I’m inexperienced but I want to learn. My car has high miles (266k) and needs to last at least another year…. I decided to go w/ this stuff, did I fall for a gimmick? Should I have gotten the cheaper oil?
by blueberryscones46
I’m inexperienced but I want to learn. My car has high miles (266k) and needs to last at least another year…. I decided to go w/ this stuff, did I fall for a gimmick? Should I have gotten the cheaper oil?
by blueberryscones46
![The M5 CS [3028X4032]](https://www.evshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/83j79s4rpydg1-770x515.jpeg "The M5 CS [3028X4032]")
![[Multiple] Kickoff for Car Week in Scottsdale, AZ](https://www.evshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ri7xe760iydg1-770x515.jpg "[Multiple] Kickoff for Car Week in Scottsdale, AZ")
29 Comments
You didn’t waste your money. You got up off your ass and did something, and that’s great. I have some thoughts, depending on year, make, model, engine. Some 266k mile engines are ready for more, depending on how they have “aged”/been looked after. Does you car burn/use oil? No oil is going to miraculously fix damage.
Good oil and filter never hurt but don’t expect it to do some magic from one oil change. I wouldn’t use anything but synthetic these days on anything I own but any of the major brands are going to be ok.
Just make sure to check the oil level when done and use the correct weight oil.
Engine oil is engine oil, really. There’s a difference between full-synthetic and otherwise, but I don’t really think it’s necessary to spend extra money on a more popular brand name oil than the cheaper alternatives.
That being said, you’re doing your own oil. That’s a great thing in itself!
All oil is not equal. Additives and refining process separates them. Most bargain oil is the same, but Royal Purple is good stuff. Take care of your machine and your machine will take care of you. Mine Just crossed 322k.
I’ve always just put the cheapest 0w40 I can find in all my vehicles. Roast me
Mobil 1 and royal purple?
Yes
Nothing wrong with RP. Regular oil changes and a quality oil filter can keep a well built engine alive for a very long time. I’ll qualify by saying I’ve built engines for my car that I’ve used in drag racing.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a9DWGtXpYUc&list=PLjT3B9r2z3fXlvbP3tb9e056Q8O5krrCW&index=1&pp=iAQB
Yes.
From what I have found royal purple does have the best additive package, although it is debatable how much of a difference it will make. It’s only a few bucks more though so I think it’s 100% worth it to get the extra detergents and all that good stuff.
Royal Purple is good stuff. You’re ok.
Definitely could have gone with something a bit cheaper like Valvoline or Mobil 1, but as long as it’s the correct weight and you’re changing the oil and filter regularly you’ll be good.
Don’t forget your air filter, not enough people care about them but they do matter.
That’s an excellent grade of oil. That’s all we use in my shop on customers euro cars.
It’s good stuff, but you would be fine with Mobrl 1.
Royal Purple is quality stuff. There are other brands that are just as good for less money though. Mobil 1 is a great product for a good price. Regardless of brand, I would use a high mileage blend in that engine. Its additive package will be better suited to your older engine.
I always use the Supertech oil from Walmart. Just under $20 for 5 quarts of full synthetic. Maybe it doesn’t have the same additives as some of the pricier brands, but both my vehicles are well over the 200k miles mark, and that’s what I’ve always used since I got them.
Did you pour the oil on your camera lens?
I use Havoline ilkn my Ford Ranger every 5k miles. Fücking Ford Ranger baby!! It has 400k miles.
Liquimoly molygen on rockauto.com is $45 and way better (best, motul and amsoil are top, but harder to source and more $). Go to ur dealership and get filters
That is very thin oil for 260k engine
auto parts guy here, people who are serious about their cars use royal purple, you cant go wrong. is it expensive? yes. will you see a difference immediately? no. in 5 years if you keep up with it vs a conventional? absolutely.
[removed]
At those miles it likely burns oil in between oil changes. Keep an eye on the level and top off when needed. That’s good oil btw.
A little bit.
I personally don’t have experience with RP, I tend to prefer M1 or Castrol Edge, but in the process just take your time, keep your cool, and make sure you put the filter on correctly (I made that mistake my first time doing an oil change, luckily turned the engine off before it seized).
And have a spill kit or kitty litter on hand just in case
Filter choice is very important as well. Buy OEM or do some research and determine who the manufacturer of the OEM filter is and buy it from them (usually at a significant discount). In my case for my daily driver (VW Golf) I buy MANN filters from whatever online retailer that has the best price because they supply the OEM filter for VW and it is significantly cheaper. This also applies to the majority of replacement parts. As long as the oil your buying meets or exceeds the OEM specifications for your vehicle then it will work perfectly fine. Lots of manufacturers these days are recommending very large oil change intervals (too long in my opinion/experience) simply to improve their ratings when it comes to overall cost of ownership and waste petroleum over the lifetime of the vehicle. Modern cars are especially sensitive when it comes to oil contamination & oil that has broken down and does not provide sufficient lubrication because engine clearances are very tight & cam phasers/timing chain tensioners, valve actuators, etc.. are oil driven and easily clog from dirty oil and can lead to very expensive repairs in the future. The amount of premature timing component & valvetrain failure/damage is significantly higher on cars that are regularly equipped with poor quality filters and oil from “quick lube” style oil change shops and stick to the 10k mile intervals in my experience as a veteran automotive technician. Not to mention how many times I have received cars they have destroyed oil filter housings, oil pans, undertrays, etc.. on. They are undertrained, under-equipped, rushed & using bottom of the barrel parts. Doing your own oil changes if you are capable or finding a reputable independent shop is the way to go. Additionally many of these modern cars burn quite a bit of oil by design and many people do not regularly check their oil and go well past the oil change reminder or indicator on their dashboard/instrument cluster which means by the time they get it changed they have been running it 1-2 quarts or more low for weeks or even months. Just remember oil is cheaper than expensive trips to the dealer/mechanic or even worse engine replacement because you were too lazy or wanted to save a few bucks. I always recommend 5K intervals for most vehicles and 3k at most for those running ethanol which dilutes fuel very quickly. Also don’t forget a new crush washer and/or drain plug as in most cases they have been re-used multiple times and will seep if not replaced. Good luck 👍🏼.
What car? If it’s the right weight for your car, you’re fine. If it’s not, it may be too thin, and cause some oil leaking or burning. Often higher km cars can benefit a bit from thicker oil, but as said, if it’s the right weight, it’s perfectly fine.
But, royal purple is fine. Bit much for most use cases. I’d argue there’s equally good oils for less money, but it’s still a decent oil from my understanding.
And you got a filter too, so you’re doing well there.
I’m assuming you have one, but make sure you have an oil pan, so you can catch the oil. Maybe also try to find an old oil container somewhere, so you can put the old oil in, and drop it at some place that recycles or disposes of it. Then you can keep the remaining from your new bottle as a top up, should you need it. Oil in non oil containers leads to puddles on the ground. Thought I could get away with a coolant bottle once, but nop. Big oil stain in the garage now lmao
Depends what type of oil is recommended for your engine, if the previous oil was 5W20, it’s fine, if it was for example 10W40, you most likely shouldn’t pour 5W20 into it