What do you think of millers engine oil?
Just done a oil & filter change to my grandads merc A class 160cdi used this stuff 5w-40 i think fully synthetic for petrol and diesel.
At a wopping £32.00 for 5ltrs the stuff before was fully synthetic at about £27.50.
So how do you rate millers oils any good better than other brand named oils?, i know they have been around for years on lots of applications.
|
They are supposed to be excellent oils. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find a stockist anywhere remotely close to my house (and I live about 35 miles from the centre of London) Places listed as stockists on the Millers website actually aren't when you call them or visit them.
It's not cost effective to mail order oil, or to drive double figure mileages to buy it, so I've consigned myself to just keeping an eye out for it. I have yet to see it on a shelf anywhere though.
|
Why use Millers rather than Castrol, Mobil or any other readily available premium oil that meets the manufacturers specifications?
alfalfa
|
|
|
I would have a look to see if it says `Meets` on the oil specs and whether the top synthetic oils for diesels meet ACEA B4 - which is no problem for oil companies that have full control over their own base stocks - rather then being blenders of oil bought in.
For a further example consider MB 229.5 - which many oil companies products have no problem `meeting` - for example Shell helix ultra and Mobil 1.
If it doesn`t actually say `meets` - it seems it might be better or worse or who knows?
I won`t touch oil from minor blender type companies until it says `meets` for all the relevant specs + the reasurance of the tough in house specs of other marques - MB being one of the best examples.
|
the reasurance of the tough in house specs of other marques - MB being one of the best >> examples.
I have a Mercedes and my view is that the Mercedes "approval" on various things is little more than marketing hype. The oil companies probably pay a fortune to carry that approval.
If you look in a Mercedes handbook, they'll run on just about anything. The only thing the 229.xx oils give you is longer change intervals, and it's a well known scam that the dealers often don't set the car's computer to 229.5 so the service interval remains short.
The really tough one is VAG, and Millers oils meet various VAG specs.
|
|
|
..I would have a look to see if it says `Meets` on the oil specs and whether the top synthetic oils for diesels meet ACEA B4...
According to the Millers website, one of their top synthetics: "Exceeds the requirements of ACEA A3, B3, B4 and C3 as well as API SM." (Means nothing to me.)
There's also some stuff about it meeting various MB, VAG and BMW requirements.
I think Millers has a good name in motor racing, but I don't suppose it's sump oil for road cars is any better than the other top brands.
Millers diesel fuel additive is, of course, magic in a bottle.
|
|
|
|
I think Millers is OK.
Although I think their oil is probably just as good as anyone else's, Mercedes have their own approvals, MB229.xx
In the UK, oil viscosity isn't that normally that critical, and the Merc handbook will show a wide range, but the car probably ideally uses a 0W30 oil.
Pricewise, about the cheapest place to buy oil is Costco, if you have access to one. Mobil1 (petrol or turbo diesel versions) is £23 inc VAT for 4L . It's MB229.5 approved.
|
Thanks guys yes went to costco but they do mobil 1 but it's only 4ltrs and need 5ltrs they should step up there to meet a bigger demand.
As for millers not available try e bay as i found they stock it too, i got it from a local shop but wanted to sell me other brands.
|
>>Thanks guys yes went to costco but they do mobil 1 but it's only 4ltrs and need 5ltrs
Mine takes 6 litres - does that mean I can only change my oil if I can buy 6 litre packs?
Buy two, or better three, then you'll have two changes and some top up ;-)
|
Buy two or better three then you'll have two changes and some top up ;-)
It's a fair point but assumes you have somewhere to keep it, and that your car needs topping up. A few years ago I bought 4L from Costco for topping up rather than risk being stung for £12+ for a litre from a filling station, but have never touched it.
Edited by Bill Payer on 02/10/2009 at 19:56
|
I bought a litre of diesel oil when I bought my first diesel car in 2002.
Never used it, but I'll be ready if the hinges on the garden gate start to creak.
|
|
|
This reminds me of a story told to me by a friend who used to crew for a Top Fuel Drag Racing Car that was sponsored by Miller Oils.
The sponsorship consisted of free oil which I believe they changed after every run.
At one big meeting at Santa Pod, there was a guy at a stand testing samples of oil on a friction machine, which basically appiles pressure via a lever to a rotating roller bathed in the test oil.
They watched the testing of many different brands and saw the differing amount of pressure required to stop the rotating roller.
When they offered a sample of some Millers that had come out of their dragster, the bloke said he would test it but he knew what would happen.
He could not stop the roller despite pressing the lever as hard as he could.
Good stuff !
|
|
|
|
|
|
At a wopping £32.00 for 5ltrs the stuff before was fully synthetic at about £27.50.
wopping or whopping?
There was a letter in Diesel Car magazine, Feb 2005, issue 203. (www.dieselcar.com)
" Myself and two other motoring enthusiasts got together to find a cheaper way of getting quality oil at a better price. We each agreed to accept a 20 litre container and, armed with an order for our 60 litres. I went to a local oil distributor to get a price for some fully synthetic oil in this case Total Quartz 9000 5w/40. In January 2004 I was quoted £1.45 per litre including vat. When we eventually went to order in October we had expected a price rise - what with the escalating cost of crude oil. We were then quoted £1.20 per litre, plus vat and I could barely believe it! I was told that it was because the order was placed at the beginning of the month! That worked out at £7.05 for 5 litres, delivered to my front door. Apparently we were classed as "bulk-buyers"."
|
" Myself and two other motoring enthusiasts ... agreed to accept a 20 litre container and armed with an order for our 60 litres. I went to a local oil distributor to get a price for some fully synthetic oil
That's a good way to do it - "boilerjuice" I think is a similar way for people with oil CH (or perhaps extensive off-road vehicle use!).
|
|
|
>> fully synthetic oil ...
That worked out at £7.05 for5 litres delivered to my front door. Apparently we were classed as "bulk-buyers"."
And that price was for buying only 60 litres - imagine what the main dealer, ordering perhaps 50-100 times that amount per year pays??????
And remember that when he invoices you on your service bill at over £12 per litre.
J
|
|
|
|
