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

[motordavid]

I guess I missed that news on the big 'switch' of BMW going from Castrol to Shell.
As for anyone changing from the previously 'recommended' Castrol to the now 'recommended' Shell, why would they?

Did one's car lubrication requirements 'change' from pre switch to now?

Just poking actually...

I don't race anymore and I haven't torn down an engine in decades, but in the 50+ years I've been driving an eclectic mix of cars and motorcycles, I have never had an internal engine part or component system break down/fail/go sideways due to a brand of oil that was flowing through its galleries.

As I think about it I've never had an internal engine component or part 'break', (other than some collapsed hydraulic lifters in my Shovelhead), and some of my older stuff was run pretty damn hard and on old fashioned lubricants.

NEway, ard's post was exactly what I was thinking when I saw the OP's post and waited for the arm wrestles and anecdotes to commence.
GL, mD

[doni01]

Wow didn't think this thread would have had so much traffic. I guess I did open a can of warms here lol
In a serious note though, would the Castrol 5w-30 fully synthetic from walmart work ??

[ard]

Originally Posted by doni01

Wow didn't think this thread would have had so much traffic. I guess I did open a can of warms here lol
In a serious note though, would the Castrol 5w-30 fully synthetic from walmart work ??

Wow indeed.



I forget....are you under BMW warranty? if yes, then "no that will not work" as use of an unapproved oil will risk your warranty.

On a serious note...Dino oil with 3500 mile intervals would probably 'work'. How do YOU define "work"?

See? HOW DO YOU DEFINE 'WORK'????

You also seem to fail to understand that BMW changed the manufacturer they use FOR THEIR BMW BRANDED OIL. That does not mean "since BMW uses Shell for their oil, I had better use Shell when I choose an oil that isnt a BMW specified oil". The name on the bottle is of NO consequence. Do you understand this distinction? Again, because BMW switched their SUPPLIER doesnt mean that matters to you. Either you buy "BMW Hi Performance Oil PN XXYYZZZZ" or you are not using BMW approved oil. Why then worry about who made the BMW oil you are not using?

Finally do you think that "Castrol 5w30 synthetic from wallymart" is an adequate spec for anyone to say 'yes' or 'no'? I could swear castrol makes 4 or 5 versions of a 5w30 oils....

oh, I was going to ask and they realized not knowing makes this thread all the more pointless: what motor do you have?

And finally, you are a PERFECT example of why oil mfgs pay so much to have a marque say "we are the oil supplier for blah, blah". People dont know anything at all, but out of the haze of confusion they remember "oh, wait- didnt they switch to Shell?...I'll take the Shell please"

[JCL]

Originally Posted by doni01

Wow didn't think this thread would have had so much traffic. I guess I did open a can of warms here lol
In a serious note though, would the Castrol 5w-30 fully synthetic from walmart work ??

If it is actual Castrol and not counterfeit, then it doesn't matter where it comes from. I've never bought oil from Walmart. Assume you have a gasoline fueled model. If it is a synthetic, 5w-30, with the API SM or SN certificate on the bottle, it is fine. When your vehicle was built BMW likely spec'd API SH, so we are a few generations newer in terms of better specs now.

[doni01]

Thanks Ard and JCL, yes the car is a 2009 3.0 which also has ran out of the warranty. When I say walmart, I also mean any auto store such as Autozone, Pepboys, Napa etc....The question was more, if the Castrol Synthetic that is sold to general public in any of the stores would be a good replacement for the one that sold by BMW ??

[bmrboi2]

Bav Auto Liqui Moly in all the cars except the ones under the BMW Service plan. Once that expires I will be switching to the Liqui Moly.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by bmrboi2

Bav Auto Liqui Moly in all the cars except the ones under the BMW Service plan. Once that expires I will be switching to the Liqui Moly.

The 5w-30 Liqui Moly is certified to LL04. Are you using it or another LM oil? If so, given that you are in the US and have all gasoline fueled engines, are you changing it early to accommodate the more rapid oil breakdown found on LL04 oils when used in North America?

Would be fine for a diesel, or for use on other than North American fuels. Otherwise, seems like extra money for an oil that will degrade faster.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by doni01

Thanks Ard and JCL, yes the car is a 2009 3.0 which also has ran out of the warranty. When I say walmart, I also mean any auto store such as Autozone, Pepboys, Napa etc....The question was more, if the Castrol Synthetic that is sold to general public in any of the stores would be a good replacement for the one that sold by BMW ??

The BMW OE oil in North America (at least the one I bought from my dealer) wasn't German Castrol, and it wasn't the same exact oil that you could buy in a Castrol bottle.

Any of the name brands, in a 5w-30, with an API SM or SN certification, will be fine. Look for a synthetic, not a synthetic blend. Mobil, Castrol, or any one of many others works well. I always liked Castrol, and it used to be Syntec, but I don't know what they call the latest recipe, as they have multiple formulations.

Or use the BMW OE oil, who ever is blending it for them. The advantage of buying it from BMW is you can get an OE filter at the same time.

[doni01]

Originally Posted by JCL

The BMW OE oil in North America (at least the one I bought from my dealer) wasn't German Castrol, and it wasn't the same exact oil that you could buy in a Castrol bottle.

Any of the name brands, in a 5w-30, with an API SM or SN certification, will be fine. Look for a synthetic, not a synthetic blend. Mobil, Castrol, or any one of many others works well. I always liked Castrol, and it used to be Syntec, but I don't know what they call the latest recipe, as they have multiple formulations.

Or use the BMW OE oil, who ever is blending it for them. The advantage of buying it from BMW is you can get an OE filter at the same time.

Thanks again, and yes I agree with getting it at the same time with the filter since I do have to get the filter from there anyways. But my main concern was, would it be a problem switching from Bmw Castrol which I been using on this car since day one to their new line of Shell ??

[JCL]

Originally Posted by doni01

Thanks again, and yes I agree with getting it at the same time with the filter since I do have to get the filter from there anyways. But my main concern was, would it be a problem switching from Bmw Castrol which I been using on this car since day one to their new line of Shell ??

No.