Best of the best oil?

Arudge

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I can only find recomended oil in 10W40 semi synthetic .No other fully synthetic as been recomended by any oil company as yet.
I think you need to speak to somebody like Opie oils, they have a very good technical department and they'll be able to fill the gaps where the oil companies can't be bothered.

If you strip away all the bullshit it really is quite simple, unfortunately there's an awful lot of bullshit.
 
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Sylar

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Isn't this the same oil that is the factory fill in a new Merc , and used by MB dealers for servicing ?
No idea, probably is i guess. I wonder if its the same quality as the chains and cam sprockets made out of cheese they supply as OEM from the factory?
 

oigle

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>>>I thought...The base stock of synthetic oil was either actually synthetic or chemically altered to behave as synthetic.

>>>Nope. Base oil is mineral.

oigle you will have to expand on that for me to get my head round your comments. If synthetic oil is mineral why is it called synthetic... and if synthetic is only mineral oil why do you use Shell Ultra 5W/40 fully syn?

>>>couldnt bring myself to put 50 quid for 20 litres oil off ebay into a Mercedes. Maybe for my lawnmower and gate hinges ;) Actually, scrap that, just the gate hinges......

Well the first part of that has been addressed but I can save you some cash for maintaining gate hinges... a 10/40 semi-synthetic is good enough for such applications... it's what's in my trigger can.

What I said was 99% of engine oils have a mineral oil base. The additives controlling viscosity, sludging and even friction modifiers are variable in their quality and effectiveness. The "fully syn" and "semi-syn" oils have varying amounts of synthetic additives, the fully syn having all the top synthetic additives. The base oil in fully syn oils is usually a 5 grade or even a zero grade. This is reflected in the W figure in each oil grade - 5W/40 or 0W/30 etc. The synthetic viscosity additives have a much greater viscosity range available than "normal" oils or even semi-syn. Normal oils run 10W/30 or 15W/40 or 20W/50 etc. As you can see, not a great viscosity spread. Fully syn can go 0W/40 or 5W/50.
Hope that is a good enough description. Need a chemist to go further. The only proper fully syn oil that I know is Castrol R which is a 50 grade racing oil with little additives that has to be changed after 1 days racing. It is extremely expensive....


Ian.
 

JBell

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Isn't this the same oil that is the factory fill in a new Merc , and used by MB dealers for servicing ?

Yes!!!!! It is clearly not expensive enough so best to spend more on a "branded oil"
 

Arudge

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Yes!!!!! It is clearly not expensive enough so best to spend more on a "branded oil"
Some take comfort in buying stuff that is "reassuringly' expensive.

I'm more of a 'fit & function' sort of guy.

Does it fit and does it function?

And some OEM is no better than none OEM. You pays your money and take your choice.
 

JBell

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Some take comfort in buying stuff that is "reassuringly' expensive.

I'm more of a 'fit & function' sort of guy.

Does it fit and does it function?

Couldn't agree more

My car currently has Mobil 1 ESP in it as it was cheap at the time and will do next time as I have enough left but if I still own it for the 2019 service (which is doubtful) it will have the OEM MB oil in, all filters etc are OEM MB, it is serviced every 12 months as per the service schedule and I average 10k a year.

I was incorrect in my initial assessment of the OP's oil and stated he needs 229.5, according to Opie it needs 229.3 which apart from Castrol is semi synthetic on their web site, there is a link in post 48 on this thread
 

Droverunner

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>>>What I said was 99% of engine oils have a mineral oil base. The additives controlling viscosity, sludging and even friction modifiers are variable in their quality and effectiveness. The "fully syn" and "semi-syn" oils have varying amounts of synthetic additives...

OK.... as far as I'd understood...

All mineral oils of varying quality/performance are refined to varying degrees from crude.... and as you say varying additive packages added.

Synthetic oils are called so as their base stock is engineered or synthesized on a molecular level. This synthetic base stock can be engineered from either mineral oil or other products. For example Shell produce a synthetic base stock made from natural gas and this is the base for their Advance Ultra oils.

Whatever synthetic oil is made from it produces a base stock of far higher quality, greater stability over time and higher protection than any mineral base stock. Then obviously different types have differing additive packages added as with mineral oil to further enhance performance.
 

Yugguy

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No idea, probably is i guess. I wonder if its the same quality as the chains and cam sprockets made out of cheese they supply as OEM from the factory?

If you think MB are that bad why have you even bought one?
 

LostKiwi

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If you think MB are that bad why have you even bought one?
AND don't forget forums distil all the problems out. The reality is very low percentages of vehicles ever suffer an issue (exceptions being ABC and SBC systems!).
 
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If you think MB are that bad why have you even bought one?
I like them :) i like Ducati motorcycles but i know they have problems, doesnt have to stop me buying one.
 

Arudge

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If you think MB are that bad why have you even bought one?
I bought mine because it was cheap, very shiny and had a belligerent look about it that really appealed to me.

I knew it had issues but how hard could it be? I'm a P38 Range Rover owner, I'd challenge anybody to find a more unreliable vehicle than a P38. But my little CLK came close, more than once I've thought "it's going to get towed". But with some perseverance and help from this forum we're pretty much sorted. But it has certainly been testing.

I believe they call it character building.

On the bright side I now have a good car and I've met some great people along the way. And I firmly believe there is more expertise here, on this forum, than you'll find at any main dealer.
 

JBell

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I like them :) i like Ducati motorcycles but i know they have problems, doesnt have to stop me buying one.

Should be much better now Audi own them.

Have a look on Opie Oils web site for the correct oil, they know more about it than anyone but you do need MB229.3 spec
 

Droverunner

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>>>I'd challenge anybody to find a more unreliable vehicle than a P38. But my little CLK came close...

Oh great... once the post purchase service and fettling are sorted I'd not expect to touch our CLK for a year. If it proves troublesome Mrs D will out it.
 

JBell

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Oh great... once the post purchase service and fettling are sorted I'd not expect to touch our CLK for a year. If it proves troublesome Mrs D will out it.

You have a W209, he has a W208, very different cars
 

Arudge

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>>>I'd challenge anybody to find a more unreliable vehicle than a P38. But my little CLK came close...

Oh great... once the post purchase service and fettling are sorted I'd not expect to touch our CLK for a year. If it proves troublesome Mrs D will out it.
Mine is now 17 years old and it's issues had been stacking up, nobody wanted to address them, they simply moved it on. There was the dreaded 'oil in the induction system' which was a design issue, the main issues lay in the transmission. But I suspect the old girl had been driven in a rather spirited fashion and nobody cared about the damage that could do.
 
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Sylar

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Should be much better now Audi own them.

Have a look on Opie Oils web site for the correct oil, they know more about it than anyone but you do need MB229.3 spec
I am an accidental owner of a merc if im honest. I just bumped into it, 41k and immaculate. Possibly its the cleanest w203 there is, just had to buy it!
 

flowrider

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Shell Ultra 5W/40 fully synthetic it is.

As an ex seasoned Ducati owner I know how good Shells reputation is when it comes to oil. 99% of Ducati owners will only put Shell in a Ducati, im not kidding, them bikes are so fussy, anyone that puts anything else in can kiss there bottom end away......

Thanks Ian, i'll treat it to Shell.
Bear in mind oigle is based in Australia according to his profile.
 

JBell

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I am an accidental owner of a merc if im honest. I just bumped into it, 41k and immaculate. Possibly its the cleanest w203 there is, just had to buy it!

Then give it the correct MB229.3 oil with a OEM filter, you can't do better
 
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