Step five: choosing the grade and viscosity of the oil

At this point you already have a list of various engine oils that suit your engine, and now our task is to trim it down as much as possible so we can choose the right oil correctly.

When choosing an engine oil, keep in mind that a single automaker can certify several brands of oil from the same manufacturer under one approval.

As a rule, the main difference between these brands is the type (synthetic, semi-synthetic, mineral), grade and viscosity parameters. When choosing the viscosity of the oil (from among the approved ones), you should follow this rule: the higher the mileage/the older the engine, the higher the oil's high-temperature viscosity should be (I'll say it again: within the range approved by the automaker).

Believe me, a super-sporty engine oil with a very high viscosity of 0W-60 can only harm your 8-10-year-old engine with over 200,000 km on the clock, whatever the sellers and "experienced" acquaintances tell you. On top of that, you'll get tired of topping up your engine with such an oil. And most importantly, it won't add a single extra horsepower. And instead of the manufacturer's stated claim that "this engine oil is designed to protect the engine when working under harsh conditions", such an oil will, on the contrary, methodically wear away the engine's insides. For an explanation of why, see the article on oil viscosity.

So if your engine doesn't burn oil beyond the norm, just fill it with the manufacturer's specified 5W-40 and don't rack your brain over it. And for winter, an even better choice is 0W-30, of course provided such an engine oil carries the approval you need.