Things To Know When Choosing Motor Oil For Your Fleet Vehicles

28 December 2015
 Categories: Automotive, Blog

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When buying motor oil for your fleet vehicles, the most important thing to do is go by the vehicle user manual recommendations. You can save money by knowing what is important and what is not when making your purchase. More expensive is not always best, but it's sometimes safer to pay a little more for quality.

Brand Name Vs. Generic Motor Oil

All oil sold in the U.S. must go through quality standards testing by the American Petroleum Institute. Each container of oil should have the API symbol next to a star. Also look for the letters "SM," which shows it is approved for today's modern engines. Specialty oils for older vehicles and classic cars will have the letters "SF" or some other designation. Any oil with these two logos meets the minimum requirements. Still, some mechanics will tell you to stick to name brands, because there is no guarantee that generic oils lubricate or stand up to heat and pressure as well.

Viscosity is The Most Important Element

The owner's manual will tell you what weight and viscosity of oil your vehicle should use in different seasons. Oil viscosity is represented by numbers such as 5W-30 or 10W-40. These numbers represent the thickness of the oil, with a 40-weight oil being thicker than a 30-weight oil. If you're using a synthetic oil, you may need a different viscosity than with a regular oil. A good rule of thumb is to buy the cheapest name-brand oil you can find with the correct viscosity. If you don't know which viscosity you need, your dealer or mechanic can work with you to ensure you make the right choice. 

Regular vs. Synthetic Oil

There is a myth that once you use synthetic oil, you must always use it. That is untrue, because many modern oils are a blend of regular and synthetic oils. As long as the viscosity is correct, you can mix synthetic and regular oil without damaging the engine. The only exception to this rule is if the manufacture requires only synthetic oil be used.

Maintaining a fleet of vehicles can be costly, and motor oil is one of the major expenses. Knowing what to look for in the way of branding, type and viscosity can save you money and also ensure that your engines stay in good operating order for a long time. Always work with a quality oil dealer (such as Gran-Del Petroleum Products) to ensure that he is looking out for your interests by providing you the best oil at the best price.