Dealer Advice - Mobil 1

[cooper_s_devon]

Hi All,

This is my first post to Mini2!!

I visited my local BMW garage last Saturday to order my new Cooper S (woohoo!!). I asked if I could provide my own oil for the TLC oil changes. They said it wan't a problem but when I mentioned Mobil 1 they claimed it isnt the right 'grade' and couldnt be used? Is this correct? I was under the impression Mobil 1 was the mutz nutz when it comes to oil???

Any ideas guys?

Here's what i've ordered (it'll replace my 1275cc classic mini)...

Mini Cooper S - PS/B
Chilli Pack + Climate + Visibility Package
Full leather
Sat Nav
Sunroof
MFSW
TLC

They let me drive their Works 'S' too - can't quite afford the kit now but *have* to have it before too long! Now I just have to suffer the wait!! Boo!

[apexer]

I'd guess the reason your dealer said Mobil 1 can't be used is, they don't offer 5w30 which is what manufacturer recommends. That being said, I'm sure you would have no problems using it. Personally, I prefer Redline. It costs more but, it is a better oil and, you can get it in 5w30. Your biggest problem will be finding someone who stocks it. Try www.redlineoil.com.

[jblow]

I've been running 5w30 Mobil 1 in my other vehicles for awhile..

[d2create]

I use 0W-40 in my current Audi. It's recommended by the manufacturer and the bottle says it's for german cars. I thought BMW had the same requirements. Oh and I am in Houston so the warmer climate lets me get away with it.

[fadec]

Mini along with BMW use "BMW synthetic" oil. Which just so happens to be made by Castrol... not Mobil. Guess which oil they are going to push?

One thing on their side though, the oils are composed chemically with different additives. When you use one oil then change to another you risk cross contamination. They might be the same grade and weight, but chemically they are slightly different. Thus you run the risk of having an adverse reaction between the two oils. Normally causing gumming. Flushing the system prior to adding a new type or brand of oil will solve this worry.

[BruceK]

Quote: Originally Posted by fadec

...One thing on their side though, the oils are composed chemically with different additives. When you use one oil then change to another you risk cross contamination. They might be the same grade and weight, but chemically they are slightly different. Thus you run the risk of having an adverse reaction between the two oils. Normally causing gumming. Flushing the system prior to adding a new type or brand of oil will solve this worry.

I disagree. While different additives are used by different brand oils, I have never heard of incompatibility between brands of synthetic oils. AFAIK there is no warning on a bottle of Castrol synthetic or Mobil 1 saying don't mix with competing brands.

Quite honestly, I would think the stuff used to flush the engine would, by its very nature as a solvent, leave more potentially damaging oil thinning residue in the engine passages than any remnants of a good quality oil of a differing brand.

[NEMINI]

I'd have to agree with Bruce on this one.

[fadec]

Though synthetic is an petroleum based composition it is still created in a lab. Due to these differences in manufactures labs there is no way to replicate synthetics completely. There is still quite a bit of proprietary mixing going on.

Due to this... Should I put the wrong brand oil into a turbine engine at work I MUST change and FLUSH the system PRIOR to running the engine. If I don't we must remove and overhaul that engine (a $1 million mistake) within 30 flight hours or I am in violation of regulations. Both piston and turbine synthetics are created in the same manor. The same rules apply.

It is that serious! They may not put that sort of "warning" on the bottle, but it's NOT on the oil containers which are used on aircraft oils either. They just expect us to know.

Fuels all coming from the same tank no matter where you buy it I can agree with. Lubricating Oils on the other hand are a totally different matter. I've tested and seen the results of bad mixing. In the short run you can get away with it, but over time it will really mess things up.

Flushing does not consist of washing a solvent through the motor, this of course is a bad thing. Proper flushing is done with the new oil, discarding that oil then refilling. Several times if needed to insure all the "old" oil has been cleaned from the passages.

[NEMINI]

and aircraft turbines use motor oil???

[fadec]

They are created in the same manor. The same rules apply. The only differance is in the weight and grade.

Oh, and in aviation oils they add a "dispersant" to hold the particle's in a suspended state so as they will be caught by the filter. As opposed to settling to the pan such as in a auto engine.

[NEMINI]

I would imagine they are a bit more different then stated. The tolerances of a turbine and an automobile engine are quite different and so is the operating enviroment the two oils would be working in.
While I am not saying you are defininately incorrect that synthetics may not play well with each other I do disagree with your assumption that principles of aircraft turbine oils carry directly over to automobile oils.
Common sense tells me (though common sense is not always correct and I reserve the right to be proven wrong) that two oils used in vastly different enviroments would be made completely different. Just taking your example of 'dispersants' how is it that we are sure it is not that specific property of synthetic aircraft turbine oils that do not allow the brands to be intermixed? Without evidence to the contrary it may very well be that property, and if it turned out to be solely that property then the principles would not cross over simply because automobile oil does not contain that property.


Whew I hurt myself trying to write that and will be amazed if it makes any sense to anyone but me

Peace,
G-03

[NEMINI]

Just on a whim I went over to the Mobil1 website and found this

Quote:

MYTH:You can't mix Mobil 1 with conventional oil.
REALITY:Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ is fully compatible with conventional motor oils, semi-synthetic motor oils and other synthetic motor oils should it be necessary to mix them. But the superior performance of Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ will be reduced by diluting it.

NOTE: bold was my own addition.

[Coo/S]

Quote: Originally Posted by fadec

It is that serious! They may not put that sort of "warning" on the bottle, but it's NOT on the oil containers which are used on aircraft oils either. They just expect us to know.

In a country where they make you say in a side view mirror that objects are closer than they appear??? I don't think so

I think GMINI found some real evidence with his last response already, but I was still thinking about a real life situation when you are running out of oil and you want to add some while on the road. Surely you cannot always guarantee you get exactly the same brand and most definitely you won't start flushing the engine right there.

[fadec]

Quote: Originally Posted by GMINI03

I would imagine they are a bit more different then stated. The tolerances of a turbine and an automobile engine are quite different and so is the operating enviroment the two oils would be working in.
While I am not saying you are defininately incorrect that synthetics may not play well with each other I do disagree with your assumption that principles of aircraft turbine oils carry directly over to automobile oils.
Common sense tells me (though common sense is not always correct and I reserve the right to be proven wrong) that two oils used in vastly different enviroments would be made completely different. Just taking your example of 'dispersants' how is it that we are sure it is not that specific property of synthetic aircraft turbine oils that do not allow the brands to be intermixed? Without evidence to the contrary it may very well be that property, and if it turned out to be solely that property then the principles would not cross over simply because automobile oil does not contain that property.


Whew I hurt myself trying to write that and will be amazed if it makes any sense to anyone but me

Peace,
G-03

Yes, you do make sense... to me anyway.

In my first post I said "Thus you run the risk of having an adverse reaction between the two oils."

Mobil says: (from your findings) "...should it be necessary to mix them. But the superior performance of Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ will be reduced by diluting it." By reducing the "performance" means you are, in some way, damaging the lubricating properties of that lubricant. Thus running the risk of an adverse reaction.

After looking up the same info on the Castrol site they make a similar statement concerning the mixing of conventional oils with synthetics, but make no mention to mixing fully synthetic with fully synthetic. I have written them about specifically mixing Mobil-1 and Castrol Synthetic and I'm still waiting for a reply.


I'm to the point now that I really want to know the truth about this. Not by reading the sales pitches provided, but by independent research. In the end I may still be left eating my shoe leather.

[cooper_s_devon]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I guess for now I'll stick to what my dealer tells me (not that i'm disregarding anyone's advice here of course!). I would hope BMW know their stuff about these things and will dare to trust them with my baby!

Maybe my paranoia over engine care will be satisfied if I just change the oil more regularly than normal

Thanks again....