1st oil change, 08 Corolla, Did I make the right choice?

[phs]

Hello all;

New guy here on this forum.

Bought an 08 Corolla this year and decided that I would go with synthetic oil in this one so I took it in early for its first oil change. My dealer uses Valvoline Synpower but after looking at some specs I went with Mobil-1 5W30 and supplied the oil (also cheaper for me to supply my own oil) , the oil filter is Toyota.

After looking at some more sites ( Bob the Oil Guy for one ) there appears to be some controversy over Mobil-1, with some saying it's still a great oil and others bad-mouthing it. It appears that Pennzoil Platinum is gaining a following? Did I make a mistake going with the Mobil-1? Should I switch over to Pennzoil Platinum at the next oil change? I want to stay with an API starburst and SM rated oil so as not to have any warranty questions should a problem arise.

In the past I have used dino oil and gotten an oil change every 3,000 - 3,500 miles which was about every 3 months or so. Past cars have gone 185,000 - 250,000 miles. I am thinking that with this Corolla and using synthetic, I can go 5,000 miles easy between oil changes which will offset some of the extra cost involved. I can get the 5 quart jugs at Wal-Mart for right around $20.00 for the Pennz. Platinum and $22.00 for the Mobil-1 in 5w30. Yes, I know that I can go with Amsoil and go longer between oil changes but I'm just not comfortable yet with 15,000 - 25,000 mile oil change intervals so I will stay with the off the shelf oils available. The Type III vs Type IV (PAO) base controversy is not a concern to me as long as I am getting a good oil that will not cause me a warranty problem.

Thanks All.

[nodrogkam]

5000 miles with mobil1 fully synthetic will do you great, so long as you're not a weekly/monthly tracker.

the oils are fine, theres truth in what you read but for a corolla, any synthetic will be better than regular oil. toyota recommends an oil change every 5k with dino oil anyways dont they (with their new cars)?

so dont worry about your choice, just roll with it.

[PhatRoyale]

No you did not make a mistake. They're both very good oils, you can try them out and see how each works out for you.

Regardless of your choice, I would just stick to the factory recommended oil change intervals if you want to avoid any problems with retaining the warranty.

[Flashmn]

Only mobil 1 thats shit is the 5W-50 and the 0W-40. Those have a too wide viscosity range = long polymer chains = crud.

And they dont even have ratings from car manufacteurers.
As for reading stuff from sites, well.. you just gotta take it with a grain of salt. BITOG forum has alot of biased information and alot of ignorance, so dont take their word like its a bible. Read actual third party tests and decide for yourself.

[Bitter]

have UAO's (used oil analysis) performed on the M1 before it goes in, then take a sample every 1k up till the 5K change and have it all spread out to look at how the engine and oil are wearing together. try this with several different synthetics to see what returns the best results. i hear blackstone labs is a good company to deal with.

[Flashmn]

lol, that costs alot of money, more than whats usefull for the consumer..
Seriously you wont find that much difference in most brand name oils to cause worries in normal driving.

[Bitter]

about $13 per analysis from blackstone, that wont break the bank to see what oil works best for your engine, especially if you plan to keep the car for several hundred thousand miles, but whats most important is running a quality oil, quality filter, and getting it changed at appropriate intervals in relation to your driving conditions.

ive been diggin the purlator pureone filters, they seem to really filter very well.

[retiredat44]

320,000 miles with the $2.00 per quart stuff... and not burning oil...


1989 Corolla SR5, engine has never been uncapped/opened up.. never needed too... only new water pump and timing belt.

[Bitter]

yep, some cars run forever on the cheap stuff, some dont. its more about how religously you change it and using a good filter than it is about what oil you use. unless you're running some FI (especially turbo) or something else that really gets the oil cooking or you live in a place with temperature extremes like -20F or 110F.

[phs]

Thanks for the replies. I don't think I will lose any sleep over Mobil-1 vs Pennzoil Platinum ( or any other good, brand manr 5w30 synthetic. )
I believe that I will watch the prices / sale adds and see which of the two is the most cost effective ( stayiing with factory recommended intervals of 5,000 miles) I will most likely stay with one ot these two brands though. In case it makes a difference, I am in Northeast Illinois (10 miles from Joliet, so close to you Bitter) and the temps can reach -20 for short periods in the winter and in the upper 90's at times in the summer.
I have seen some postings where they say to buy whatever is on sale at the moment as they are all decent oils. I was always taught to choose an oil and stay with it for all oil changes, others say use what ever is the best buy when buying the oil. Opinions? Does staying with one brand really matter as long as it is the correct grade and meets or exceeds specifications. or can I swiths back and forth between two or three brands depending in sales or special offers. Is there any brand to stay away from ( besides CITGO - I refuse to put money into Chavez's pocket)

Thank You all again

[ae924afdx]

Mobil 1 is the best.. and if you love your car as much as i do.. use Mobil 1 EP {extended ************* . Stick with the 5k miles intervals.

I have on my cars.. all mobil 1 ..engine oil/gear oil. Good quality, you pay for what you get. And if you want to go cheap .. i recommend.. Exxon pretty good.. stays clean for a long time.

[phs]

I actually looked at the Mobil-1 EP but it doesn't carry the API starburst and I don't want there to be any questions as long as it is under warranty. (I even made sure the dealer listed Mobil-1 5w30 on the invoise instead of just marking it customer supplied oil)

[94_Rolla_Guy]

Ive been looking at Pennzoil Platinum and for the price it seems good and i think thats why its developing a following i donno what the makeup of PP is but many suspect its group III(severely processed mineral oil)not group IV synthetics(PAO/Esthers) Alot of people on BITOG also like to see how far they push there oil until thinning or additive wear out occurs, to me its more of a protection VS. Money thing

also i have noticed another thing is that 95% of oils carry the API starburst but... if you look on the bottom half theres the "energy conserving" and only about 60% of the API approved are "energy conserving" oils which i think has something to do with additive levels and such