[noos]

What's your driving profile like? What's the distance you drive? Flat roads, mountain roads? Do you track your car? Since your temps are never above 20 C there is no need for a 30 weight oil if you just drive your car regularly. And since you have freezing temps, a 0W weight is not something you can go wrong with either, but 5W would work too. So in theory, Toyotas 0w-20 seems appropriate for regular driving.

However, a concern i have, since you have lots of mountains and therefore elevation changes, i assume you do downshift quiet a lot and use higher rpms at inclines as well if im not mistaken? Might even use higher rpms before the car is fully warmed up due to the nature of the roads? This puts lots of load and shear stress on the engine. In that case, you might want to pick a low viscosity oil with a higher HTHS value than 0w-20 that usually is at ~2.6. If you're into Ravenol, as you've mentioned before, the Ravenol SFE 5W-20 with an HTHS value of 2.9 looks like a good oil for regular driving. If your driving is more spirited, the Ravenol DXG 5w-30 (HTHS 3.3) looks good as well.

 

[las27563481]

I am currently playing with Valvoline Advanced. Im actually hoping it looks good because the stuff can be bought in bulk for dirt cheap.

I was looking at the Valvoline data from the specifications they provide. I built a simple index table (at the bottom) to compare with and it looks like the (EP, HM, FS) would perform best. viscosity retention wise. I don't have information as to the additive package, but thought this might be of interest. Percentages are individual value/mean, for each property.

Interesting, same comparison on Pennzoil, the PUP is the worst and the EURO L the best.

 

[las27563481]

Since I mentioned the Pennzoil.......

 

[TRU-BOOST]

We will see how the Valvoline Advanced does. I just put it in this past weekend. I have some magnatec left in reserve, but figured "why not". I went a full 5k OCI on the 5w30 magnatec testing at 3,4,5k. To my surprise even with a whole lot of ethanol use, it held up pretty damn good. Wear metals were all low, 100c visc at 9.6 TBN still crazy good at 5.5 and the biggest surprise was that there was no sign of fuel dilution what so ever which is very common with E85 use. DT has done a killer job getting the tune dialed in.
Im not a fan of running HM oils in modern cars with engines that are held together by rtv. Seals can be over conditioned. EP is fine, but with the shorter intervals most of us use, I dont feel there will be much benefit honestly. The Advanced formula is actually pretty dang close to Magnatec in terms of base oil and modifier type. The add pack is fairly close as well. It makes me think it should perform similar. Time will tell. Its late in the year and I wont be packing miles on very quickly soon, but I will have results..... Eventually. Lol

 

[las27563481]

I knew that what I posted was by no means a representation of a "complete" comparison inside brands or an indicator of a "best model" proposal, but I put it up here for discussion by those with much more expertise in this field than myself.

 

[adc]

I was never much of a calcimine fan but the Advanced and Extended Performance look good.

 

[Vtor]

Where's the Pennzoil Ultra Platinum juice? Those bright yellow jugs add 5hp.

I'm of the change often good quality oil vs keeping in longer really highly rated swill.

 

[Nob Taniguchi Admirer]

I just wanted to add for Australian 2nd Gen BRZ owners (sorry GR86 peeps, it may be different for you with the manual in terms of legal gymnastics):

So far Castrol Australia and Penrite have listed 0w20 as recommended as per the manual however have 5w20 and 5w30 listed as alternatives.

Castrol is broken down as follows:

Castrol Edge 0w20 C5 (recommended)
Castrol Magnatec 0w20 (alt)
Castrol Magnatec 5w30 DX (alt)

This is where it gets interesting for Castrol Edge 5w30 A3/B4, which is what I am using through my local Subaru Service centre. While A3 spec'd oil is not listed on Castrol's site, it is however in the BRZ owner's manual (Tobes showcased this last year):

I just got off the phone to my service centre as I am about to buy some top up oil, and wanted to re-confirm if they used Edge or Magnatec in the car. Edge 5w30 was confirmed. They also said they carried and thus recommended the 5w30 Edge as 0w20 has been quite hard to source in Australia recently.

To add to this, Castrol Australia have Edge 5w30 A3/B4 listed as the recommended oil for the FA20D BRZ on their site. This is despite the first gen BRZ manual listing 0w20 as recommended.

I've been talking to Tru recently and I can see where he is coming from when it comes to the misinformation being spread regarding oils. I can see why people have been anxious. What a time we are living in.

 

[las27563481]

The Australia BRZ manual does allow adding other oil types, but like the US manual they state 0W20 must be used on the next oil change. The biggest hole on the limitation for both is where they both say higher viscosity is required for hot temperature as stated in the snip below from the Australia 2022 manual. Key is that neither a definition of what hot weather is or how much higher viscosity is provided and the word required is strong legal language.

 

[Nob Taniguchi Admirer]

The Australia BRZ manual does allow adding other oil types, but like the US manual they state 0W20 must be used on the next oil change. The biggest hole on the limitation for both is where they both say higher viscosity is required for hot temperature as stated in the snip below from the Australia 2022 manual. Key is that neither a definition of what hot weather is or how much higher viscosity is provided and the word required is strong legal language.

View attachment 54173

My 2023 manual doesn't have the italicised wording about 0w20, but it does have the wording regarding the hot weather verbatim.

I agree that 'required' (def: officially compulsory) trumps 'recommended' (def: advised or suggested). My service centre appears to have retained a solid middle ground on this by just sticking either 0w-20 or 5w-30 in the majority of their cars given supply issues and how hot it can get here.

Weird looking table I might add as well. Not sure this is right either. Unless I'm reading it wrong, I sure as hell am NOT using 0w-20 when the temperatures get to 30C+ and 40C+ where I live.

This is a cool merry-go-round we're on I tell you lol.

 

[Kzarylp310]

I’ve tested a few different 5w30 engine oil, and Amsoil is easily one of the best for long-term protection. However, for budget-friendly option, Liqui Moly Top Tec 4200 is another strong performer, it has high moly and boron content.

 

[BlitzPig]

When you say you have "tested" these oils, what exactly do you mean? I've been using the Liqui Moly Top Tec 4200 since my first change at 1100 miles, I have since changed it at 5000 indicated and 10,000 indicated miles, as that interval has worked well for my driving in the past with quality synthetic oils. My car now has just under 12000 miles on it and it has never used any oil after the 1100 mile break in period. I went with the Liqui Moly after seeing it used by several people in my local SCCA Region who are avid autocrossers, in VW and BRZ/GR86 cars.

 

[SKGopher]

I’ve tested a few different 5w30 engine oils, and Amsoil is easily one of the best for long-term protection. However, for budget-friendly option, Liqui Moly Top Tec 4200 is another strong performer, it has high moly and boron content.

Please show test results.. In God we trust, everyone else provide DATA.

 

[adc]

Please show test results.. In God we trust, everyone else provide DATA.

This

 

[las27563481]

Well, from our UOA data.... (ingnore the Valvoline, it's from only one sample DD car)
The data in parenthesis are number of samples @ average miles per UOA on oil.
I am aware that it's not a large enough sample counts to be statistically sound, but here it is separated by brand......

 

[2cati]

Interesting video recommending 5w30 ….not the 0w20 oil…

 

[kikdacan]

I went with 5w-20 yesterday for my second oil change (4800mi), and the engine seeded a good bit quieter while coming up to operating temperature. I really do think 0w is too thin and it pained me to put 0w-8 in my boys camry hybrid. lol

 

[2cati]

Yeah I bought a large batch of Total 0w20 at an insanely discounted price which I will unload. I’m switching to 5w30 at my next oil change. I see Costco has 5w30 synthetic at a decent price. I change my oil every 7500km (~4900mi). I have about 55,000km on my car now and it’s been 0w20. Looking forward to switching…

 

[TrueTexas]

This is the page from the 2025 Camry Service manual from Toyota. This lends credibility to all of the statements that we are "forced" to use 0w-8 in the Camry - and 0w-20 in the GR86 due to is fuel efficiency standards and not some incompatibility issue with the motor.

Lots of choices for the Camry if you're in Mexico.

 

[BlitzPig]

It's what those of us who understand have been saying all along.