Engine oil question

[CDNicecube]

Hello

So I have been doing the regular oil change at the dealership (I know...). Everywhere in the dealership and service area there are signs and poster about them using Mobil 1 Synthetic. Even next to their maintenance board you can read "Mobil 1 Used". So I always assumed that this is the oil they use in my car until earlier this week when I brought my 2010 EX in for an oil change and asked what they used.

To my surprised, the service person said "Some kind of dyno Petro Canada oil" (I am in Canada). I told him I was surprised because of the OC cost I had been paying (around $85 CND - yes we are being taken taken for a ride in Canada, specially since our dollars are at par) - which is Mobil 1 territory at any Quick lube - AND the signs advertising Mobil 1 synthetic. Anyhow, he added that my last 3 oil changes used that same oil; "It would have been $129 if you had requested Mobil 1". Anyhow, I don't have a beef with them since I assumed and never asked what they used.

Long story short, I want to do my own oil changes now and again. I always did these in the past on my other cars. I did a search and read 296 posts with the key words "Oil change" on the EX35 forum but none answered the 2 questions I have.

I have a 2010 EX and was wondering if it requires Ester oil (I read about this on another forum)? If not, I would use any good quality synthetics I can purchase. I like to stock pile oil and I have bottles of Mobil 1, but also some QuakerState Syntec and Pennzoil Platinum, all in 5w30. I also have a few jugs of dyno oil (Pennzoil + Quaker State + Motomaster).

My questions:

Q1) is Ester oil a "must" for our engine? Is it recommended at all by Infiniti?
Q2) Has anyone had bad experiences with a specific oil in our engine? If so, which oil was it and what was the "bad experience"? (engine noise, etc...)?

Thanks

[ihad1]

I have been using Mobil 1 with 5,000 mi changes. No problems so far.

[zarar]

Not sure if this is helpful but, my first 6 oil changes were done at the dealer (3,000 mile increments) and they used Castrol GTX Oil.

[jmess]

Q1 = no
Q2 = no

Use what you have. Mixing a quart of brand B with 3-4 quarts of Brand A won't make a difference. Mixing a quart of non synthetic with synthetic won't make a difference.

[EX-KAT-35]

After the 15 or was it 20k mile service my boyfriend and I have been using a Royal Purple + Synthetic Quaker State mix (personal elixir oil combo) for the past 3 oil changes with no ill-effects and absolutely no oil burning or low level. It stays rock-steady.

Matched the oil filter part numbers and then went to a "walking distance near" Nissan dealer to get oil filters + crush washers. Price was cheaper than at Infiniti for same oil filter + we get a new washer each time. Nissan parts guy taped a washer to each filter box too so no way to misplace them before use.

Using the Form-A-Funnel got rid of the need for my boyfriend to remove all the bolts for the underbody engine cover too.
Just open the small access hatch
drain
replace parts
tighten
refill
and be done with it till next time.

ENJOY:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43h8fZ-65PY[/youtube]

[TimGinCentralNJ]

I bought my new-to-me '08 EX from a friend last July at 49k miles and immediately have the dealer switch the oil from dino to Mobil1. I've been using synthetic in all my cars for several years now. No leaks, no burning, no issues.

If you are set on moving to a synthetic, I would not hesitate.

Hope that helps!
Tim

[lkp730]

I use Mobil 1 Extended Performance. Its guaranteed up to 15,000 miles. A lot of people have tested this oil out and say that it even lasts longer than 15k miles. It is a little pricier than regular oil or a synthetic blend, but it really pays itself off. The Mobile 1 Extended Performance is a full synthetic.

[XIS]

Mobil 1 or Castrol Edge synthetic only....and a good filter too.