Oil Brand - Small vs Large

Oil Brand - Small vs Large

Author
Discussion

AlexGSi2000

Original Poster:

398 posts

201 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
Morning,

Its almost time for my cars service, my requirement is a 5-50w oil.

I usually go for Motul, however the price seems to have risen quite steeply in the past 12-months, so have been taking a look at other brands and have come across Millers EE performance.

My question being, is the quality of Millers likely to be on a par with Motul?

I know they have good reputation, but cant help but think that due to the size of Millers that standards / quality potentially wont be as good as the likes of Motul?

Not sure if I should just play it safe and pay the extra or give Millers a try?

For the record, the vehicle covers around 5,000 between oil changes.

E-bmw

9,976 posts

159 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
What is the car?

What does manufacturer's spec for oil change say?

If it matches the spec Millers will be fine, as will many other brands.

I tend to buy 20 litres drums in bulk from ebay or others & likely end up paying under £100 for any of:

Carlube,
Comma,
Triple QX,
Fuchs.

I tend to change every year or 8k miles & all are fine and match the manufacturer's spec for both mine & Mrs E's cars.

AlexGSi2000

Original Poster:

398 posts

201 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
E-bmw said:
What is the car?

What does manufacturer's spec for oil change say?

If it matches the spec Millers will be fine, as will many other brands.

I tend to buy 20 litres drums in bulk from ebay or others & likely end up paying under £100 for any of:

Carlube,
Comma,
Triple QX,
Fuchs.

I tend to change every year or 8k miles & all are fine and match the manufacturer's spec for both mine & Mrs E's cars.
Ignoring the car and the specification required - as it deviates away from the question.

Would the quality (think research & development.etc), of Millers oil be as good as Motul or larger brands?

Dynion Araf Uchaf

4,684 posts

230 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
the smaller oil companies tend to use a base oil from a larger company and the an additive blend from either their own lab team, another oil company or indeed the oil company they got the base oil from.

Shell Oil do test their oil with the OEM and get their official approval, everyone else just matches the spec based on SAE etc.

So that, and alongside the very little mileage you do, would mean that you could probably get away with a Halfords or Asda own brand oil so long as it matches the spec. Your Millers option will be fine .

I think you are over thinking it a bit.


Belle427

9,742 posts

240 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
Depends on the car and use too, I see motul as the Rolls Royce of oils but absolutely nothing wrong with the likes of millers, fuchs etc.
I buy fuchs personally for everyday stuff I care about.

E-bmw

9,976 posts

159 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
AlexGSi2000 said:
E-bmw said:
What is the car?

What does manufacturer's spec for oil change say?

If it matches the spec Millers will be fine, as will many other brands.

I tend to buy 20 litres drums in bulk from ebay or others & likely end up paying under £100 for any of:

Carlube,
Comma,
Triple QX,
Fuchs.

I tend to change every year or 8k miles & all are fine and match the manufacturer's spec for both mine & Mrs E's cars.
Ignoring the car and the specification required - as it deviates away from the question.

Would the quality (think research & development.etc), of Millers oil be as good as Motul or larger brands?
1. You cannot possibly ignore the car or the specification, it is pivotal to the answer to the question if it is to be an informed answer.

2. See bold above.

Smint

1,989 posts

42 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
Chap who prepped and rallied Subarus who rebuilt the engine and gearbox on my sons RA Imprezza swore blind Millers 10w60 was the best oil you can but for those engines.

Other side of the country and 12 years or more later, the Subaru sole trader indy i use who is known in the marque for good work ranging from servicing to race prepping engines swears blind by, yup, Millers 10w60.

As above whether that grade and type is the best choice for a mystery car is anyone's guess.

Millers are well respected, and very well spoken of in competition circles.

stevieturbo

17,530 posts

254 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
AlexGSi2000 said:
Morning,

Its almost time for my cars service, my requirement is a 5-50w oil.

I usually go for Motul, however the price seems to have risen quite steeply in the past 12-months, so have been taking a look at other brands and have come across Millers EE performance.

My question being, is the quality of Millers likely to be on a par with Motul?

I know they have good reputation, but cant help but think that due to the size of Millers that standards / quality potentially wont be as good as the likes of Motul?

Not sure if I should just play it safe and pay the extra or give Millers a try?

For the record, the vehicle covers around 5,000 between oil changes.
Most likely, even a middle of the road oil is of a higher standard than would be needed anyway, unless it is extremely hard usage.

And would a small maker like Ferrari be on par with say Citroen ?

Millers of Motul, I've used both, both make good oils.

But last night I just ordered 20L of Mannoil too. Because it was relatively cheap, and as already said, I know far higher spec than the car actually will ever need anyway, regardless of wat fantasy I might have as to what spec it needs

Pica-Pica

14,474 posts

91 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
stevieturbo said:
Most likely, even a middle of the road oil is of a higher standard than would be needed anyway, unless it is extremely hard usage.

And would a small maker like Ferrari be on par with say Citroen ?

Millers of Motul, I've used both, both make good oils.

But last night I just ordered 20L of Mannoil too. Because it was relatively cheap, and as already said, I know far higher spec than the car actually will ever need anyway, regardless of wat fantasy I might have as to what spec it needs
Ferrari’s market capitalisation is about 77bn USD, and Stellantis (who own PSA and FiatChrysler) is marginally greater at 79Bn USD. So in that sense, hardly much ‘smaller’. Also Ferrari’s operating margin is 25%, compared to 11% for Stellantis.

https://companiesmarketcap.com/automakers/largest-...


AlexGSi2000

Original Poster:

398 posts

201 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
E-bmw said:
1. You cannot possibly ignore the car or the specification, it is pivotal to the answer to the question if it is to be an informed answer.

2. See bold above.
Yep, I get that. But my question in it's most basic form is:
Is Millers as good as Motul / bigger brands.

I'm not really referring to an oil spec, I shouldn't have really quoted the grade in the first place really as it was irrelevant to my question.

stevieturbo

17,530 posts

254 months

Wednesday 28th February
quotequote all
AlexGSi2000 said:
Yep, I get that. But my question in it's most basic form is:
Is Millers as good as Motul / bigger brands.

I'm not really referring to an oil spec, I shouldn't have really quoted the grade in the first place really as it was irrelevant to my question.
Millers is a very well reputed competition line of oils. Has been for many years

Belle427

9,742 posts

240 months

Thursday 29th February
quotequote all
The problem with oil is how do you know one is better than the other ie what scientific evidence could you provide to prove this?
I stuck some granville 10/40 semi in an old Mx5 last week which cost £17 from a local factors I use!

AlexGSi2000

Original Poster:

398 posts

201 months

Thursday 29th February
quotequote all
Belle427 said:
The problem with oil is how do you know one is better than the other ie what scientific evidence could you provide to prove this?
I stuck some granville 10/40 semi in an old Mx5 last week which cost £17 from a local factors I use!
Well, that's exactly it - I guess I could take a look at the technical specs, but in reality, I probably wouldn't fully understand them.

I guess its horses for courses in a sense. I think in this case I'll probably stick to what I have used previously and go for the Motul again.

Not that its too relevant to the question, but the car sees some occasional track use, so all things considered an extra £40 over the course of 5,000 miles is marginal I guess.

Many thanks for everyone's input.

Belle427

9,742 posts

240 months

Thursday 29th February
quotequote all
What car is it?

ChevronB19

6,377 posts

170 months

Thursday 29th February
quotequote all
stevieturbo said:
AlexGSi2000 said:
Yep, I get that. But my question in it's most basic form is:
Is Millers as good as Motul / bigger brands.

I'm not really referring to an oil spec, I shouldn't have really quoted the grade in the first place really as it was irrelevant to my question.
Millers is a very well reputed competition line of oils. Has been for many years
Penrite is also supposed to be very good, but focuses on older engines (age and design).

HJG

483 posts

114 months

Thursday 29th February
quotequote all
You're massively overthinking it.
Millers is a good oil.

You could really help yourself though by telling us the engine.

stevieturbo

17,530 posts

254 months

Thursday 29th February
quotequote all
ChevronB19 said:
Penrite is also supposed to be very good, but focuses on older engines (age and design).
Possible...but a lot of products are the same, but labelled/marketed different, so as to appeal to different groups, as people like products that appear directed to what they are doing.

Even the other day in Tesco, two different Sudafed nasal sprays, different prices, slightly different wording and colours on the boxes. But the same PL code, which identifies the contents as the same product.

AlexGSi2000

Original Poster:

398 posts

201 months

Friday 1st March
quotequote all
HJG said:
You're massively overthinking it.
Millers is a good oil.

You could really help yourself though by telling us the engine.
Its an M54 with a few modifications; turbo, rods, pistons.etc

Belle427

9,742 posts

240 months

Friday 1st March
quotequote all
I'd just use the Millers personally.

E-bmw

9,976 posts

159 months

Friday 1st March
quotequote all
AlexGSi2000 said:
HJG said:
You're massively overthinking it.
Millers is a good oil.

You could really help yourself though by telling us the engine.
Its an M54 with a few modifications; turbo, rods, pistons.etc
Pretty much any of the oils that have been mentioned by anyone above will be absolutely fine, especially with short oil change intervals.

Just stick to recommended spec & as has been said, many use the same base stock & just add additives to suit.