Choosing oil in 7 steps
The site's main guide: seven simple steps after which you'll know exactly which oil to put in your engine, and why.
By the end of this article you definitely won’t find a specific oil brand that you should pick. What it describes instead is an approach to choosing engine oil — what criteria and what information that choice should be based on. So I’d recommend reading the article from the start rather than the end — after going through seven simple steps, I hope you won’t have any particular doubts left about choosing oil for your specific car.
Throughout the text you’ll also find links to other articles on the site, where you’ll most likely find answers to questions that come up as you read.
For the lazy and the busy: the gist of this article is that engine oil, by its characteristics, must fully meet the manufacturer’s requirements, regardless of any circumstances or the opinions of sellers, mechanics, or the guy in the next garage.
- Choosing engine oil in 7 steps An introduction to choosing engine oil step by step: which oil and filters to buy, whether to flush the engine and how often to change oil when friends disagree.
- In place of a foreword Why the oil-selection scheme laid out on the site is the only correct one for long engine life.
- How does it usually start? An introduction to the guide to choosing engine oil: why advice from friends and car forums only confuses you once the car is out of warranty service.
- Step one: finding out the manufacturer's recommendations Find out why choosing an oil should start with studying the service book and the car manufacturer's recommendations.
- Step two: so what was in there before? Find out how to assess the oil previously put in your engine and check its consumption against the manufacturer's norm.
- Step three: analysing the current situation We compare the engine manufacturer's approval with the oil actually in use: if everything matches, there's no need to change brands, except in the case of elevated oil consumption.
- Step four: analysing the market We draw up a list of oils from various brands certified to the approval you need, paying attention to the approvals themselves rather than the manufacturers' marketing claims.
- Step five: choosing the grade and viscosity of the oil We narrow the list of oils down by type and viscosity: the older the engine and the higher the mileage, the higher the viscosity needed within the range the manufacturer allows.
- Step six: making the choice of oil In essence, after steps four and five, all that's left for us is to pick an oil from among several brands from various manufacturers.
- Step seven: buying the oil Buy oil from a trusted seller or an official representative, so you don't end up with a counterfeit behind a nice-looking label.