Since Bmw switched from Castrol to Shell, what motor oil are you guys using ??

[lanbrown]

Originally Posted by JCL

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but I differ on the quality of Castrol oils. They have worked well for me, as has the BMW OE oil. I found it stands up well to 24,000 km oil change intervals.

Mobil lost their case about what constitutes a synthetic, so Castrol is a synthetic according to that decision. I don't see why it matters which synthetic process is used to create the product, it only matters what standards it meets and how it works at the end of the day.

A full synthetic means that the oil is produced with a specific process, whatever the base stock was, PAO or otherwise. A synthetic blend means that the above oil is then blended with a traditional oil to produce a blend. There appears to be confusion over the two separate issue of what constitutes a blend, and which base stock was used to create the synthetic oil.

Not sure where you are based as you don't give your location, but for North American readers, don't use an LL04 oil in a gasoline BMW. BMW recommended that back in 09 or so, due to early breakdown of the LL04 oils with typical US fuels. LL01 if you like, but I don't see the benefit of looking for an oil that meets a 14 year old spec.

Castrol is charging for a synthetic when it is not and is using cheaper components. Why overpay when you can use a different brand for much less? So it does matter on the process. Why doesn't Castrol use the same process over in Europe that they do here if it performs so well?

Walking and not driving was the mode of transportation for many hundreds of years. That worked well way back when. Why change? A car is better you say. Why get a BMW when an econobox will suffice.