But you're an 'insider'.....we mere mortals don't.

 

That's true, but I was just answering your (possibly rhetorical) question!   And you get the benefit of my inside knowledge (well, a flavour of it - there's lots I can't say).

 

I guess the serious point is that specifications are intended to offer you all the information you need to know an oil is appropriate for use in a given application.  Any performance above and beyond the specification's minimum requirements is a bonus that you may wish to benefit from.

^^^^ so why is Castrol 'Professional' not available outside of workshops........profit margin?

^^^^ so why is Castrol 'Professional' not available outside of workshops........profit margin?

 

It's a bit more involved than that.  Firstly, consider who is the customer?  It's not you, the car's driver.  Oil marketers sell not to end users but to workshops, retailers and distributors.  These are the customers and they have demands and needs.  Different customers have different needs.  Someone with an independent workshop wants an oil with multiple specifications on it so they can use it on lots of different marques and not have too many variants in stock.  Same goes for a retailer.  A franchised workshop cares only about one marque, so the oil can be dedicated to that marque.  Franchised workshops also want customers to come back rather than wander off to independents as soon as the warranty expires (or even before).  One way to help them with this is to provide them with something that is exclusive to them.

 

End users then have the choice - go to a dealer and get the lower volume, dedicated 'part' and pay dealership money, or go to an independent source and pick up a high-volume, broad-spectrum version (also approved, just with a different approach).

 

This is the simple version.

I don't see any point in economising on oil you have to pay thousands for a vehicle and maintaining an engine starts with providing it with oil of appropriate quality at appropriate intervals save a few pounds and use something about which you are uncertain? It's like buying "budget" tyres-rather you than me!

I am biased, but I agree. Oil is arguably the most important component of the engine and yet people scrape about to find the cheapest way of replacing it. On a cost per mile basis, it is a veritable bargain given what it does.

So an oil that can be used in any car in the workshop is, in no way compromised, with regard to your specific vehicle?

I'm not the least bit worried about using a Penrite 'specific' oil for mine......I just don't see why I should pay for a workshop 'convenience' oil.

A multi-spec oil is still capable of delivering the appropriate performance for your car. It is possible that a dedicated oil will offer specific benefits for a given engine, like an extra whiff of fuel economy or a nanometer more wear protection on a specific component. In some cases the ’Professional' oil is the only option (for example with the new JLR engines, some Fords etc) because the oil has been co-engineered with the engine.

It's like the choice between an OEM part or a universal, pattern part.

^^^ to me 507 is specific and not as expensive compared to a 'broad spectrum' all purpose and thus more expensive oil.

The workshop's profit margin would be interesting.

Out here dealership profitability is increasingly driven by the servicing division.

Have to agree with the above posts although I take it to the extreme tbh - I use the full 507 spec long life stuff (usually Quantum) but change it every 4,000-5,000 miles. Never had an engine related issue and feel happy it's always having regular fresh oil. In the grand scheme of things it isn't a big cost

Easy really choose between an oil which VAG cerify as appropriate or one where someone else says it meets the same specification-an issue of trust and whether or not VAG will honour a warranty the terms of which you have chosen not to follow. good luck trying to get an oil supplier to warrant your engine and drive train!