Halfords Oil Would anyone recommend it?

SIX PACK

Hi i want to change the oil in my ford focus & i see halfords have a discount on their own brand oil so should i get that or buy decent Castrol or Formula1 oil!!! advice please

johncm

SIX PACK wrote: »

Hi i want to change the oil in my ford focus & i see halfords have a discount on their own brand oil so should i get that or buy decent Castrol or Formula1 oil!!! advice please

once it meets all the manufactures required specifications i can't see why not.

JHMEG

I wouldn't and don't buy Halfords oil. The manufacturer's own brand oil is cheaper.

Neilw

Go to a real motor factors such as consort and get your oil for far less. AFAIK the focus uses 5w30 semi synthetic, last 5litres cost me 20euro from consort.

DJ Hafez

The Halfords oil is fine. Made by Exxon if i remember right so if you buy from any Esso petrol station you're getting the same oil.

colm_mcm

I got used it for the last 4 services and my car still works.

macplaxton

johncm wrote: »

once it meets all the manufactures required specifications i can't see why not.

+1, but do shop around and compare specifications like with like.

Seweryn

SIX PACK wrote: »

Hi i want to change the oil in my ford focus & i see halfords have a discount on their own brand oil so should i get that or buy decent Castrol or Formula1 oil!!! advice please

I use these oils in my cars and found them OK. Good oil pressure, easy engine start, engines are clean, no sludge, running fine.

Raiser

Seweryn wrote: »

I use these oils in my cars and found them OK. Good oil pressure, easy engine start, engines are clean, no sludge, running fine.

Checked the Site but doesn't seem to show this promo?

- Is there much choice, what grades and what are the prices like? Is it worth a visit and a bulk buy?

Bought 15 litres of Lidl Oil there about 2 weeks ago for €45 - Didn't have any tips beforehand but know that thems Germans expect quality and don't put up with shíte products.

mondeo

I spent so much money this month i'm probably going to be using halfords oil when i change my oil next week haha....i'm sure it's fine

SIX PACK

I have a few freinds who have Subaru's Silvias & other Jap imports & they all say Halfords oil is dirt meaning it just burns away too fast & is over priced like a lot of the stuff they sell... Very suprised all the positive feedback i got.
I take it not many Mechanics seen this thread Lol:)

Nonoperational

SIX PACK wrote: »

I have a few freinds who have Subaru's Silvias & other Jap imports & they all say Halfords oil is dirt meaning it just burns away too fast & is over priced like a lot of the stuff they sell... Very suprised all the positive feedback i got.
I take it not many Mechanics seen this thread Lol:)

Rubbish. I know at least 2 mechanics that use it on their own cars. As for "burning away" thats just complete nonsense.

Seweryn

SIX PACK wrote: »

I have a few freinds who have Subaru's Silvias & other Jap imports & they all say Halfords oil is dirt meaning it just burns away too fast...

That's not true. First time I hear that kid of opinion...
I was changing the engine oil in my 17-year old Benz (over 320k km on the clock / 200k miles) and I especially went over the initial service interval by 2-3k miles just to check if the engine is burning any oil and she was driven on Halfords 5W40 Fully Synthetic Diesel oil. I didn't need to top up any drop of that oil between the services. Well, there was some drop on the dipstick, but before the draining the level was about half way between min and max. So the above opinion is not right.

Matt Simis

It may be fine, but its not the best. And why not put the best you can find in for the few Euro you may be saving? Sometimes Halfords themselves have offers on brand name (Castrol etc) oil that makes them more competitive than most Motor Factors.

colm_mcm

You're often talking €50-60 for premium oils. I paid €22 for synthetic oil for mine in Halfords. It's not as if there's a small price gap.
I wouldn't think that any oil that is any way close to Halfords oil in price is any better. Fair enough if you spend big money you'll get better oil - but don't assume that it's bad just because it's cheaper.

I ran 2 high revving Mitsubishi FTO MIVEC's on it and neither of them burnt oil. Both engines ran quietly and never I had any issues. I also use Halfords oil and filters on all the other family cars and haven't heard anything bad back.

Raiser

colm_mcm wrote: »

You're often talking €50-60 for premium oils. I paid €22 for synthetic oil for mine in Halfords. It's not as if there's a small price gap.
I wouldn't think that any oil that is any way close to Halfords oil in price is any better. Fair enough if you spend big money you'll get better oil - but don't assume that it's bad just because it's cheaper.

I ran 2 high revving Mitsubishi FTO MIVEC's on it and neither of them burnt oil. Both engines ran quietly and never I had any issues. I also use Halfords oil and filters on all the other family cars and haven't heard anything bad back.

The interesting thing about marketing is that its factored into the products final market place price. This means that if you pay €60 for oil you are in way funding your own indulgences for crafty sales gimmicks, slick presentation and more fanciful promises than you can wave a gear-stick at.

Buy oil that meets its stated quality criteria/specs and dispose of it properly before it has degraded to the extent that your engine is not getting sufficient lubrication. This oil is a relatively short term consumable so is ideally cheap and regularly binned......

galwaytt

Matt Simis wrote: »

It may be fine, but its not the best. And why not put the best you can find in for the few Euro you may be saving? Sometimes Halfords themselves have offers on brand name (Castrol etc) oil that makes them more competitive than most Motor Factors.

Given that Halford's don't own any oil wells, and buy it from one of the Major's anyway, you're still getting the same product. This is also true of any motor manufacturer's own-brand oil - BMW included - it's Castrol.

deaglan169

i use vauxhall fully synth oil 5w40 i buy from a motor factors in fermanagh sets me back about €26 for 5 litres have used it on past 2 services and was fine not sure who makes it heard its duckhams but not sure, my car is a seat leon and no matter what brand oil i use it burns it like no mans business but it states in manual can burn up to 1l per 1000 miles

colm_mcm

They left that bit out of the brochure

JHMEG

galwaytt wrote: »

This is also true of any motor manufacturer's own-brand oil - BMW included - it's Castrol.

Are you sure of that? There's a myth floating about here and the internet in general that BMW's oil is Castrol SLX, which seems to have come from the fact that the Castrol meets the BMW spec, but do several other oils.

galwaytt

JHMEG wrote: »

Are you sure of that? There's a myth floating about here and the internet in general that BMW's oil is Castrol SLX, which seems to have come from the fact that the Castrol meets the BMW spec, but do several other oils.

...yes, many oils do, and they're fine. The only 'tie' between Castrol and BMW is financial - Castrol are their F1 sponsors, no doubt as result of the OEM contract for the production line.......or vice-versa, take your pick.

The used to have Mobil as their OEM supplier, but they just cut a better deal with Castrol when the OEM contract came up. It's all about the money.

Same applies to tyres. They sign a contract for, say.......100k tyres. Tenders come in, best one of the (suitable) tyres wins. Only when the next contract is up to you get another bite. This is why you'll see Michelin one minute, Pirelli the next etc, on new cars........

JHMEG

From the horse's mouth:
http://www.castrol.com/castrol/genericarticle.do?categoryId=82915222&contentId=6009003

blahblah06

Don't forget 15% off halfords if you have axa insurance or know someone who will lend u there disc ha

Matt Simis

galwaytt wrote: »

Given that Halford's don't own any oil wells, and buy it from one of the Major's anyway, you're still getting the same product. This is also true of any motor manufacturer's own-brand oil - BMW included - it's Castrol.

And here is where I stop following the Halfords is "just as good" logic. Yes, Halford OEM their Oil from someone, but the "same brand" is not the same as the "same product".

Even within the within Mobil and Castrol's own lineups there are huge variances in product, to make the leap that the generic meets min spec Oil is the exact same as the premium oil is wishful thinking. The BMW branded Castol oil meets BMW Specs, the Castrol branded Castrol oil is free to exceed it whereever they want.

bladespin

SIX PACK wrote: »

I have a few freinds who have Subaru's Silvias & other Jap imports & they all say Halfords oil is dirt meaning it just burns away too fast & is over priced like a lot of the stuff they sell... Very suprised all the positive feedback i got.
I take it not many Mechanics seen this thread Lol:)

If your friends 'performance cars' are burning oil they should be worrying about their engines, not the oil in them.

Oil is oil, use the ratings your manufacturer provides and it will work fine, these oils have been tested to meet mercedes' (and others) standards.

galwaytt

Matt Simis wrote: »

And here is where I stop following the Halfords is "just as good" logic. Yes, Halford OEM their Oil from someone, but the "same brand" is not the same as the "same product".

Even within the within Mobil and Castrol's own lineups there are huge variances in product, to make the leap that the generic meets min spec Oil is the exact same as the premium oil is wishful thinking. The BMW branded Castol oil meets BMW Specs, the Castrol branded Castrol oil is free to exceed it whereever they want.

Absolutely, but exceeding the spec is only a subjective thing. The only definitive metric, is the actual spec. Once the oil meets the minimum standards required by the engine manufacturer (which isn't always the car manufacturer, remember....), then it will work perfectly fine. It meets the requirements for performance laid down.

However, an oil that has additional properties (or 'benefits' as they might say in marketing terms...) doesn't do anything for your engine that omitting it would make it unsuitable.......if you get me...... More expensive, 99% of the time, yes, but the base oil product, and the technical spec's of it for the nominated engine, are unchanged.

It's akin to RON values for petrol. There is no (that I'm aware of) petrol on the Irish market that is bad for your car, but there is some that has 'benefits'.

ianobrien

bladespin wrote: »

If your friends 'performance cars' are burning oil they should be worrying about their engines, not the oil in them.

Oil is oil, use the ratings your manufacturer provides and it will work fine, these oils have been tested to meet mercedes' (and others) standards.

I wouldn't agree there. The engines just may be "heavy breathers", especially performance/tuned ones, and some Turbo engines use oil (YB Cosworth for example).

The problem is that Mr SixPack's Friends don't understand that some engines just use oil, and other's don't.

Personally, I've never used Halford oils (I've used Castrol in all my engines), but if it meets the specification, use it away.

Matt Simis

galwaytt wrote: »

Absolutely, but exceeding the spec is only a subjective thing. The only definitive metric, is the actual spec. Once the oil meets the minimum standards required by the engine manufacturer (which isn't always the car manufacturer, remember....), then it will work perfectly fine. It meets the requirements for performance laid down.

However, an oil that has additional properties (or 'benefits' as they might say in marketing terms...) doesn't do anything for your engine that omitting it would make it unsuitable.......if you get me...... More expensive, 99% of the time, yes, but the base oil product, and the technical spec's of it for the nominated engine, are unchanged.

A fair point. But.. personally I like to research the oil (among other parts I put in the car) online and via forums. Mobil 1 for instance is an evolving premium oil with lots of historical data available as well as a major Oil company behind it. I just dont think Id get far going back to Halfords and questioning issues I had with their own brand product on a 17year old V12 BMW. Its not.. their forte shall we say.

colm_mcm

the majority of us aren't running V12's though.

Voodoomelon

I was talking to a mechanic the other night about motor oils, and he laughed at me for using Mobil 1 and Castrol EDGE etc.

He was chatting to a chap during the week who works for a very large UK & Ireland chain like Kwik Fit that as he said "will remain nameless". He asked him what kind of oils they use for the different cars that roll through the door for servicing.

He says they get the oil delivered in 1000 litre drums, and no matter what kind of car rolls in the door, whether it be a 1l Micra or a 6 litre V12 S-class, they'll stick in the exact same oil, whatever it happens to be in the drum. He said its no out of laziness or mis-information, its down to the fact that "oil is oil".

The mechanic I was talking to also has a son who races Fiats. They got new engines in which come sealed from the factory and they aren't allowed touch a single thing, not even plugs, the only thing that has to be added is oil and coolant. The son rang up the engine manufacturer about the new engines and asked them what oil to use, they replied "whatever oil you have lying about".
The same chaps use whatever oil is available in 20 litre drums, whether it be Fuch, Elf etc etc, it changes all the time, whatever is cheapest at the time. This is on modern 220bhp naturally aspirated engines.

There is of course a difference between synthetics and non synthetics, but it makes you wonder if one set of additives in a synthetic is worth €10 more a litre than another. Having said that i'll stick to the leading brands, but it I can't help but feel a large amount of it is marketing. There are only so many oil factories out there and there is A LOT of oil brands...

galwaytt

Matt Simis wrote: »

A fair point. But.. personally I like to research the oil (among other parts I put in the car) online and via forums. Mobil 1 for instance is an evolving premium oil with lots of historical data available as well as a major Oil company behind it. I just dont think Id get far going back to Halfords and questioning issues I had with their own brand product on a 17year old V12 BMW. Its not.. their forte shall we say.

LOL, but the only advice that matters is the spec on the side of the can......if BMW call for LLxx, and that's what's on there, and it's backed up by paperwork if queried, then you're more than covered. No-one on the intrawobblynet will cover you if you come back because their advice cause your Panzer to fubar,either........

And another thing: it is not inaccurate to say that modern oils are better than older oils. This is why, on the example you quote, a 17yr old car, that the specs have moved on so much, that even 'mundane' cars now use oils that were only dreamt of 17 years ago. That's just one reason not to get too hung up about it. There is no oil now that's actually 'worse' than 17 yrs ago.

Indeed some cars do 'use' oil, full stop. 911's are a case in point.

Gers_punto

halfords oil is made my comma oils...

every car is catered for and they now stock the car specific oils,,audi, bmw, for etc etc

all this talk about it being **** oiil is nonsense

Raiser

Gers_punto wrote: »

halfords oil is made my comma oils...

every car is catered for and they now stock the car specific oils,,audi, bmw, for etc etc

all this talk about it being **** oiil is nonsense

I put Mitsubishi oil into my Honda the other day and it turned into a 1L VW Polo.

- There is a lot of empty-promise-marketing hanging off the those attractively packaged, ultra modern styled 5L containers & to be honest I'm sure that paying over the odds for the €50-€60 ones won't do your engine any harm :P

JHMEG

Raiser wrote: »

I put Mitsubishi oil into my Honda the other day and it turned into a 1L VW Polo.

- There is a lot of empty-promise-marketing hanging off the those attractively packaged, ultra modern styled 5L containers & to be honest I'm sure that paying over the odds for the €50-€60 ones won't do your engine any harm :P

LOL!

Nonoperational

Ah in fairness saying "oil is just oil" is going too far.

Voodoomelon

Voodoomelon wrote: »

He says they get the oil delivered in 1000 litre drums, and no matter what kind of car rolls in the door, whether it be a 1l Micra or a 6 litre V12 S-class, they'll stick in the exact same oil, whatever it happens to be in the drum. He said its no out of laziness or mis-information, its down to the fact that "oil is oil".

...

That's quite amusing and no doubt true, many folks in the trade maintain that Quickfit, Advance etc are staffed by incompetent muppets. At times I tend to agree. As there is no way they are putting oil meeting tough specs (as required by many modern Fords, VW etc) into older cars that only need 10w40 I can only presume they are putting the cheaper oil into the cars that require a better spec. It's no wonder you hear of so many cars with full service histories give engine trouble, the 150bhp Gold diesel engine is particularly vulnerable if not given the correct oil at the recommended frequency.

I worked in a factors years ago, back in 1999 a local chap who worked in a fairly poor panel beaters / spray painters came in for a service kit for a 1999 Mazda 323. He picked up a gallon of Duckhams 20 50 mineral oil, I mentioned to him that the 323 should get semi syn, he laughed and said oil is oil and the cheapest is fine. Apparently Duckhams developed their 20 50 mineral oil when Austins began using a drop after a few years.

In fairness, most reputable garages have a drum of each popular oil and buy whatever else they may require in gallons as and when they need it.

I have used Halfords oil in loads of cars, it is good value when on offer. I was in there earlier this week and got a 5L drum of 15 40 semi syn for €16.40 and two 5L drums of 10 40 semi syn for €17.24 each, great value. I only leave oil in cars for 12 months maximum, that would be on cars that do low miles, on cars that do higher miles I change it every 6000 miles.

SIX PACK

I was getting my car serviced today with a mechanic who's dealing with Engine Reconditioning Oil Changing etc for 20yrs + & he only uses Castrol,Carlube, Mobil 1,
Anything else would be just for an emergency, He also said over priced Halfords Oil in a Engine over 10 yrs will just burn faster especially my Subaru,

bladespin

SIX PACK wrote: »

I was getting my car serviced today with a mechanic who's dealing with Engine Reconditioning Oil Changing etc for 20yrs + & he only uses Castrol,Carlube, Mobil 1,
Anything else would be just for an emergency, He also said over priced Halfords Oil in a Engine over 10 yrs will just burn faster especially my Subaru,

Mobil 1, how long did you say this guy's been servicing cars???

Basil Fawlty

Voodoomelon wrote: »

He says they get the oil delivered in 1000 litre drums, and no matter what kind of car rolls in the door, whether it be a 1l Micra or a 6 litre V12 S-class, they'll stick in the exact same oil, whatever it happens to be in the drum. He said its no out of laziness or mis-information, its down to the fact that "oil is oil".

You gotta be kidding me. All modern cars use specific oils set to meet certain standards set by the manufacturer. You cant just go throwing Semi-synthetic oil into modern diesel engines. Engine design has moved on light years in the last 10 years. Previous to that semi-synth would have been common place but not now. Modern VW Diesel engines will eat camshafts with the wrong oil.

Its true that you can put any oil you want into an engine, but you'll never know what damage it will do till its too late. After all oil is cheaper than a new engine!

Nothing wrong with most common brands of oil as long as it meets the manufacturers spec eg: VW 507.00 , BMW Longlife 04 et

ciarancapri

ciarancapri wrote: »

You gotta be kidding me. All modern cars use specific oils set to meet certain standards set by the manufacturer. You cant just go throwing Semi-synthetic oil into modern diesel engines. Engine design has moved on light years in the last 10 years.

I reckon he is far from kidding, doesn't surprise me at all, cut costs and f the customer :rolleyes:

SIX PACK wrote: »

He also said over priced Halfords Oil in a Engine over 10 yrs will just burn faster especially my Subaru,

He sounds a real genius :pac:

Voodoomelon

Any good oil deals at the moment? I'll be looking for Castrol 0w30 in the next few weeks.