Anyone use Esso XD-3 synthetic motor oil ?

[djpositivek]

Starting to plan for my first oil change and reading up on oil types. Have heard a lot of good things about Mobil 1 synthetic for years. Some guy on another forum said that the Mobil 1 we get in the US/Canada is Group 3 and the one made in Germany is Group 4 (which is better ?).A few people have recommended Esso XD-3. Apparently you can buy it at Esso dealers $54 for 12 x 1L bottles. Sounds like a good deal for sure (for any synthetic).

[djpositivek]

Apparently only the 0w30 and 0w40 are synthetics. I'm reading on this BITOG website now. Apprently they like German Castrol http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi

[goodvibe]

If you actually read bitog, you'd know that all grades M1 is full synthetic group IV PAO plus AN which is a form of group V as an add pack carrier. The 5w40 is GroupIV and ester groupV. All Castrol in this country except the made in Germany 0w30 is group III. Older 0w30 that you'll still find on shelves is also group III. Esso XD-3 is a Mobil subsidary, is grp IV based and a very good oil available in Canada. I'd use it in a second but maybe wait a little longer before starting synthetic. I don't understand why this myth about M1 being grp III is perpetuated. If it wasn't for Mobil and their judgement that grpIII isn't true synth, few of us would know the difference. Even their synth blends must have some PAO in them or they market them as such. What that guy on the forum mistakenly said about Mobil he could have truthfully said about Castrol.

[djpositivek]

Anybody have any experience with this oil ?Those Bitog guys are nuts. They search all over for this Green German castrol Syntec that apparently is hard to find because they changed it recently. Some guys were saying they had 200+ quarts of it stored in their garages What do you mean when you say you would use it but wait a little longer before starting synthetic ? I was under the impression it was best to start off with synthetic from the first oil change.

[21Rouge]

Quote, originally posted by djpositivek »Anybody have any experience with this oil ?. "Olympic" uses this 'Canada only' Esso XD 0W-30 in his 2 hardworking Vibes. He has only good things to say about this oil. But be aware that strickly speaking this oil does not conform to warranty requirements as, for example, it is not 'energy conserving'.Quote, originally posted by djpositivek »They search all over for this Green German castrol Syntec My last oil change a couple of weeks back resulted in M1 5W-30 out and in went almost 4 bottles of green German Castrol (0W-30)....I think I have only 28 litres remaining Quote, originally posted by djpositivek »What do you mean when you say you would use it but wait a little longer before starting synthetic ? I was under the impression it was best to start off with synthetic from the first oil change.Just anecdotal, but I did my first oil change at around 1000 km....in went M1 5W-30. Only 2000 km later I did another change (still M1). Then last week, at around the 8900 km mark I replaced this M1 with German Castrol. (No oil consumption anytime). This time this oil will stay in much longer...probably till January.

[goodvibe]

Using synth early won't hurt anything but my GT motor didn't feel set until 5k and really broken in until about 20k. It was easiest to feel in higher RPM smoothness. I never used any oil either. I'd just wait until I had 5k on the car. That's also Redlines recommendation and they want you to buy their oil. I did my first change a 2k with dino, the second at 5k with M1 and found it too noisey for my tastes. Boxgrover, I bet you lose a MPG with the GC. That's one heavy 30w and also not energy conserving. Great protection though.

[21Rouge]

Quote, originally posted by goodvibe »Boxgrover, I bet you lose a MPG with the GC. That's one heavy 30w and also not energy conserving. Great protection though.And right now I think protection is more important than the loss in fuel economy. It is an on going test goodvibe. I am waiting for the UOA on the M1 5W-30. I will do a UOA on the GC when it comes out sometime this winter. If oil consumption continues to be negligible I will do a run of Esso XD and then finally the energy conserving M1 0W-30! After a couple of years of successive testing Ill settle on single oil. We keep cars till the bitter end. Hopefully great oil and other quality lubes will make it less bitter .

[goodvibe]

I tried a few different oils when I had my GT. M1 was noisey and thinned, RP thinned very quickly for the price and got noisey before I wanted to change it. My last experiment was SM Havoline with a qt of Redline. Felt and sounded great but i only got 2k mi. on it before total. Seemed cheap and effective but I have no idea if the mix worked as well as it felt. No real mileage diference between anything I tried. I was planning to do a second run and then test. I like 5k OCIs and didn't think that the cost of synth was worth it unless there was a clear improvement in wear, cleanliness or mileage. I also use LC. Just thought i'd throw that in in case you were going to try any of these and the 2zz may respond differently anyway. I have to use 5w20 now for warranty and even though I know it's fine, I would prefer a 30w.