Hi, im looking to do my routine oil change when I take the car in to tune up, change filters and so on, however I was wondering whats the best choice of oil for me....
Iv done a bit of research and my inclination is normally to go for castrol syntec on my accord, however I think I want to go a step higher than that for the Volvo... im looking at the Mobil 1 Extended performance and Shell Helix Ultra (dont know where the hell to find it in the US though)..
The manual reccomends 5W-30 but I noticed that the prior owner used 10W-30... Some people say that due to the heat in florida, the 10W-30 would be the better bet but im not too sure on this.. What do you lot use in your cars? What about you tech as your climate conditions are pretty similar to mine...
Thanks for the help
Nicolas


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I have always been a castrol personr till lately.
Now I use what we have at work because its free to me.
Now it is Mobil semi-synthetic 10W-30.

 

Any particular reason for the choice of 10W-30 over the 5W-30? Im pretty new to this so I was just looking for tips.. I figure the Mobil extended life 15,000 mile full syntec is the best bet as I can just get that in walmart... still not seeing the helix ultra anywhere.

 

10W-30 for the warmer climate thats just what I like to use.

 

I think il give my friendly dealers a call and ask them what they use lately... 10W-30 sounds ok, and i figure mobil1 it is... hopefully when i make the change, it would last me the next 2 and a half yrs til i graduate, cause I know im not running up 15,000 miles in that time... hopefully, unless I get into roadtripping in my s80.. so far thew longest drive i took in it since i got it in september 07 was to miami and back.. im considering a new orleans run one day, but not yet... also vow to drive to my sister in Notre Dame, Indiana one day before i graduate (or after)

 

Any truth to the rumour that changing from blended oil to synthetic can result in leaks -allegedly due to gaskets and seals behaving differently in the different oils?

 

Honestly never heard the rumour, I just go with the philopsophy of syntec being better than organic right through...
when im back home in the caribbean I normally use castrol syntec blend on my accord and shell rimula on my mitsubishi pajero turbodiesel but oil costs ALOT at home, like $8 a qt for syntec blend.. il say over twice the price that oil is up here...

 

I've heard of this also but everything I've read on the internet ays that it's garbage. I have heard of problems happening when you go from full synthetic to standard or blended oil. But there again this is something I've never exeperienced first hand. I currently run Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 5W-30 in my 2000 Volvo S80, and will start to use the 10W30 come this summer. I've ran 5W-30 in the summer for the past couple years but it has been known to get warmer (Austin TX) so I figure I'll run the heavier weight for when it's hot.

 

Well, its odd, in trinidad gas is nearly half the price it is in the US but oil costs so much more....
Im thinking to make the switch from the 5w-30 to the 10w-30 Also.. even though admittedly I wont actually be here in florida to drive it for the entire summer... makes me feel bad knowing that my car will sit idle for months.. I think il let my dads friend who I leave it by take it out for a spin every 2 weeks or so.. Il try to keep the fuel level low because I dont want it sitting too long and emusifying on me

ANYONE know where I can find shell helix oils and lubricants in the US?
Thanks

 

nicholas,
I believe we have a couple peeps here in the forum living in Florida that will be more than happy to thrash the h@%l out of, excuse me, I mean respectfully take care of your car while you are gone.

 

Haha, wont be any different to what I do to the car... I really push it to the absolute limit sometimes... im really amusing myself by driving without TC lately... thing is, every car iv ever driven in my life didnt have TC, why should I need it now.. I mean if its rainign or something il throw it on, but otherwise I loveeeee powersliding on turns haha.
Truth is, i still know my accord better, I know the mechanical limits of the vehicle but im still descovering it on the volvo...
Anyway, it honstly is quite the shame to still be paying insurance on my car over those months.. I would lend it to someone, but im far too picky about my car.. dont trust most other people to take true care of it.. I live with another trinidadian guy and while he is my great friend, I dont think il entrust him with my car... I dont think he treats it like I would, in terms of attention to it and so on.
Anyway, summers a long way away.. in the meantime, i can still enjoy it and do whatever work on it needs to be done