Amzoil or Royal Purple?

[hwayne1]

Folks...I know this has been beat like a bass drum but here goes....I have just bought my first G35 Coupe. 2005 w/33,000 miles. I am coming up on my first oil change as the new owner. This car is immaculate. The previous owner did an excellent chore of maintaining the vehicle so I suspect oil changes were done as suggested.

From the posts, I am leaning towards RP. But Amzoil has been suggested as well. The only problem I personally have with Amzoil is that it's marketed by MLM. Being in sales for some 25 yrs., I have some issues with MLM's.

Therefore I am asking for an opinion....Amzoil or RP?????

[Jacko3]

What do ou think Jacko is going to say? My good friend, go Royal purple 5W-30----liquid power in a purple bottle. I can't find Amsoil in Autozones, O'reillys, or NAPA stores, at least not in my area. But Royal Purple is easily purchased and it is API certified. What you can do is try both oils once and then see which one you like.

[tollboothwilley]

Both oils are very highly rated and are fully synthetic with no dino oil at all. I bet you will find that both are of the highest quality. The difference is that you will probably find Royal Purple easier to find.

I don't think it will make a diff as long as you get one of these 2 brands, so if you have a problem with the marketing side of MLM go with RP so you don't have to support someone you don't like. Either way, I highly doubt you will be disappointed.

Happy Holidays!

[hwayne1]

Just the nudge I needed. Thanks folks!-W

[joe603]

Another vote for royal purple!!!

[Sentientbydesign]

RP for max HP and "track like use". Amsoil for fuel economy, and extended drain intervals.

Btw, you can purchase amsoil directly from the manufacturer through their website, you can sign up for wholesale pricing for a small membership fee and you can buy it as some retailers (they sell it at Super Autobacs).

[4drmadness]

hey im leaning towards amsoil. cant make up my mind. lol. but wanna have better fuel economy. U want anything from autobacs cause ill be going there to purchase amsoil. what type would you guys recommend tso oW-30? or something else. I live in socal, have 64k on my car.

[4drmadness]

http://www.amsoil.com/a/synthe...e-oil. all of the different kinds on this website

[Sentientbydesign]

I'd go with the signature series 0w-30. It has the lowest pour point and longest drain interval (though I'd NEVER go that long on my G). You could probably push 7k-10k, but I would look into an oil analysis if you did.

How's your fuel economy? Any better? Have you reset the ECU and done the other procedures?

[4drmadness]

hmm its still the same. havent done any procedures because i am waiting for a new throtlle body. going to the dealer tommorow, so hopefully he puts a new throllte body in there. i also have my stock intake on because dealer said tht would hinder relaerning idle process. So basically after this is done, i will put amsoil 0w30, reset ecu, put back pop charger, front pads, and finally get a tune.

[4drmadness]

oh and fix those scracthes . oh and then finally nice tires.

[4drmadness]

Do you think a dual action polisher is worth the money? like the meguiars one.

[Sentientbydesign]

What the mechanic said doesn't sound logical. The relearn needs to be done with the parts that will be on the car in the end. Maybe he knows something that I don't regarding the relearn. Like maybe it needs to be done with the stock intake first for initial parameters, then again for the pop-charger parameters.

The best stuff I've used for scratches (fine ones) is the 3m polishing compound and the 3m Fine cut polish. Both do a pretty good job by hand. The fine cut seemed to work faster and with less work though.

The only meguiars product I use is the tech wax. It gives the paint a "plastic" shine.

[4drmadness]

umm he was like the stock intake will make it much easier and will not void powertrain warranty. Ill ask him properly about this tommorow, and will let you know why i had to put the stock intake.

[joa]

I use Amsoil 0w-30 signat. series. I think either RP or Amsoil will do just fine. Be sure to get a good filter to go with whatever you buy for oil.

[Jacko3]

M-108 Mobil 1 Filter is great! Thats all I use. Royal Purple is unbeleivable. Of course, i don't care very much about extended drain intervals, since I am a sworn 3,000 miles-an-oil-change kinda guy. So, I might as well get the power to go with the oil. Thanks Royal Purple.

[superchargedg]

Royal purple does not work well with the VQ engine so you might want to look at this thread.

http://my350z.com/forum/engine....html

[Jacko3]

Hey superchargedg:

I checked the website and did not see anything to the effect that you are talking about. How did you come to that conclusion? Do you mind posting the actual data of oil comparison for us to see? I am not doubting you, but i want to see it for myself.

By the way, have you seen this website, http://www.performanceoilnews....shtml

At the bottom and conclusion in that report on the link I posted, it says, "In the case of a pure performance or race engine where power is priority and oil changes can be frequent, the 0-30/40 oils such as the Mobil 0-40, Castrol R, or Royal Purple would be best suited. However, for regular street-driven engines, it would be better to look at an oil with a good service interval."

First of all, the used oil analysis makes one fatal assumption----that everybody warms their car at the same rate and thus drive off at the same RPM and speeds. I don't care what oil you use, if you don't let a car warm up properly each time you start it, serious wear and tear will occur. How are we to verify the accuracy of the results provided if the tests were done in a single lab?

Secondly, the used oil analysis on that website, while informative, does not, I beleive, state the actual miles driven on each of the oil tested, and neither does it show the driving pattern of the drivers. How hard did the drivers who submitted their oil for analysis, drive their cars, and why was that not reported? The harder you drive a car, the more it wears, regardless of what oil you use.

Thirdly, you assume all VQ engine drivers intend to keep their engines for life. Well, that is not the case. I am highly doubtful that any of the synthetic oils we use will cause any severe damage in at least, the first 5 years of car ownership, of which at that time, many car owners would have moved on to something else. A simple 3,000 mile oil change, which many do not want to do, with any synthetic oil will work just fine. My preference for Royal Purple is simply its quick warm up time and power at 4,500 rpm and above. You will have to push your car beyond 4,500 RPM with Royal Purple to beleive what I am saying, because i do.

Fourthly, how many of those who submitted their oil for analysis conduct a thorough tune up (spark plug changes, differential fluid changes, PCV valve changes, air filter changes, etc) on their car on an annual basis? If this is not done to a car routinely, the engine will work harder to meet the ECU parameters, and thus, will wear down faster than normal.

So, if the argument is for longevity, maybe the used oil analysis you posted on that website makes sense for those who want to keep their car for 100 years. But if, i am correct, nobody develops a 295 horsepower car for it to be babied---it was made to be driven, and in the case of the VQ engine, hard, and thus, any true driver with instincts will try to get as much of that power out of the car, as possible, and herein lies why Royal Purple is a superior performer to many of the oils out there, except Mobil 1 0W-40, and the data I presented above, bears them out.

Finally, anyone who flogs their car routinely, as I routinely do---NA or F1, would be well advised to change their oil at 3,000 miles or less---one has to pay to play. At such a short change interval, I guarantee you that my engine will be in better shape than anyone who uses M1 or other brand and who changes their oil every 5,000 miles. I know because I have 250,000 mile car that has been using a Castrol GTX 20W-50 since it turned 100,000 miles, with 3,000 miles or less oil changes, and it is still running strong. Not once have I ever considered changing my oil at beyond 3,000 miles.

If the oil collection and analysis you presented was not conducted under controlled conditions, then I find the information presented to be merely informative and not authoritative, regardless of whether it was specific to VQ engines or not.

And finally, I disagree with the document posted on that link regarding how a driver feels with the oil they use---whether smoother and better riding car. While this does not in anyway reflect the wear inside the engine, it does help to bring comfort to the driver. Afterall, at the end of the day, your car should bring you comfort, isn't it? So what does it matter if the bearings on your car with Royal Purple is wearing at the rate of 5 microns a year versus a person using Mobil 1 whose bearings are wearing at 3 microns a year?

And I bet you, but not with certainty, that those who use Royal Purple, probably drive their cars much harder than those without Royal Purple, thus the increased wear, perhaps.

There is nothing like a perfect oil. But there is something like an oil that meets your needs.

NBHere is the result of the test to the link provided by superchargedg, which I found online.

Here are some oils that have shown the best protection for the VQ35DE based on UOA: Amsoil 0w-30 (great protection and good for extended change intervals 10k) Pennzoil Platinum 10w-30 (second best performer, not good for extended change intervals like other synthetics, change at 3k) Schaeffer's 7000 5w-30 (best overall protection, recommended for the DD, not for track) Mobil1 0w-40 (good performer, works for FI and NA, extended change intervals 5-7k, also great for all climates) Castrol GTX 5w-30 (outperforms many of the synthetics even Mobil 1 5w-30, good for the DD who doesn't mind changing oil every 3k) Castrol Syntec 0w-30 European Formula (hard to find, usually found at Auto Zone, great performer, 7.5k change intervals)

Now make you decision----protect an engine for eternity because you don't want to change your oil every 3,000 miles or use an oil that gives you the horsepower you need, while you change the oil more frequently than is required? You decide!!!!!!

I have decided that power is far more important than the microscopic analysis any lab can provide regarding effect of oil on VQ35DE engines, so long as I change my oil at 3,000 miles or less. If one does not enjoy their car now, are they going to enjoy it once it hits the scrap yard, as all cars will eventually end up? And who is planning to be buried with a perfect but used engine when the time comes? Every engine will wear down depending on numerous factors beyond our control and understanding, and in ways that were not anticipated.

Modified by Jacko3 at 11:29 PM 12/6/2008
Modified by Jacko3 at 11:32 PM 12/6/2008

[superchargedg]

^^^Very good info also and good post.