OIL - MOBIL 1 or CASTROL SLX

Gordon R

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My W211 E320 Cdi (Late 03) is going in for a minor service tomorrow and having looked through the service history, the last few services they have put in Castrol OW 30, but up until then always Mobil 1 OW 40. I understand MB 229.3 spec covers approved oils but is this purrely a cost saving or should I insist on Mobil 1?
 

chodder

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hi no doubt mobil is a good oil but i would say unless you are thrashing it 24-7 you are wasting money, a normal brand fully synthetic far super seeds Mercedes specifications on oil anyway, and lets face it Mercedes engine will outlive the body anyway if it is regular serviced! i have used normal fully synthetic in my car for 40k without any problems and i sometimes drive hard, when i go away on holiday my car does a 600mile trip none stop and sticking to the speed limits ha ha!! and being in the trade i get it for £15 so i change it every 5k
 

television

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If the oil meets the 229.3 or5 spec, then it does not mater who makes it,, Many MB dealers moved over to shell when the price hike came along
 

oilman

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^^^ Agreed, will be nothing to choose quality wise between the Mobil and the Castrol as they will be built to meet the same specs, nothing more.

I always say either buy on price opr brand, what ever floats your boat more.

Cheers

Guy
 

Dosco

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My question is this: I have continued to use 'Mobil 1' since purchasing the car in 2001, but I understand that a semi synthetic is more than satisfactory for this model - W210/E240 1998 - so am I wasting money:confused:
 

television

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My question is this: I have continued to use 'Mobil 1' since purchasing the car in 2001, but I understand that a semi synthetic is more than satisfactory for this model - W210/E240 1998 - so am I wasting money:confused:

Just buy the cheapest 229.1 or better oil
 

Rory

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My W211 E320 Cdi (Late 03) is going in for a minor service tomorrow and having looked through the service history, the last few services they have put in Castrol OW 30, but up until then always Mobil 1 OW 40. I understand MB 229.3 spec covers approved oils but is this purrely a cost saving or should I insist on Mobil 1?

Within the normal margins of price variablity, Castrol SLX and Mobil 1 are the same price. There's no price difference based on viscosity.

0W30 oils tend to be specified in many modern cars as they're slightly lower friction so give slightly improved economy.
 

oilman

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My question is this: I have continued to use 'Mobil 1' since purchasing the car in 2001, but I understand that a semi synthetic is more than satisfactory for this model - W210/E240 1998 - so am I wasting money:confused:

Even if a semi is suitable, it will not give the level of protection that a synthetic will. Synthetic oils take longer to break down than a semi so if serviced correctly, synthetics don't really cost any more as they don't need changing as often.

Cheers

Tim
 

kth286

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the problem with semi-sythetic oil is that you never know how semi it is.

there is no definition of semi.

is it 5 %

is it 50%

is 75%

Nobody tells you.

It could be almost all mineral and the prices vary widely to reflect that fact.

Stick with full synthetic and it will not readily degrade, like mineral and semi's do.
 

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