils and indicating whether they meet standards. They aren't rating anything nor telling you what to buy. They also have tested a bunch of Mobil 1 oil and it all passed minimum standards.

You implied you've made your selection based on a course you took 30 years ago. That's hardly objective evidence. While PQIA has a database of raw lab analysis data which you're implying is fraudulent?

 

I made my INITIAL choice based on my personal experience performing API tests in a nationally renowned petroleum laboratory 30 years ago, where I first-hand gathered objective test data. I have periodically updated my research (not lab work, just reviewing testing results) since then, most recently when researching engine oil for my 2013 GT500. What I discovered then was that there were other synthetics that performed as well as Mobil 1, whereas that was not the case in 1991.

EVERY oil will pass​​​ minimum specs. There are a lot of additional, optional tests that give a better indication of how an oil will perform under extreme usage. I drive my cars hard, and put a lot of demands on the oil--well beyond normal usage. I expect my oil to stay on spec for the full usage cycle. Many lower quality oils do not, particularly when exposed to extreme operating conditions. If you are pulling samples and running tests to monitor your oil conditions, by all means, use the minimum spec stuff, and change it when the sample tells you to (I wouldn't go 5k miles before you sample though). I don't want to deal with the hassle of pulling regular oil samples and waiting for results, so I spend the extra $40/yr​​​​​ to buy a higher quality oil objectively proven to maintain spec longer under extreme conditions. If you need the extra $40, then buy the Kirkland stuff.

I never said the PQIA site was fraudulent. It's misleading. It's telling you the same information indicated on the oil packaging by the API engine oil quality marks.

A group of oil manufacturers got together to form an "independent" testing agency and their advisory council consists of marketing guys from the manufacturers? If they were really interested in testing, their advisory council would be made up of quality people and lab rats. Why would they need to provide you with a special council independently certifying what the API (a real, actual independent testing agency who develops the specifications) has already certified? Because they are trying to sell you something... Like "See, our off-brand oil is just as good as Mobil 1."

I am done. I answered the OP's questions, and yours. I've got no energy or motivation to get into an internet pissing contest with you. Buy whatever makes you happy. Donate to PQIA. They can probably use the funding support since they're" independent."