Identifying correct lubricants/liquids

[Kojac]

Hi all,

Straightforward question - how can I identify the correct recommended replacement lubricants/liquids for my vehicle?

If I wish to have the brake fluid / oil / transmission fluid changed at an independent garage (or do it myself) - I need to know which ones to buy.

It might be heresy to some, but the truth is many many garages often use whatever they have at hand - rather than ordering in the correct/recommended oil/liquids for your car. It shouldn't happen - but it does.

Hence I am seeking an honest - straightforward reference - that is up to date for a car that has just passed 60,000 miles.

 

Cheers,

 

K

[FROSTYBALLS]

It would help to know whether your Auris is petrol, diesel or hybrid.

[Kojac]

2010 - Auris T Spirit 5dr 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid
 

[TonyHSD]

If you just search you will find tons of information. Your car is exactly as Prius and uses exactly same specs lubricants. Buy all genuine Toyota stuff, works best. Engine oil 0w20 and brake fluid Dot3 can be different make. 

[Kojac]

Hoping to open up a discussion regarding HSD engine oil.

As TonyHSD has clarified above - my HSD mk1 1.8 T-Spirit Auris needs 0-20w oil.

I am asking fellow members for help with two distinct aspects:

A) Where can we source oem Toyota engine oil - the cheapest.

I'm surprised to find that 5L of OEM 0-30 is around £39 (delivered) on the official Toyota eBay store.

Can anyone share a more economical supply route, for OEM Toyota oil.

 

B) VIABLE ALTERNATIVES: Can anyone help me flesh out competent & worthy alternative 0-20W oils from other manufacturers (i.e oils that would at least meet, if not EXCEED oem spec).

I suspect that many if us would be more than happy to buy a superior oil from another brand - at a lower price.

So - What are the options?

KEY:

This post is intended to prompt an exploration/discussion of the topic in general, through which we might all learn/discover something new.

 

K.

[TonyHSD]

Hi, I have been using Petronas 0w20 since 2015 and over 100k miles in temperatures from -5° In winter  to up to 40C° on euro trip once back in 2017, no problems at all, no oil consumption.  Price was even cheaper before but even now is not too bad.  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323898171325
You can buy Toyota oem 0w20 but only from Toyota dealers directly or through eBay , private sellers sells fake Toyota parts and fluids very often. 👍 £40 for 5 ltr oil is cheap enough IMO. Oil filter I recommend genuine too. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

As regards sourcing 0W-20 oil, Toyota has specified that oil meeting API SL, SM or SN is suitable.  SN is the latest specification. 

[Catlover]

Kojac  if you think Toyota 0w-20 oil is expensive dont bother looking at the price of Castrol Edge. Frighten you to death.

My wife has a 2010 Auris Hybrid with 75,000 miles - each year has a Toyota dealer service and I ALWAYS specify 0W-20. It is a once per year cost - I certainly not interested in saving £10 or even £15 for a years motoring.

 

[Kojac]

9 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

As regards sourcing 0W-20 oil, Toyota has specified that oil meeting API SL, SM or SN is suitable.  SN is the latest specification. 

Frosty,

Could you flesh this out a bit. I would like to learn more.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Engine oils usually specify the standards they are designed to meet. The API (American Petroleum Institute) specification is one of these standards. The earliest API spec from years ago would have been SA, and as higher specs were introduced, they were identified by using higher letters from the alphabet. The most current API specification is SP, and this should also be OK for your car.

Engine oil containers will specify what API standard the oil is designed to meet.

[Stivino]

There is a good guide here.

[Kojac]

Looking for some technical and in depth answers to the following:

A) The Petronas 0w20 that TonyHSD referred to. How does it compare with OEM 0w20 oil.
 

I am looking for pro's and con's in using it over oem (this will be an interesting discussion). This question is intended to hone in on the differences (and rational arguments against) using Petronas.

[Kojac]

Also - as forum members - are discounts available from any oil suppliers?

[FROSTYBALLS]

At the end of the day, the choice is yours as to whether you go for Petronas or Toyota - both meet the API SN standard - or another make. Buy the highest spec oil you can afford.

As regards suppliers both are available on sites such as eBay and Amazon, as well as motor factors, etc. Some suppliers will have limited offers on certain oils - for example Halfords currently have 20% off Mobil 1 0W-20. 

If you sign up to Toyota Owners Club Premium membership, you can also get 15% off at Halfords, and 10% off at Opies Oils.

[Konrad C]

On 2/20/2021 at 11:33 AM, TonyHSD said:

Hi, I have been using Petronas 0w20 since 2015 and over 100k miles in temperatures from -5° In winter  to up to 40C° on euro trip once back in 2017, no problems at all, no oil consumption.  Price was even cheaper before but even now is not too bad.  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323898171325
You can buy Toyota oem 0w20 but only from Toyota dealers directly or through eBay , private sellers sells fake Toyota parts and fluids very often. 👍 £40 for 5 ltr oil is cheap enough IMO. Oil filter I recommend genuine too. 

My current oil of choice right now. I have Petronas 7000 fully synthetic. I got two x 5 litres, and used some for my last oil change, in addition to what i had remaining before. I always check who the sellers are, and only go to their details and if they are proper whole sellers like Euro Car Parts. Same for the spark plugs. 

[Kojac]

Theres a master toyota tech (U.S) on youtube, that claims all oem toyota oils are infact Mobil oils - rebadged.

Whats the likelyhood its the same for the U.K / European market

[FROSTYBALLS]

No vehicle manufacturer will make their own engine oils - they will contract with one or more oil companies to supply oils to their spec, much in the same way as any other component.

[Gerg]

46 minutes ago, Kojac said:

Whats the likelyhood its the same for the U.K / European market

I have recently read (where?, I can't remember), that Mobil motor oils in the European market are made in France, and that the Toyota motor oil is made in France. So that adds some weight to that.

Looking into this with more detail (maybe too much detail!), the Viscosity Index (VI) for the American Toyota oil (where the figures are more widely presented) is a higher number than the US Mobil-branded equivalent, suggesting that the Toyota oil stays to its specified grade longer as it is heated; cheaper oils seem to have a lower VI rating, if I remember correctly.  

But the VI figure never appears on the packaging - you have to go digging into the manufacturer's specifications that are tucked away from the normal marketing.

The VI rating for the Petronas 0W/20 is good, but not as high as the Toyota oil (US specs), which is very high indeed.

Perhaps someone in the dealer network knows more, or someone can correct me on the above?

Is the VI that important?  Well, the manufacturers bother to put it in their technical specs....

[Kojac]

The plot thickens... (pun intended)

[Parts-King]

I think you are over thinking the oil situation, the whole point of an oil having a specification is you can compare it to others. Buy the best spec oil for the cheapest price you can get it, you won't go wrong 

[Stivino]

5 minutes ago, Parts-King said:

Buy the best spec oil for the cheapest price you can get it, you won't go wrong

That's my philosophy too.

[Gerg]

13 minutes ago, Parts-King said:

Buy the best spec oil for the cheapest price you can get it, you won't go wrong 

Yes, definitely.  But the situation is slightly complicated by some oil brands not having easily viewed specs. (Toyota for example, in the past at least), and that the cheapest suppliers of arguably the best oil (Toyota) are usually eBay sellers, but who are these sellers who aren't the spares departments of Toyota main agents? 

 I don't understand how those eBay suppliers are getting Toyota-branded oil supplied to them at what must be around the price the Toyota dealers buys it, unless it's dodgy of course!

[Parts-King]

The API is always on the Toyota packaging, as mentioned elsewhere, API SN is the current spec

 

[TonyHSD]

I get parts from main dealers through eBay, same as you buy from your local Toyota dealer but delivered to you door. That’s the main reason, also sometimes they do offer better prices. Once I bought 5 oil filters from a private guy who had them from Toyota, genuine 100% , I can tell the difference immediately. Oil as long as is within the specs and not fake will be alright. Petronas is good enough IMO, I would never use it if I wasn’t sure is ok , many years and miles without problems says it all. 👍 Change on time is the most.