Well that's one of the things about these decades-long loyalties. The name is the same but who knows how the product has changed (better? worse?) or if it's been "label engineered"?

Castrol and Jaguar just go together like a hand in a glove. Very traditional.

But...and this isn't meant disparagingly....even the finest mechanics are subject to bias, mis-placed loyalties, and so forth. I spent 30 years in the car repair business. Some of the best mechanics were very stubborn and change-resistant. They tend to stick with what they are most familiar with and has never given them any problems. For them, often as not, that makes something "the best".

Cheers
DD

 

Been a mechanic/truck driver for over sixty years, tried a few different brands of oil, on several occasions, had to go back to Castrol to solve a problem or at least improve a problem
Believe me I have tried other types of oil, mainly because Castrol isn’t easy to get around here but also because I have been advised to by people who know

 

No doubt these days all the major oil brands offer superb lubricants, so as long as we use one that meets Jaguar's published specifications and follow Greg's advice to change it regularly, it shouldn't matter whether we use Shell, Valvoline, Pennzoil, Lucas, Quaker State, Havoline, Chevron, Rotella, Kendall, Petronas, Febi, Penrite, Pentosin or any other major brand.

We should, however, stay away from bargain brands because the Petroleum Quality Institute of America has found that some do not meet the viscosity or other specifications on their labels, or are not suitable for modern engines at all. For example, in the U.S., the retailer Dollar General has been sued multiple times for selling obsolete motor oils:

https://clark.com/cars/car-maintenan...ete-motor-oil/

With so many decisions to make in my life, I keep things simple by using Castrol in Jaguars & BMWs, and Mobil 1 in Mercedes & Porsches. These are not the cheapest brands, but to me, trying to save $10 on an oil change is not worth the trouble or risk, and I am not qualified to second-guess the automotive and petroleum engineers anyway. Following the manufacturers' recommendations is a no-brainer.

Cheers,

Don

 

The dollar general story surfaces on just about every car discussion board in existence. If you read the label carefully, the oil is not advertised to meet any given spec beyond API SA nor do they even advertise it to be a Multi weight oil. The oil is still suitable as is for the engines it was designed for. If consumers don't bother reading the labels and use the wrong product, I'm not sure the manufacturer has done anything wrong.

 

Hi Mikey,

I'm glad that you also recommend reading the label on a bottle of oil. The Dollar General story supports my assertion that some currently-available oils do not meet the requirements of modern engines, and it's a convenient reference for me because DG is headquartered not far away. But reading the label won't ensure that you purchase a suitable quality oil either. The PQIA has found plenty of examples of oils that do not meet the specifications printed on their labels. Here are a few recent examples identified by the PQIA:

Orbit 5W-30
Xpress Lube Pro 10W-30 NO API LISTED
Xpress Lube Pro 5W-30 NO API LISTED
TruStar "10-40" SC/CC
Super XXX SAE10W30 API SB

Thus, my recommendation to use major brands.

Cheers,

Don

 

I always do, that's where I saw the Shell Rotella is no longer certified as a gasoline engine oil. I've long used the T6 synthetic, but can't any more due to the certification change.

 

May years ago I was working for a mob, all their trucks were petrol
They then acquired a Bedford diesel
The oil company they used (a top worldwide brand) said they had an oil which there reps said was good for both petrol and diesel engines.
The oil company ended up paying for all the petrol engines to be replaced.

 

Since when?

 

2017 I believe.