Another engine oil question... Mobil1 ESP Formula 5W-30 (Long Life) with intervals of 30K km was put in my engine. Is this a safe oil for the E500E?
-
Hi Guest !
Welcome to the 500Eboard forum.
Since its founding in late 2008, 500Eboard has become the leading resource on the Internet for all things related to the Mercedes-Benz 500E and E500. In recent years, we have also expanded to include the 400E and E420 models, which are directly related to the 500E/E500.
We invite you to browse and take advantage of the information and resources here on the site. If you find helpful information, please register for full membership, and you'll find even more resources available. Feel free to ask questions, and make liberal use of the "Search" function to find answers.
We hope you will become an active contributor to the community!
Sincerely,
500Eboard Management
Engine oil recommendations
- Thread starter 550Maranello
- Start date
Is Mobil1 ESP Formula 5W-30 (Long Life) safe to use?
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Mobil_1_ESP_Formula_5W-30.aspx
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Mobil_1_ESP_Formula_5W-30.aspx
I would not consider any xW30 oil for the M119 especially at this age. its for the newer M113 & M273 engines
The standard grade for the M119 is the 5W40 & 15W40.
For Mobil1 I used all three Grades (0W40, 15W50, 5W50), 5W50 Rallye is the best but hard to find, 0W40 is not on the recommended grade chart.
Have you considered other brands like Liqui moly or Adinoil ? they have 5W40 Full Synthetic with MB229.3 chart.
Thanks for the advice. I allways use Mobil1 5W-50 Rally Formula (new name: Peak Life). But my mechanic forgot I mentioned I had 9 liters of it in the trunk. So he filled his own choice of 5w-30 ESP Formula.
I guess I'll have to drain and refill then, with a new oil filter before the car gets on its feet again (not starting at the moment)
I guess I'll have to drain and refill then, with a new oil filter before the car gets on its feet again (not starting at the moment)
Ditto what was said above. The M119 should use an xW-40 or xW-50 oil. And I would never use 30,000km change intervals! Also, the ESP formulas are for newer cars, for emission systems... the ESP oil usually has less additives and is NOT designed to protect the engine, as much as it is designed to protect the particulate filters and catalysts. I wouldn't use this stuff long term, but you could run it for 3-5kkm if needed, in cool weather.
For the record, after using Mobil-1 almost exclusively for nearly two decades, I am no longer using (current) Mobil-1 engine oils. At least in the USA, Mobil quietly changed their formulas (to cheaper Group III base stocks) and did not reduce the price at all, it actually went up in price. I am now using Red Line 10W-40, but would also use Amsoil 10W-40 "AMO". Both are Group IV/V base stocks and have excellent additive packages, and can be used for extended drains if desired.
Brad Penn does not offer any true Group IV/V synthetic. They have very good oils but I wouldn't use them for extended drains. Jono highly recommends Brad Penn oil for the M117 engine; due to the very high ZDDP levels, which the M117 requires to keep the valvetrain from self-destructing.
For the record, after using Mobil-1 almost exclusively for nearly two decades, I am no longer using (current) Mobil-1 engine oils. At least in the USA, Mobil quietly changed their formulas (to cheaper Group III base stocks) and did not reduce the price at all, it actually went up in price. I am now using Red Line 10W-40, but would also use Amsoil 10W-40 "AMO". Both are Group IV/V base stocks and have excellent additive packages, and can be used for extended drains if desired.
Brad Penn does not offer any true Group IV/V synthetic. They have very good oils but I wouldn't use them for extended drains. Jono highly recommends Brad Penn oil for the M117 engine; due to the very high ZDDP levels, which the M117 requires to keep the valvetrain from self-destructing.
I've never done intervals above 6k, and normally I keep it at 4-5k miles. Good to hear I can at least do test runs and some driving with the ESP Formula.
I think Mobil1 5w-50 Rally Formula, which surprisingly you can't get in the U.S, still is the good old engine oil they made before 2003. I can't find exact proof, but professionals over here claim it's still based on the group IV/V stock.
It'd be nice to know for sure though.
If it really is group IV/V base stock, and unchanged since before 2003, would you still prefer Red Line and Amsoil before M-1 Rally Formula Dave?
I think Mobil1 5w-50 Rally Formula, which surprisingly you can't get in the U.S, still is the good old engine oil they made before 2003. I can't find exact proof, but professionals over here claim it's still based on the group IV/V stock.
It'd be nice to know for sure though.
If it really is group IV/V base stock, and unchanged since before 2003, would you still prefer Red Line and Amsoil before M-1 Rally Formula Dave?
Ia also would not use an xW-30 Oil in the 500E at all, well maybe if i would live in artic climates all the year, but not in europe.
The xW-30 Oils are to "thin" at very high temperatures, so especially under high load like full throttle at the german Autobahn or multiple full throttle accelerations, the oil gets so hot that the oil will thin out considerably higher than any xW-40 or xW-50 Oil.
Especially engines that have heat issues, this oil is a sure killer. People killed their BMW M-Engines quite alot in Germany with xW-30 Oils because they get veeeery high oil temperatures, and BMW Drivers, drive like maniacs (high load) so the BMW Dealer even fills-in ONLY! a 10W-60 Oil from Castrol. Think about that. ;-)
The xW-30 Oils are to "thin" at very high temperatures, so especially under high load like full throttle at the german Autobahn or multiple full throttle accelerations, the oil gets so hot that the oil will thin out considerably higher than any xW-40 or xW-50 Oil.
Especially engines that have heat issues, this oil is a sure killer. People killed their BMW M-Engines quite alot in Germany with xW-30 Oils because they get veeeery high oil temperatures, and BMW Drivers, drive like maniacs (high load) so the BMW Dealer even fills-in ONLY! a 10W-60 Oil from Castrol. Think about that. ;-)
If it is a Group IV/V oil, then yes it would be good stuff to use. I personally do not like oils with a very wide viscosity spread like 5W-50 as this is often achieved via VII's (Viscosity Index Improvers), which are not desirable. I would still prefer Red Line as my top choice as they have good products and honest marketing/advertising. Amsoil has some very good products (not all) but their pyramid-style sales scheme is annoying. Even if Mobil had a fantastic product, I still would prefer not to use Mobil, as their marketing (at least in the USA) became misleading if not downright deceitful, and I don't want to support a company that has (IMO) shady business practices. I'll put my dollars in Red Line's pockets instead.
Recently performed an oil & filter change using Mobil1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W-40 Synthetic oil & Hengst oil filter.
I drained the old oil thru a fine strainer & was happy to see no evidence of any particulate matter.
A German Hengst filter replaced a Brazilian Mann filter.
I'm happy to see M1 TDT 5W-40 back on the shelves locally & am stocking up for the future since its availability seems subject to change.
I drained the old oil thru a fine strainer & was happy to see no evidence of any particulate matter.
A German Hengst filter replaced a Brazilian Mann filter.
I'm happy to see M1 TDT 5W-40 back on the shelves locally & am stocking up for the future since its availability seems subject to change.Attachments
No issues... that should be very good stuff. Only caveat is mentioned on Red Line's website:
"Not recommended for use in cold climates (-20C/-4°F for 15W50)"
Unless you live in Canada, Minnesota, North Dakota, etc it's not likely you'll see temps that low.
For what it's worth, I've owned my 97 E420 for almost 10 years (on and off). Initially, I used Mobile 15w50 but in the last 20k miles, I switched to eneos 0w50. I bought the eneos initially for my 6.9 as it was suffering from low oil pressure on very cold days. I was concerned that the dry sump system was not working properly and pumping the thick oil into the engine and hoped that the thinner oil will help. I ended up never using it so I stuck it in the E420 after I sold the 6.9.
Well, 20k+ miles later, I'm about to do my second oil change with this stuff and I have to admit that my E420 loves it. It sounds much quieter and runs much more smoothly then ever before. It now has around 193k miles.
This oil is very expensive at close to $10 / quart. However, I think that it's worth it and will continue using it.
I use Motul 5W40 in my 02 E55 and it also seems to be good. While the E55 is fast, it's not as smooth as the E420.
I don't have an oil analysis or any proof that this stuff is better then any other oil. I'm just basing my opinion on it from seat of pants experience.
Well, 20k+ miles later, I'm about to do my second oil change with this stuff and I have to admit that my E420 loves it. It sounds much quieter and runs much more smoothly then ever before. It now has around 193k miles.
This oil is very expensive at close to $10 / quart. However, I think that it's worth it and will continue using it.
I use Motul 5W40 in my 02 E55 and it also seems to be good. While the E55 is fast, it's not as smooth as the E420.
I don't have an oil analysis or any proof that this stuff is better then any other oil. I'm just basing my opinion on it from seat of pants experience.
Last edited:
No issues... that should be very good stuff. Only caveat is mentioned on Red Line's website:
"Not recommended for use in cold climates (-20C/-4°F for 15W50)"
Unless you live in Canada, Minnesota, North Dakota, etc it's not likely you'll see temps that low.
Thank you, Sir! I'll be fine, I'm in the South!
Sadly, I too have stopped using Mobil 1 in all of my vehicles. Lately I've been pretty impressed with the new "Ultra" full-synth stuff from Pennzoil. The "Ultra Euro" 5W-40 meets/exceeds the specs for all the big European car brands, and is in fact the factory-fill for Ferrari in the US. I put the 5W-30 (recommended weight) in my MS3, and will be using the Euro 5W-40 in the E500 on the next oil change. Oddly enough, my BMW motorcycle (K1300S) also takes 5W-40, but Motorrad specifies Castrol Power RS Racing 4T in the US. Marketing, I guess, but it's good stuff nonetheless.
I change my synthetic oil in the 5-7k bracket, regardless of what the general consensus is or what the oil marketing propaganda suggests.
That said - for too many stoopid reasons, I went a little over 11k miles on my current change (short version, mechanic changed oil on me 1.3k miles in, threw me off). Concerned yes. Results please me. I am now considering bumping up the OCI after this.
Attached!
That said - for too many stoopid reasons, I went a little over 11k miles on my current change (short version, mechanic changed oil on me 1.3k miles in, threw me off). Concerned yes. Results please me. I am now considering bumping up the OCI after this.
Attached!
Those results look good, Jano. The TBN is borderline IMO, I prefer to keep TBN at 2.0 or above, although I don't think it's a cause for concern as long as TBN is greater than 1.0 (approx). I'd say if your driving habits remain similar, you could safely do a 10k interval using that particular.
BTW - what exact oil was in use for the last ~11kmi? It says Amsoil 10W-40, is that AMO?
BTW - what exact oil was in use for the last ~11kmi? It says Amsoil 10W-40, is that AMO?
I don't know the exact flavor the mechanic used; when I asked, his response was "Amsoil, the best there is". When I ask for numbers, he sort of hmms and huhs and says 10-40. I have the diesel full synthetic blend, 15-40 which is what I had used previously and will continue to use (I bought a few cases late 2011 to have on hand). I'm thinking 10k it is.. but I have to make it a habit to check under the car more often than a couple times a year.
Grrrrr. I was afraid of that (not knowing what he used). If it was Amsoil 10W-40, I suspect it was XLO (the cheaper stuff), not AMO (the good stuff). The telltale signs are the low Zinc and Phosphorus numbers in your analysis. This would make sense with XLO. I was hoping it wasn't AMO as I expected better numbers from AMO.
Amsoil 10W-40 XLO:
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...-10w-40-xl-extended-life-synthetic-motor-oil/
Amsoil 10W-40 AMO:
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...tic-premium-protection-motor-oil/?GroupID=172
Note the price difference between XLO and AMO, btw.
Is your 15W-40 the AME "heavy duty" stuff? This is ideal for a 10k (or longer) interval.
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...-duty-diesel-and-marine-motor-oil/?GroupID=75
Amsoil 10W-40 XLO:
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...-10w-40-xl-extended-life-synthetic-motor-oil/
Amsoil 10W-40 AMO:
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...tic-premium-protection-motor-oil/?GroupID=172
Note the price difference between XLO and AMO, btw.
Is your 15W-40 the AME "heavy duty" stuff? This is ideal for a 10k (or longer) interval.
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...-duty-diesel-and-marine-motor-oil/?GroupID=75
i try the bmw engine oil 15w40 then 5w40 and now im using 10w40 i feel its good for that engine.
why the oil level should be halfway between the max and min ?
Because that is how Mercedes engineered the dipstick. It is not "full" and "add", which mean something very different.
how many liter i need with filter changed?
Hmm.. I have been using Castrol GTX 20W-50 on my 190E prior to losing it. I have an incoming oil change for the 400E. I never tried synthetic. No track for me, hot and dry California weather. so a 40/50 seems appropriate. Any particular synthetic I should try?
I've running Motul 300V Power 5w-40 with great results, one the best synthetic oils you can get, if not the best oil. I do track my car and drive in hot weather, the oil is working perfectly.
Motul 300V is great stuff, but it is on the higher end of the price scale, roughly $15/qt.
Red Line 10W-40 is what I'm currently using, available from Amazon for $11/qt with free shipping. I change every 10kmi with normal street driving.
Amsoil AMO 10W-40 is also excellent, $10/qt retail, maybe 20% less if you get a membership, but you have to pay tax & shipping so it ends up around $9-$10/qt in the end.
Any of the above three oils are Group IV/V base stocks and will allow you to safely extend the drain intervals, 7.5-10kmi is usually ok for normal service.
Pretty much all other of the mainstream "synthetic" oils on the market (Valvoline, Castrol, Quaker State, Mobil-1, Pennzoil) are not true synthetics, they are Group III base stocks which is hydrocracked (modified) dino oil. These are better than convention oils but you can't do extended drains with them. These Group III oils should be changed as if they were dino oils, i.e. 3-5kmi intervals. When you factor in the drain interval, and the cost per quart, using Motul/Amsoil/RedLine can actually save you money in the long run.
Now if your car is used for racing, or severe service (lots of short trips, city driving) that can change things a bit.
Red Line 10W-40 is what I'm currently using, available from Amazon for $11/qt with free shipping. I change every 10kmi with normal street driving.
Amsoil AMO 10W-40 is also excellent, $10/qt retail, maybe 20% less if you get a membership, but you have to pay tax & shipping so it ends up around $9-$10/qt in the end.
Any of the above three oils are Group IV/V base stocks and will allow you to safely extend the drain intervals, 7.5-10kmi is usually ok for normal service.
Pretty much all other of the mainstream "synthetic" oils on the market (Valvoline, Castrol, Quaker State, Mobil-1, Pennzoil) are not true synthetics, they are Group III base stocks which is hydrocracked (modified) dino oil. These are better than convention oils but you can't do extended drains with them. These Group III oils should be changed as if they were dino oils, i.e. 3-5kmi intervals. When you factor in the drain interval, and the cost per quart, using Motul/Amsoil/RedLine can actually save you money in the long run.
Now if your car is used for racing, or severe service (lots of short trips, city driving) that can change things a bit.
And worth every penny...although my cost is bellow that price per quart.
today i change the engine oil filter with oil,i add 8 liter ,the dipstick is in between the max and min?is it sure normal?
cause before i was adding tell reach under max.as normal for any car,but i dont know why theres darkness here in this car.
I decided to go a bit heavier, with a RedLine 15W-50 synthetic oil, rather than 10W-40, because of the warmer climate that i live in here in Texas. If I was still back up north, I'd definitely be going 10W-40. I have been using 20W-50 in most of my cars (even up north) for many years with no problems, and 15W-40 diesel oil in my wife's wagon again with no problems here in Texas.Yes, USA oils are generally not the same as European oils, for various reasons.
That said, MB specifies an xW-40 or xW-50 oil for the M119 when operated in warm climates. Either a 5W-40 or 10W-40 is fine, that is what I use in all my M119's. The 10W-30 is acceptable in cold climates but I personally wouldn't use it at all, there's no need if you have fully synthetic oil, as the 10W-40 will pour just as easily in sub-freezing temps as 10W-30, so there's nothing to be gained by using the thinner stuff.
Cheers,
Gerry
Follow up here, as the last time I posted was my prior oil change. You may recall my whining thread which tells you exactly what happened to me, oi.
I was surprised to learn it was lower mileage than my last change. I put a bottle of STP fuel injection cleaner about 4 weeks before the oil change. Next oil change will be around christmas time, which should put me at an even 140k miles. Consider it an amsoil flush
I was surprised to learn it was lower mileage than my last change. I put a bottle of STP fuel injection cleaner about 4 weeks before the oil change. Next oil change will be around christmas time, which should put me at an even 140k miles. Consider it an amsoil flush
Jano, the Cu/Pb numbers don't worry me. What I find very odd is the low TBN. This was Amsoil 15W-40 AME, correct? Strange... make sure you change next time no later than 10kmi and see what the numbers are. I don't like to see TBN below 2.0 (approx), odd that Blackstone allows to 1.0 TBN, but perhaps they have a different measurement method. (??)
Side note: Since you're not adding any make-up oil during the 10k interval, what is the oil level on the dipstick immediately after an oil change, and then after 10kmi? I.e., is it right in the middle between Min+Max when you refill, and then at Min after 10kmi...?
Side note: Since you're not adding any make-up oil during the 10k interval, what is the oil level on the dipstick immediately after an oil change, and then after 10kmi? I.e., is it right in the middle between Min+Max when you refill, and then at Min after 10kmi...?
I checked the disptick a week after changing oil on a warm engine (at both of the recent oil changes), and it was past the middle, probably just under 3/4 way to max. While I did not check the oil level before my change this time, it was done about two months ago and level was just over the middle. I have no idea why the TBN would be lower. I am going to guess that my summer roadtrips had something to do with this: I put nearly 3k miles on my car in about a week, all of it at high speeds, very hot ambient temps, with engine temp hovering around 100C for several hours at a time. Eitherway, I do plan on changing the oil in December. The last oil change was even greater mileage (11k) but TBN was 2.
I m start thinking to switch to Motul , but boy $160 for every oil change + $20 filter
How often do you change it ? I change Mobil 1 15W-50 which is seems to be a real crap , every 2000 K miles . Though 2 oil changes per year so may be Motul will not be that bad .
I'd expect the opposite... usually, lots of freeway miles should be easier on the oil than lots of short trips (even if your 3kmi was high RPM, high temp). No matter though, the analysis was still fine, and it's a good thing you didn't have lesser oil in there! It's also impressive that your engine apparently used no more than 1 quart of oil, if that much, in 11kmi. If you were a quart low (at the Min mark) relative to your initial ~70% level, the low level light would have been turning on intermittently.
BTW, didja see all that ZDDP in there? w00t!!
Glen: I'm posting up the analysis for fun, and basic informational purposes - I thought others would be interested to see what it looks like after longer mileage, especially now that that's two long mileage intervals in a row. Most people here seem to prefer shorter changes; myself, I'd rather do them around 7k miles, these longer OCIs make me uneasy. But, you know how life can interfere, and therefore, it seems longer mileage with quality oil is "okay".
As a side note, it's been noted the most recent report shows a low TBN, I've got a question into blackstone to see what would cause that, especially considering the change before was slightly longer mileage and probably harsher driving conditions (more stop-n-go, this one had a lot of long straight-through miles when I traveled to nor cal and vegas).
My past oils have been amsoil, except one of them.. don't recall exactly which, but it was early on, the mechanic put Dino in. Also, that same old mechanic changed oil without asking me after my 2011 oil change with about 1k miles on the clock. That sucked, so you'll see the mileage discrepancy (look at 113,339, and the next one at 126,250 which has 11,310 miles). Consider it a flush change. I will be doing one myself again in December. As much as I like that mechanic (sort of a family friend), not going there any longer, found someone else who has to deal with my wraths and idiosyncrasies.
onaJ
As a side note, it's been noted the most recent report shows a low TBN, I've got a question into blackstone to see what would cause that, especially considering the change before was slightly longer mileage and probably harsher driving conditions (more stop-n-go, this one had a lot of long straight-through miles when I traveled to nor cal and vegas).
My past oils have been amsoil, except one of them.. don't recall exactly which, but it was early on, the mechanic put Dino in. Also, that same old mechanic changed oil without asking me after my 2011 oil change with about 1k miles on the clock. That sucked, so you'll see the mileage discrepancy (look at 113,339, and the next one at 126,250 which has 11,310 miles). Consider it a flush change. I will be doing one myself again in December. As much as I like that mechanic (sort of a family friend), not going there any longer, found someone else who has to deal with my wraths and idiosyncrasies.
onaJ
Yup - that makes sense. However, consider what happens in stop-n-go. Engine temps rise, even with lower ambients, it is hard on the engine. High temps probably degrade the additives. And those miles were made rather close to the high mileage mark, right around 7-8k, so, the additives were already starting to break down. That's what I'm going with, my non-scientific hearsay explanation! I'll post back if b-stone gets back to me!
Since Motul is not a cheap oil, the cost you listed for an oil change (with Motul) is not that bad. Some things are worth the price of admission and when it comes to protecting my car with the best, the price (for me anyway) is irrelevant. I change my oil every 6-7K miles. Since I haven't ran my car hard at the track, or for many laps over and over, my oil changes have not been sooner than 6-7K miles - but in the future, if I decide to run harder and longer at the track, the oil changes would be right after the track events.I m start thinking to switch to Motul , but boy $160 for every oil change + $20 filter
If you are not planing to track your car at all, then maybe the 300V Power oil that I use might not be needed in your case, although having good perfection at higher temperatures is always a good thing and the M119 engines do like to run hot.
http://www.motul.com/system/product...original/300V Power 5W-40 (GB).pdf?1329125425
So my next oil change will be the Motul 300V but it is not go n buy product. I ll have to find a decent retailer here in MN.
The same with me. Well engineered vehicles well deserve best products and 036 is good example of that.
Do you think I can run Motul for about 5-7K with no track but occasional fast driving on a highways ? For some reason my 500E pretty much does not consume any oil may be 100gramm per 3000miles if so but oil becomes dark brown in couple of thousand miles which annoys me ? SL55 consumes oil , I would say a quart for 3000 miles athough it twice lower mileage than 500E may be it is nature of supercharged engines, idk ....
Maybe you can find a Motul dealer from here - http://www.motul.com/us/en-us/resellers?utf8=✓&activities[1]=1&q=Minisota&commit=Search or one close enough to save on shipping, or drive to. Otherwise, you might have to buy it online. Have you tried searching the web for Motul dealers/resellers in your area?So my next oil change will be the Motul 300V but it is not go n buy product. I ll have to find a decent retailer here in MN.
5-7K and hard driving is no problem. Motul.usa told me that I can change the oil at whatever intervals I was changing my previous synthetic oil and when hard street use was brought up (and light track days) I was told that anything up to 10k would be no problem. Under normal driving conditions, 12K is no problem as well and that millage was also mentioned by an independent oil analysis group, Blackstone Laboratories.
Oil turning dark is not always a bad thing, the oil is cleaning your engine. With Motul, the color is not as dark after the same milage used as was with Mobil 1 0w-40 oil I ran previously. I compared my second Motul oil change (after 6K) and how I remembered the last oil change with Mobile after 6K and Mobile looked a lot darker. I was running Mobile 1 for five years before I switched to Motul three years ago. On a side note, the most I drive in one year is 6-6.5K miles, so my cost for changing my oil once a year is not that much, with even the higher price Motul commands.
As far as the oil grade, that's up to you, based own your weather conditions. I prefer a lighter weight oil, for less friction at startup and although I live in a warm climate, I like having more protection from wear on an cold engine, so for me the 5w-40 grade is perfect. The extra protection the racing oil provides for just street use is the main reason I decided to switch to Motul, although their non racing oils are also excellent, I just need one oil that can be used for both street and light track days.
So basically:
1. You can go out and do your periodic run over 140mph at will and feel at ease with what's going on inside your engine.
2. The 300V oil is overkill for street use...but overkill is underrated and never hurts to have.
I do not know what Mobil 1 was cleaning in my engine , but my engine looks shiny inside , pure iron no yellowish residue or whatsoever , shiny like a new dollar coin .
All those facts about Motul sound great, it will make me really happy that I can provide best of the best to my 036.
By the way thanx for the link, I found two local stores so will give them a buzz and see if they have it.
I tried to do it on google but was not able to find one.
P.S. It seems that my 500E lives/feels now better than before even though the first owner was VP of MB NA and second a truly Porsche fan .
P.S. 2 What is considered to be a good price for Motul ? What size of bottle or cans should I by ? 1 qrt ? 2 qrt or any larger ? Cuz usually larger cans are much cheaper .
As it should be. Lubrication aside, oil picks up and traps some of the residue left inside the block which plays into the darker color.
These cars need to be driven. Do you know if the previous owner drove the car offten? I have noticed that my car feels better now as well, comparred to when I first got it. Prior to my purchase, the original owner told me that he mostly used the car to drive his wife and granddaughter on the weekends, or a coupe of hundred miles on the freeway once a month.
As far as pricing goes, I might not be the best person to ask. I get my oil from my tuner at a discount price and I pay in cash. My cost is $20 for a 2 liter metal can and I've seen the same can go from $29 to $40 online. I think the 2 liter cans are sold more so than the 1 liter plastic bottles, but I bet for motorcycles, the 1 liter bottle is easier to use. Btw, I tried a few motorcycle shops in L.A. who carry Motul and they only sell the 1 liter bottles and only a few grades of oil are stocked, 5w-40 was not one of them.
The 2 liter can has a cool pouring spout that is retracted inside and when you unscrew the lid, you just pull up on the lid flaps and the spout expands upward about 6 inches and makes pouring the oil easy.
