Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

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F150HD
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by F150HD »

UALflyer wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 7:07 am
F150HD wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 6:08 am always surprising how much focus there is on a standard oil change but not on servicing ones transmission where one does hear of failures far more frequently.
That's because transmission service requirements vary widely. A number of manufacturers use sealed transmission reservoirs and tell people to leave it alone. Even if they have a drain plug, you can't drain and fill such a transmission, as most of the fluid will remain in the system. You can flush it, which is generally a bad idea for all transmissions, as a flush can stir up debris and that, in turn, can cause transmission problems.

Hence, the reason that it's important to follow their manufacturer's recommendations, as an unnecessary/improperly done transmission service can actually cause transmission failures.
Take a breath. already aware of that. Point was....transmission failure is far more common than any engine failure from 'lack of oil changes'. People don't seem to service them in any form until they're at a failure point (this is my experience, it may not be your experience)
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F150HD
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by F150HD »

illumination wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:28 am
F150HD wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 6:08 am always surprising how much focus there is on a standard oil change but not on servicing ones transmission where one does hear of failures far more frequently.
That's a whole other can of worms. I'm not really sure why manufacturers made transmission fluid changes so difficult on modern cars, but it honestly seems to introduce more potential problems than leaving it alone.
It definitely is. Mine (one of them) has a tranny drain plug, though it doesn't empty the entire tranny. Point was the failure comment directly in post above. Trannies are not cheap.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Jags4186 »

My car has a service light that comes on anywhere between 5000-7500 miles since prior service saying my oil life is at “15%”. I usually go another month between 15% and 5% and try to get it done sometime there. With the ever present coupon, its usually $43 or so for an oil change at the dealership.
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illumination
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by illumination »

F150HD wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:00 am
illumination wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:28 am
F150HD wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 6:08 am always surprising how much focus there is on a standard oil change but not on servicing ones transmission where one does hear of failures far more frequently.
That's a whole other can of worms. I'm not really sure why manufacturers made transmission fluid changes so difficult on modern cars, but it honestly seems to introduce more potential problems than leaving it alone.
It definitely is. Mine (one of them) has a tranny drain plug, though it doesn't empty the entire tranny. Point was the failure comment directly in post above. Trannies are not cheap.

I agree, modern engines rarely fail mechanically, especially over oil change intervals. But it seems almost every manufacturer has struggled one time or another with transmissions, especially as they've gotten more speeds.

I'm not really sure what the motivation is to make some of them so difficult to simply change the fluid. It wasn't that long ago it was just a drain plug and you put in the same amount that came out.

Here's the training procedure for certain Toyota models, the likelihood of someone screwing this up is sky high.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNcecuGzTDg&t=3s
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Hoosier CPA »

For transmissions: Have an Odyssey and an Altima, both approaching 200K. On the Odyssey, I do a drain and fill once a year - that changes out about 1/3 of the fluid. Honda recommends once every 3 years I think. But it's very easy and with the history of trans issues on minivans I figure it's worth it.

The Altima has the dreaded CVT. Luckily the first one died just short of the extended 120K warranty. On the 2nd one I had the dealer change it after about 60K miles. Without a drain plug or dipstick I have no idea how someone would figure out how much fluid to add back into it.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by killjoy2012 »

For vehicles with traditional trans dipstick and pan drain plug, it's great practice to simply drain and refill what came out whenever you do an oil change. Probably overkill, and can be expensive if you're using top quality fluids. But better than flushing or anything like that IMO.

For vehicles without a dipstick, yea, I'd defer to the OEM. Likely considered a "sealed" unit and you don't touch until the entire unit fails.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by devopscoder »

Jags4186 wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:01 am My car has a service light that comes on anywhere between 5000-7500 miles since prior service saying my oil life is at “15%”. I usually go another month between 15% and 5% and try to get it done sometime there. With the ever present coupon, its usually $43 or so for an oil change at the dealership.
My 2007 Honda CRV has a similar service light except that we can usually get 11-13K miles before the light shows 10%. I like this approach versus blindly changing the oil/filter at X miles.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by davemanjam »

killjoy2012 wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:33 am For vehicles with traditional trans dipstick and pan drain plug, it's great practice to simply drain and refill what came out whenever you do an oil change. Probably overkill, and can be expensive if you're using top quality fluids. But better than flushing or anything like that IMO.
This would exceed any reasonable recommendation.
Aggressive schedule would be to drain and fill every 20-25K. Reasonable schedule would be ~30-40K.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Luke Duke »

hmw wrote: Sat Apr 24, 2021 11:26 am I bought the oil because it was on sale.

I have a 2012 Subaru Outback 3.6R at 110k miles. I usually drives 20k miles a year and about 80% of it is highway driving.

I currently change my engine oil every 7500 miles with full synthetic oil.

Can I really go 20k miles or one year without changing oil?

What do BHs think?

Thanks
The oil might last, but the filter won't. The only way to know is to perform an oil analysis. Send a sample off after your next oil change. If it comes back good, try 10k.
UALflyer
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by UALflyer »

F150HD wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:58 am
UALflyer wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 7:07 am
F150HD wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 6:08 am always surprising how much focus there is on a standard oil change but not on servicing ones transmission where one does hear of failures far more frequently.
That's because transmission service requirements vary widely. A number of manufacturers use sealed transmission reservoirs and tell people to leave it alone. Even if they have a drain plug, you can't drain and fill such a transmission, as most of the fluid will remain in the system. You can flush it, which is generally a bad idea for all transmissions, as a flush can stir up debris and that, in turn, can cause transmission problems.

Hence, the reason that it's important to follow their manufacturer's recommendations, as an unnecessary/improperly done transmission service can actually cause transmission failures.
Take a breath. already aware of that. Point was....transmission failure is far more common than any engine failure from 'lack of oil changes'. People don't seem to service them in any form until they're at a failure point (this is my experience, it may not be your experience)
I am not following the analogy that you seem to be trying to draw. A ton of manufacturers specifically advise people not to service their transmissions, as servicing those transmissions can do more harm than good. Hence, the reason that people don't service them. Yet, every manufacturer requires oil changes, so that's where people's focus is.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by inbox788 »

illumination wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:18 amI'm not really sure what the motivation is to make some of them so difficult to simply change the fluid. It wasn't that long ago it was just a drain plug and you put in the same amount that came out.

Here's the training procedure for certain Toyota models, the likelihood of someone screwing this up is sky high.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNcecuGzTDg&t=3s
You could say it's a conspiracy to control like what Apple does and charge more. Or maybe they're so focused on performance that they ignore simplification and practicality.

I can see how a transmission sensitive to fluid levels might suffer from the guy at Jiffy Lube checking and spilling some fluid each time and causing more damage than good. And this might explain why some people are being told their transmission fluid is low all the time.

I'm undecided about the lifetime fluid issue, but complications like this will encourage me to do nothing and/or get rid of the vehicle before the mileage gets too high and let someone else deal with it.

Power steering is also becoming a lifetime fluid, and maybe engine oil is next.

Anyway, I've seen old power steering fluid and old transmission fluid and can't imagine not looking at it or examining it to determine condition. Still, the open check slowly remove some fluid and add contamination, so by closing it up, it extends the life of the oil that much more.
devopscoder wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:43 am
Jags4186 wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:01 am My car has a service light that comes on anywhere between 5000-7500 miles since prior service saying my oil life is at “15%”. I usually go another month between 15% and 5% and try to get it done sometime there. With the ever present coupon, its usually $43 or so for an oil change at the dealership.
My 2007 Honda CRV has a similar service light except that we can usually get 11-13K miles before the light shows 10%. I like this approach versus blindly changing the oil/filter at X miles.
Is that from mostly highway driving?

I do mostly short (city) and also see it between 5000-7500, but I wait until it gets to 0 to change, so I save $5 for a free lunch. But really, since I don't drive that much, it could be an extra 2-3 months sometimes. With synthetic oil, I don't stress. I've gone 2 years 5000 miles between changes, and the oil still looked good and I think could have gone more.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by iamlucky13 »

Conditionally, yes.

Step back a moment and note what Mobil actually says about their Extended Performance oil:
https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/for ... nce-0w-20/

(note: Mobil's website has a popup to review and change cookie settings, in compliance with EU privacy laws, but at least as far as I was able to find, does not let you actually reject any cookies, even ad-targeting cookies).

A few key points:

The exact terms are the lesser of 20,000 miles or 12 months - Actually driving 20,000 miles in 12 months typically involves in mostly highway miles, which tend to be less stressful on the engine.

They will warranty the engine against lubrication-related failures, but your manufacturer warranty will not cover lubrication-related failures over longer interval, so it is advisable to follow the manufacturer schedule at least until your powertrain warranty expires.

Based on some of the other comments, I'll add that ExxonMobil's engineers are familiar with oil filter construction and longevity. They offered that warranty knowing the rate at which filterable particles accumulate in their oil in most engines.

This longevity claim doesn't actually strike me as very remarkable. Lubrication-related failures for a properly cared for engine are rare. Even abused cars sometimes last a long time. This mechanic made a really nice video of servicing a car that has 135,000 miles on it, and was believed to have had only 1 or 2 oil changes. The customer took it in because they weren't passing emissions. The mechanic cleaned all the sludge under the valve cover, including any accessible oil passages, and in the oil pan, and reported the car ran well after completing the work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC-SxrsgEwo

That is not at all recommended, of course. At some point, something will start to badly wear or will seize, and then there is good odds the engine will not be economically repairable.

Mobil famously did a test back in the 90's where a BMW was run on a dyno for 1 million miles, following standard maintenance intervals. At the end of the test, they did an engine teardown and inspection, and found all the parts were within original manufacturing spec - they were not able to measure any wear that might have occurred.

They did a similar test more recently with a 2015 Toyota Camry. This test was 500,000 miles with a 10,000 mile oil change interval. Again, no measurable wear with the regular Mobil 1.

Overall, my advice would be to start with the manufacturer-recommended interval until the power train warranty expires. At that point, if you want to, send a sample in for a used oil analysis. They will verify the properties of the oil, check for concerning levels of contaminants, and often will even provide a recommendation whether you can extend the interval even further.

I would not personally jump straight to 20,000 miles once the warranty expires. I have always continued to stick to the manufacturer's recommendation because it is conservative to do so, and it's low cost assurance. On the other hand, based on ExxonMobil's confidence in the product, I'm not very concerned about dissuading anyone else from doing so.

And regardless of your chosen interval, check the oil level periodically. Many engines, sometimes even new engines, do burn oil at a rate fast enough you could have problems if you never top it off. After a few checks, you'll know how frequently you should do so going forward.
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fetch5482
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by fetch5482 »

Even if they do, if you don't follow the mileage interval listed in the owners manual to change filter you'll void warranty on the car.
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1moreyr
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by 1moreyr »

I know we are Bogleheads but $60 oil change savings on a $30K car? It seems like a lot of risk for little gain. Change it twice a year if your average miles and move on
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Normchad »

1moreyr wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 8:39 pm I know we are Bogleheads but $60 oil change savings on a $30K car? It seems like a lot of risk for little gain. Change it twice a year if your average miles and move on
You have a fair point, but we are talking about a 2012 Subaru here....

I don’t tell other people what to do, but I only change oil once a year in my 45K SUV. If I ever have an oil related failure, I’ll eat my hat. But I’m confident I won’t.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by F150HD »

hmw wrote: Sat Apr 24, 2021 11:26 am I bought the oil because it was on sale.

I have a 2012 Subaru Outback 3.6R at 110k miles. I usually drives 20k miles a year and about 80% of it is highway driving.

I currently change my engine oil every 7500 miles with full synthetic oil.

Can I really go 20k miles or one year without changing oil?

What do BHs think?

Thanks
------------------------------------------Image
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hmw
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by hmw »

F150HD wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 10:27 pm
hmw wrote: Sat Apr 24, 2021 11:26 am I bought the oil because it was on sale.

I have a 2012 Subaru Outback 3.6R at 110k miles. I usually drives 20k miles a year and about 80% of it is highway driving.

I currently change my engine oil every 7500 miles with full synthetic oil.

Can I really go 20k miles or one year without changing oil?

What do BHs think?

Thanks
------------------------------------------Image
Mine says 20k miles.
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F150HD
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by F150HD »

hmw wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 10:29 pm Mine says 20k miles.
Have a few in the garage. Noticed this the other day.
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fetch5482
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by fetch5482 »

If car is old and out of warranty, 1 year should be fine if you drive fewer than 8-10k miles annually. I wouldn't recommend going past 8-10k miles though.. and even that that mileage interval, I recommend using high quality filter and oil.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by hudson »

hmw wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 10:29 pm
F150HD wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 10:27 pm
hmw wrote: Sat Apr 24, 2021 11:26 am I bought the oil because it was on sale.

I have a 2012 Subaru Outback 3.6R at 110k miles. I usually drives 20k miles a year and about 80% of it is highway driving.

I currently change my engine oil every 7500 miles with full synthetic oil.

Can I really go 20k miles or one year without changing oil?

What do BHs think?

Thanks
------------------------------------------Image
Mine says 20k miles.
Great discussion! F150HD, the pictures are much appreciated!

I looked up the Mobil 20K oil and read what Mobil had to say. They do guarantee 20K miles and say they will repair your engine; of course you have to follow their directions. https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/for ... nce-5w-30/

Mobil says that if your vehicle is under warranty that you should follow the vehicle manufacturers directions...not Mobil 1's directions.

Mobil let me look up my 2018 4Runner and recommend a product. Mobil recommended the 20K oil ($24 for 5 quarts at Walmart) in this discussion with the Mobil 1 M1C-256A Extended Performance Oil Filter $16 at Walmart.

What do I think?
If I was still changing my own oil, I would likely go with this Mobil 20K oil and filter. Since I'm not, I'm going to let my trusted oil change guys go with the usual standard synthetic every 10K miles.

What would I do if I was the OP with a 2012 Subaru Outback 3.6R at 110k miles...doing 20k miles a year...mostly highway?
I would go with Mobil-Extended-20K. I wouldn't go past 15 months without a change. On what authority or level of expertise do I make this recommendation? Educated speculation. :)

My long time trusted mechanic friends roll their eyes when I talk about my yearly triple play...oil, rotation, inspection....see you next year.

Off the subject: My 69 VW...3 quarts of 50 cents a can 10W30 every 3K miles and clean the screen...no filter.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by lazydavid »

hudson wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 5:02 am Off the subject: My 69 VW...3 quarts of 50 cents a can 10W30 every 3K miles and clean the screen...no filter.
LOL, I don't miss oil cans at all. :)
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by hudson »

lazydavid wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:01 am
hudson wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 5:02 am Off the subject: My 69 VW...3 quarts of 50 cents a can 10W30 every 3K miles and clean the screen...no filter.
LOL, I don't miss oil cans at all. :)
I miss the cans but not the SPOUT. :) https://www.google.com/search?q=Old+mot ... rkZ_IqrD4M
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by killjoy2012 »

davemanjam wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 12:08 pm
killjoy2012 wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:33 am For vehicles with traditional trans dipstick and pan drain plug, it's great practice to simply drain and refill what came out whenever you do an oil change. Probably overkill, and can be expensive if you're using top quality fluids. But better than flushing or anything like that IMO.
This would exceed any reasonable recommendation.
Aggressive schedule would be to drain and fill every 20-25K. Reasonable schedule would be ~30-40K.
To each their own. Doing as I suggested only drains ~1/2 of the total fluid in the trans per cycle. Many vehicles call for trans fluid changes every 50k miles. I'm not a fan of flushing processes and would rather passively swap out the fluid over time, and yes, more volume over that time than flushing. But if you go talk to any knowledgeable trans expert, most will agree with me. Also ask them how many cars they seen that couldn't drive off the car lift after getting their trans flushed.

If you're a low mileage driver, then no - not every oil change. YMMV. But my point on passive draining and replacing over time vs. flushing still stands.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by RetiredAL »

hudson wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:40 am
lazydavid wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:01 am
hudson wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 5:02 am Off the subject: My 69 VW...3 quarts of 50 cents a can 10W30 every 3K miles and clean the screen...no filter.
LOL, I don't miss oil cans at all. :)
I miss the cans but not the SPOUT. :) https://www.google.com/search?q=Old+mot ... rkZ_IqrD4M
One of the best changes for us DIY'ers was the screw cap plastic bottles!
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by davemanjam »

F150HD wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 10:27 pm ------------------------------------------Image
There was a recent change in oil specifications from SN+ to SP. Not to get into the specifics, but all aspects of the oils performance were maintained or improved. So the new formulation should perform better.
Also, M1 used to have an annual protection version which was guaranteed for 20,000k miles. That is no longer sold/marketed if i'm not mistaken.
Basically they had the technology its just a matter of how to implement/market it.
So the current Extended performance product has been improved over previous version.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Bendersw20turbo »

The coorilation between wear, and oil has another large factor to account for, an obviously not only this factor... but the purity of fuel or lack there of will show up internally in an engine (more often than not) More quickly than the quality of oil..I.E bad fuel and good oil will leave deposits faster than good fuel and bottom shelf oil
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Gash »

As a mechanic, we thank you for driving your vehicle 20k miles without spending $50 on an oil change. See you soon.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by andypanda »

No you won't.

You keep believing we're still living in the 1960s or 1970s.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Chv396 »

We rely on our “oil change indicator” gauge to tell us when the oil needs to be changed.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Candor »

1210sda wrote: Sun Apr 25, 2021 5:11 pm Does anyone use conventional oil??
Replying to an older post but interestingly Blackstone Lab (noted above), who specialize in oil analysis, state on their website:

"We here at Blackstone generally use regular petroleum-based oil because honestly, it works just as well for us."
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by hicabob »

For folk that change their own oil an interesting spot experiment is to cut the filter open and have a look, which is easy with a hacksaw. I was impressed with how clean mine was on my old Tacoma after the usual 7500 mile oil change.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by jayjayc »

Candor wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2023 11:02 am
1210sda wrote: Sun Apr 25, 2021 5:11 pm Does anyone use conventional oil??
Replying to an older post but interestingly Blackstone Lab (noted above), who specialize in oil analysis, state on their website:

"We here at Blackstone generally use regular petroleum-based oil because honestly, it works just as well for us."
I couldn't believe it but by golly you're right! https://www.blackstone-labs.com/informa ... questions/
What’s the best oil to use?

Ah, the million dollar question. We are an independent lab, so we don’t make recommendations. It has been our experience that oil is oil, and either petroleum or synthetic-based oil will work well for just about any engine.

Come on, you’re holding out on me. I should use synthetic, right?

Buddy, you should use whatever you want. Synthetic oil won’t guarantee a longer engine life any more than my eating organic food will guarantee I’ll live until I’m 90. We here at Blackstone generally use regular petroleum-based oil because honestly, it works just as well for us.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by illumination »

jayjayc wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2023 12:13 pm
Candor wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2023 11:02 am
1210sda wrote: Sun Apr 25, 2021 5:11 pm Does anyone use conventional oil??
Replying to an older post but interestingly Blackstone Lab (noted above), who specialize in oil analysis, state on their website:

"We here at Blackstone generally use regular petroleum-based oil because honestly, it works just as well for us."
I couldn't believe it but by golly you're right! https://www.blackstone-labs.com/informa ... questions/
What’s the best oil to use?

Ah, the million dollar question. We are an independent lab, so we don’t make recommendations. It has been our experience that oil is oil, and either petroleum or synthetic-based oil will work well for just about any engine.

Come on, you’re holding out on me. I should use synthetic, right?

Buddy, you should use whatever you want. Synthetic oil won’t guarantee a longer engine life any more than my eating organic food will guarantee I’ll live until I’m 90. We here at Blackstone generally use regular petroleum-based oil because honestly, it works just as well for us.


I guess it's sort of in the same category as mechanics will often drive a "beater" for their car.

It is sort of surprising though, I don't think there's really anyone going to make the case there's "no difference" between the two and the cost of synthetic has come down so much. Is it worth saving $15 on an oil change? And that you can get more mileage between an oil change with a synthetic anyway. Especially considering just how expensive and complex modern vehicles have become.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by ClassII »

Chv396 wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2023 9:58 am We rely on our “oil change indicator” gauge to tell us when the oil needs to be changed.
Seriously, what's so hard with just sticking to the manufacturer's maintenance schedule? They want you to keep buying cars but not because their engines keep seizing up. They know best so stick to the schedule and recommended oil type. All this "high mile" synthetic stuff is just a way to get you to buy their fancy oil. Might as well buy premium unleaded because you want to "treat" your car. It's silly.

I had several Hondas go +130k miles (sold running as smooth as the day I bought them) doing their recommended mile oil changes. The newest, a 2015 Civic was a 10k mile oil change. Car engines are just that good now.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by chuckwalla »

It's hard to find conventional oil these days. My local Walmart doesn't carry any.
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Flymore
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Flymore »

hudson wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:40 am
lazydavid wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:01 am
hudson wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 5:02 am Off the subject: My 69 VW...3 quarts of 50 cents a can 10W30 every 3K miles and clean the screen...no filter.
LOL, I don't miss oil cans at all. :)
I miss the cans but not the SPOUT. :) https://www.google.com/search?q=Old+mot ... rkZ_IqrD4M
I miss the 26 cents a gallon gas I put in my first car a 1960 beetle that I bought with a loan from my father for $110. Driving the beetle to school cost me half the price of a daily buss ticket. Even changing the muffler was an easy job. :happy
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StevieG72
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by StevieG72 »

They have a Mobil 1 filter that is supposed to be good for 20k miles as well. I use both in my daughter’s car but still change around 10k.
Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.
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Nestegg_User
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Nestegg_User »

Flymore wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2023 5:22 pm
hudson wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:40 am
lazydavid wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:01 am
hudson wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 5:02 am Off the subject: My 69 VW...3 quarts of 50 cents a can 10W30 every 3K miles and clean the screen...no filter.
LOL, I don't miss oil cans at all. :)
I miss the cans but not the SPOUT. :) https://www.google.com/search?q=Old+mot ... rkZ_IqrD4M
I miss the 26 cents a gallon gas I put in my first car a 1960 beetle that I bought with a loan from my father for $110. Driving the beetle to school cost me half the price of a daily buss ticket. Even changing the muffler was an easy job. :happy

ahhh, the old 1200 cc 36 hp engine.... problem with those was the cam follower was solid with the push rod tube and couldn't freely rotate...also, the piston/piston housing was different (had to get my replacement from Brazil, back in the day, since they weren't the same as the latter 40 hp engines)
After it failed again I replaced it with a 40 hp and put an extractor exhaust on it (back then I could pull/fix/and replace the engine in a day.. as long as neither the cam or crank didn't need to be machined, or replaced if beyond tolerance)

back on topic.... while I had others change oil when still under warranty, nowadays I do my own oil change (full synthetic) but won't go over 10k miles, and as retirees we don't do nearly as many miles as before (but do occasional 4000+ mile trips)
(I also do drain/fill on the one vehicle with std transmission, but went to shop to have them do the change for the other vehicle with a CVT (and yes that fluid is expensive, seems each car manufacturer has its own proprietary blend)
hudson
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by hudson »

Flymore wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2023 5:22 pm
hudson wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:40 am
lazydavid wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:01 am
hudson wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 5:02 am Off the subject: My 69 VW...3 quarts of 50 cents a can 10W30 every 3K miles and clean the screen...no filter.
LOL, I don't miss oil cans at all. :)
I miss the cans but not the SPOUT. :) https://www.google.com/search?q=Old+mot ... rkZ_IqrD4M
I miss the 26 cents a gallon gas I put in my first car a 1960 beetle that I bought with a loan from my father for $110. Driving the beetle to school cost me half the price of a daily buss ticket. Even changing the muffler was an easy job. :happy
My muffler change on a '69 VW was difficult. I had to make it fit. My skills and tools were lacking.
I was better at oil changes and valve adjustments (10mm wrench and a .004 feeler gauge). I had this book: "How to Keep Your VW Alive for the Perfect Idiot" or something like that. Gas was 29 cents a gallon until is wasn't.
Last edited by hudson on Fri Nov 03, 2023 7:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
lazydavid
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by lazydavid »

StevieG72 wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2023 11:15 pm They have a Mobil 1 filter that is supposed to be good for 20k miles as well. I use both in my daughter’s car but still change around 10k.
This is essentially what I did when we had our Lexus. It called for conventional changes at 5k, but I was using Amsoil rated for 25k along with their very good Ea filters. So I did one change at 10k and had an oil analysis performed. The results said it had plenty of life left and could continue being used. But 10k was good enough for me, so since I'd confirmed it was safe, that's what we used for the remainder of its time with us (roughly 120k additional miles after that point).

All our current cars save one are forced induction, require synthetic per the manufacturer, and already have long-ish (10-15k) intervals, so we just go by the factory schedule. The other car barely gets driven, so it gets a synthetic change every other spring regardless of mileage.
hicabob
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by hicabob »

hudson wrote: Fri Nov 03, 2023 5:36 am
My muffler change on a '69 VW was difficult. I had to make it fit. My skills and tools were lacking.
I was better at oil changes and valve adjustments (10mm wrench and a .004 feeler gauge). I had this book: "How to Keep Your VW Alive for the Perfect Idiot" or something like that. Gas was 29 cents a gallon until is wasn't.
"How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot "
What a book! - it was my guide for rebuilding my '69 bug motor and other fixes.
Back in the day I worked with a German mechanical engineer whose hobby was pen/ink drawing and who liked VW's although he drove a BMW. I gave him a copy and he was enthralled with the illustrations. - you can see them in the Amazon sample below.

https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen- ... 5443527123
hudson
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by hudson »

Thanks hicabob!
Mine was the black and white version.
It fit my learning style.
Before it disappeared, it was dog-eared and grease smeared.
That book along with a 2-3 week...2 1/2 ton truck driver's school helped hone my minimal skills.
I don't swallow-the-hook when a car dealer's service rep tells me that I need to replace my "leaking" water pump.
Last edited by hudson on Fri Nov 03, 2023 8:18 am, edited 2 times in total.
Hoosier CPA
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Hoosier CPA »

duplicate.
Last edited by Hoosier CPA on Fri Nov 03, 2023 8:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Hoosier CPA
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Hoosier CPA »

Just another data point - I use amsoil in both my cars. Change it annually. Normally 15-20k. Have about 210K on each, both bought new and used nothing else. I do check the oil level about 1/2 way through the year.

I assume mobil 1 extended life is similar to amsoil signature.

Edit - both these cars are non-turbos (4 banger nissan and 6 cylinder honda). If I had a "modern" car with a turbo, I don't think I'd wait as long.
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jabberwockOG
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by jabberwockOG »

I change oil on the cars at 5-6,000 miles. With high quality oil filter and full syn oil I could go 7500 but I would not go past that myself. We barely drive 6k per year so I usually change once per year.

Use a Fram Ultra filter for $9, buy 5 quart jugs of Pennzoil Platinum 5W30 for $22 both from amazon. I only buy oil 1-2 times a year when there is $10 rebate for 5 qt jugs. Local mechanic charges $25 labor if I bring my own oil and filter.

So a top quality oil change costs me apprx $21=$25 = $46.

Skipping on oil change is not a good way to save money. Lots of places to save money in terms of car maintenance - examples are change your own cabin and engine air filters, windshield wipers, keep tires at recommended pressures, buy gas from Sam's or Costco, run a bottle of Techron fuel system cleaner in gas tank twice a year, wash your own car by hand.
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by Chv396 »

Absolutely, no question about it, in my mind.

I previously owned a ‘93 Honda Civic EX, which accumulated just over 138,000 miles on it, using regular conventional (i.e., non synthetic) oil (i.e., Castrol GTX conventional) in it. I followed the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule and had the oil changed every 4,500-5,000 miles. No issues at all with the engine. I sold the car in 2003 and the car was running well.

We have owned several Toyota, Honda, and Acura cars since and simply followed the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedules - no issues with the car engines at all. All were sold at relatively high mileage (> 100,000 miles.) Probably could get another 100,000 miles out of them! In these cars, both conventional (i.e., Castrol GTX & Valvoline) and full synthetic (“standard” Mobil 1) were used. Mobil 1 used where extended oil change intervals were recommended and utilized.

Your mileage will vary.
ClassII wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2023 2:12 pm
Chv396 wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2023 9:58 am We rely on our “oil change indicator” gauge to tell us when the oil needs to be changed.
Seriously, what's so hard with just sticking to the manufacturer's maintenance schedule? They want you to keep buying cars but not because their engines keep seizing up. They know best so stick to the schedule and recommended oil type. All this "high mile" synthetic stuff is just a way to get you to buy their fancy oil. Might as well buy premium unleaded because you want to "treat" your car. It's silly.

I had several Hondas go +130k miles (sold running as smooth as the day I bought them) doing their recommended mile oil changes. The newest, a 2015 Civic was a 10k mile oil change. Car engines are just that good now.
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andypanda
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by andypanda »

My father managed a company for an owner who bought a new Cadillac every 2 years. He would drive the old one to the dealer and drive off in the one they had waiting for him. This was in the '70s and '80s. My father retired in 1990.

The guy put 100,000 miles to 110k on each one and never changed the oil. He had them washed weekly and added oil as needed but he never had an engine problem.

I still wonder who got stuck with those trade ins. They were good looking cars if you liked yellow convertibles. ;)
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Re: Is Mobil 1 extended performance full synthetic oil really good for 20k miles?

Post by cubs1999 »

andypanda wrote: Sat Nov 04, 2023 8:04 am My father managed a company for an owner who bought a new Cadillac every 2 years. He would drive the old one to the dealer and drive off in the one they had waiting for him. This was in the '70s and '80s. My father retired in 1990.

The guy put 100,000 miles to 110k on each one and never changed the oil. He had them washed weekly and added oil as needed but he never had an engine problem.

I still wonder who got stuck with those trade ins. They were good looking cars if you liked yellow convertibles. ;)
Reminds me of this alleged story of this famous poker player from 90s (there was a movie about him too), Stu Ungar. Story is he bought a new Mercedes and was ignorant about cars and just drove it until engine seized on day from never changing the oil.

It is a good point that has been brought up in several threads in the past about how we don't truly know a cars history usually (unless buyer kept all the receipts). I agree with those who say that we know our own maintenance history so we should factor that in when valuing our vehicles. Insurance doesn't pay out more for that, but if rather fix my car then replace it with one of similar mileage or even lower mileage bc I can't be sure of it's history.

Someone mentioned that one can check the Toyota dealer history on their website. Looked up friends van and it along with Carfax history was an interesting read. We found out they got rid of it bc dealer diagnosed a timing cover leaks. I saw a car care nut video about these vans and that's a common issue. Still runs 70k miles after she bought it

It was diagnosed with a transfer case leak which TCCN says doesn't need to be fixed in this model either. I saw in the history that the person seemed to be wary of the dealer after that bc they went infrequently after that diagnosis. They went to a few places that report to Carfax , e.g. oil changes at Sears Auto , but it seems they also went to shops that didn't report. (Owner seemed to change oil regularly but then nothing showed up for like 15k miles. I feel on the pattern that they went somewhere that didn't report bc otherwise, the oil changes were regular before and after).
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