GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Because they can order oil to meet their spec, which can be better than Mobil 1.

Mandrake

If you really care, run a blackstone oil analysis test between oil changes and compare the wear on your engine. That's what I did with my car and there was no major differences between any of the brands I tried. Its worth the investment on your car because it can also give you an indication if you should change your oil or not. My results indicated that I wouldn't really need an oil change except for every 35,000 miles. That would save me hundreds of dollars just from a $20 test.

natman

Modern motor oils are so good that speculating about which is better is pointless. Get a current spec (API SN) synthetic in the proper viscosity and your engine will last far longer than you're likely to own the car.

I'd happily use Toyota's oil *if* I could get it at a competitive price, but I wouldn't spend an extra dime for it because it's "factory oil". It's likely the exact same thing whoever makes it (almost certainly NOT Toyota) sells under their own name.

Coleroad

Exactly! The biggest difference in oil changes are in the oil filter you choose. No set standards, and there are big differences between them. unlike oil that has certain standards to meet.

703

I use Motul 0w-20. No one sells the Toyota oil where I live. The dealers only get them in barrels for in-house serving.

F250

The Magnuson Moss Act (US Federal Law) directs manufacturers to provide lubricants free of charge if their warranties dictate the use of only THEIR proprietary blended lubricant. Furthermore, the Toyota Technical Information System does not dictate the use of ONLY Toyota branded lubricants, but rather calls for ILSAC compatible lubricants. Consequently, if you find an alternative lubricant brand which meets ILSAC standards for the SAE 0w20 grade classification, you are free to use it without any potential risk of voiding your warranty. Just keep your receipts and records for each oil change not performed by a Toyota dealer so you can prove (if necessary) that you used the correct lubricants at the correct frequencies.

The best oil is the one which retains it's viscosity profile the longest while also showing the minimum amount of wear metals or additive depletion over the life of your OCI (oil change interval). The only way to know these details, though, is to sample the used oil and pay for UOA's (used oil analyses) at a reputable UO testing lab. Blackstone is the most commonly recognized lab, but there are others who are equally capable and sometimes less costly.

The bottom line from the above is that Toyota does not manufacture or blend lubricants. They develop specifications on how the lubricants need to perform, and then the lubricant suppliers develop lubes which can survive those conditions and establish final lubricant specifications for manufacturing processes. Then, Toyota works out an agreement with one or more suppliers (who manufacture them to Toyota's lubricant standards which are based on specific ILSAC standards) to "brand" the lube with the Toyota label and then purchase from those suppliers. ALL lubricant manufacturers are free to make and sell lubes to ILSAC standards. The costly part of the issue, though, is getting a lubricant certified for specific standards, and that is why you sometimes see major players NOT enter a new standard certification at the onset of an "upgraded" ILSAC specification. The certification process is NOT cheap, by any means, and the lubricant suppliers are always being pulled along by the automakers as new mpg dictates drive tighter engine tolerances which make it increasingly difficult for lubricants to survive the increasingly harsh internal conditions within the engines.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

You might want to read this thread:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rc-...hetic-oil.html

Before deciding what oil, whether UOA is worth it, and if you can trust uncertified labs (like Blackstone) to provide a good analysis.

Freds430

I have always used Mobil 1. The Toyota synthetic might have higher standards but the price difference does not justify. All the test done that I have read have stated Mobil 1 is an excellent oil. My local service manager told me, the dealership if you come in an buy oil will sell you the Toyota synthetic in bottles. In the back, he said they use a brand that I have heard of (can't remember) but certainly not a major brand. They use it in drums.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I have used Mobil 1 for years as well, but it may not be the best choice for Toyota products. If you read the thread in the RC F forum, you'll get information straight from the proverbial horse's mouth about which M1 you should be considering.

AFA dealerships - they all have contracts for bulk oil. They go for the cheapest oil that meets minimum specifications and they will always buy it in bulk to minimize costs. Toyota oil is not necessarily synthetic. I have not seen a Toyota branded oil with synthetic on the bottle, and even then, some would say many synthetics are really not quite what they claim to be because they're group IV oils, not group V oils (PAO).

Clutchless

Here are photos of a Toyota 0W-20 oil bottle and case with the word synthetic in plain view.

Johnhav430

Remember, Toyota motor resisted synthetic for a very long time--there used to be a dissertation written by their engineers, floating around the web stating there is no benefit to using synthetic on a vehicle up to 500,000 miles. imho what has changed is the CAFE standards.