dmmoroney

I know this is a "can of worms" question. I have read, and read, and read online reviews, opinions, etc.

I have been using Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, which is great, but expensive @ $50+ for 5 quarts.

There's a few like Pennzoil Platinum, Castrol Edge, Mobile 1, etc. that are around $25.

Is there any major difference?

Also, I see great reviews on Valvoline MaxLife.....should I consider this being that I have 135K miles?

I know there's many, many other brands that are great, but say under $25 is there one that is better than the rest?

Johnhav430

I use Pennzoil Platinum because Shell Oil will have $10 rebates lasting a year. So $15 per 5 qts. is decent, unless Mobil 1 is doing a $12 rebate.

I'm not into brands as long as the oil exceeds the specs of the vehicles. This car doesn't even require synthetic, and didn't come from the factory with synthetic, and has such a short interval of 5k recommended, that I feel confident Mobil 1 and Pennzoil Platinum changed every 5k exceeds what's required.

I also use WIX XP filters, which are like $7 each at rock auto.... my .02

XJSFan

I have used Pennzoil Platinum, Ultra, Mobil 1, QSUD, etc and now am running Maxlife full synthetic 5W30. I have 92K miles and my 2006 LS 430 loves Maxlife full syn. It ran well on all the others but this oil it seems to be extremely smooth running. Any of the above will work well. Your choice my friend.

lextout

i've had good results with valvoline max life,it stays cleaner longer and dosent break down as much, castrol edge is good too.

dmmoroney

Both great replies!

I've been using the Motorcraft FL-400S, which I saw recommended by LSCowboy. It's great, and it runs under $3.

Maybe I'll give the MaxLife a shot. I was also considering the Castrol Edge, but the MaxLife intrigues me!

Bocatrip

Mobile 1 5W/30 High Mileage. Great for older engines with higher miles. Been using Mobile 1 in every car I've owned.

shmi

I use the same filter with some Mobil 1 0w30.

2KHarrier

Yeah, I'm kinda partial to Mobil 1 as well. It's been a good oil thus far.

toddmorr

sure there are superior oils and filters, they are not all alike. But the short answer is it just doesn't matter. Any modern oil of correct weight/viscosity, properly changed at factory recommended intervals, will result in an LS430 living hundreds of thousands of miles. It's just that simple.
unless you have extreme operating conditions?

Johnhav430

Toyota Motor's PhD's wrote a dissertation on how synthetic motor oil makes no difference through 500k miles. I wish all that stuff wasn't removed from the web (cos. have gotten smart). Maybe times have changed just a little with turbochargers and the push for fuel economy, so synth is more justified, or a blend. But like you said, it has nothing to do with longevity.

If we pinch ourselves, people are not willing to pay for OEM parts even at 125k was it, so we could say, why waste money on unnecessary oil? And even on this thread, there is use of the most expensive oil, with a $3 filter. At the end of the day, it really doesn't make any difference, and we're right back to whatever one prefers....

LS430inDE.

AMEN! I literally purchase whatever is cheapest! Of course, the correct viscosity and a rating of SJ or higher (SL, SM, SN) our NON-TURBOCHARGED engines will run juuuuuuuust fine! There WILL BE the exceptions as toddmorr already stated, "extreme operating conditions". Towing and the folks in Canada during the winter probably qualify for that classification. For the other 90% of the folks here, good old 'dino' oil works absolutely fine! i know it 'feels good' to use synthetic, but I believe you're just pouring your $$$ down the drain. For example, the Pepboys 'branded' oil is rated API SN; ILSAC GF-5! This is the highest/best classification!

Right about now is where someone chimes in they prefer synthetic because it's able to withstand extended OCI's. I can't fix lazy!

JffGRY706

dinosaur humm dinosaur hum make the dinosaur come

Johnhav430

This was the olden days based on the materials that seals are made of. I switched my 1998 Maxima to synth at 200k, it didn't begin to leak as a result. Just you watch, this thread will never end, but again, it truly doesn't matter. You can use supermarket brand 5W30 with a dollar store filter. As long as that filter canister doesn't burst, the motor will be fine.

Johnhav430

To illustrate the other extreme, when I first got my snowblower, I was way into it, modding it with a headlamp, on the power equipment forums, and I even changed the oil after x hours (it's so big it has a drain tube). But what happened, even though the year before we got slammed with several snowstorms to the tune of 30" a piece, it was a mild winter like this year. Lost interest. So, I didn't change the oil for the next 12 years. Decided wth I think I should have done it more often. The oil was so black it permanently etched the dipstick, so the dipstick is unreadable. With fresh oil, you can't read it, you have to look at the reflection. Does it really matter? Maybe. Maybe the snowblower only lasts 30 instead of 48 years due to neglect...

aypues

I'll add to the vote count for Mobil 1 High Mileage 5W-30. Have been using it and no issues whatsoever with the engine. My car has 163k miles now.