Four Things to Consider in Choosing the Right Engine Oil for Your Car (Updated)

Engine oil

Choosing the right engine oil is essential for your car, and with so many available options on the market, choosing the right one is more confusing than ever. There’s more to choosing the right engine oil for your car than referring to what’s indicated in your car’s owner’s manual though. That's not to say what's indicated there is incorrect because you do have to follow the recommended viscosity level; it's just that there are other things to consider, and we'll break it down for you here.

Engine oil

1. Your Location

Where you live—and drive, for that matter—is important when choosing your motor oil. Do you drive where hot weather is the norm or the cold? Is the terrain there typically flat and paved or rough and uneven?

These types of conditions can strain your engine which, in turn, would use up its lubricant—the engine or motor oil—faster so you’d want to go with a synthetic motor oil since it has better viscosity performance at service temperature extremes and is less prone to breaking down and evaporating.

2. Your Driving Habits

How you drive your vehicle is also a factor when it comes to choosing the right engine oil for your car. Do you drive at a steady pace or do you have a lead foot and frequently do jackrabbit starts? Is your car used for short trips within the city or do you frequently travel out of town with the car loaded with stuff?

A fully synthetic motor oil warms quickly, which means it lubricates the engine faster during cold starts, and since it’s fully-refined, it doesn't have any minerals that could eventually foul up your engine.

3. Your Vehicle.

Finding out the right engine oil if you have a new car is easy since the information is readily available inside the owner’s manual. In some cases, it's even indicated on the engine's oil cap. Since your vehicle's engineers know what's best for your car by testing it extensively and subjecting to some intense research and development before putting it on sale, it's a no-brainer that you should know what's on the manual religiously.

If your car's on the old side though, then you have more leeway when it comes to choosing its engine oil. Of course, it's still recommended that you use the suggested viscosity level so do some research if you've acquired an old car that doesn't have its owner's manual anymore.

A fully-synthetic motor oil protects your engine from breaking down as it helps burn off and remove sludge buildup caused by old, conventional or even semi-synthetic lubricants.

4. Synthetic or Conventional Motor Oil?

Synthetic motor oil is typically a better option than using a conventional one, especially if you’re often driving under extreme conditions, like if it's either very hot or very cold or if you're often going at speed or mostly stuck in stop-and-go traffic. And while fully-synthetic motor oils typically cost twice as much as conventional lubricants, this is offset by the longer interval require between oil changes—from around 5,000 kilometers for mineral-based oils to over 10,000 kilometers for fully-synthetic motor oils.

Shell Helix Ultra

One such motor oil is Shell's Helix Ultra which provides Ultimate Engine Performance and Protection. Shell Helix Ultra delivers long-lasting engine performance and superior protection to engine stress and wear through extreme temperature performance as it protects engine parts up to 1,000-degrees Centigrade; superb engine cleanliness by protecting it from harmful deposits and build up; stronger for longer by providing up to 32 percent resistance from oil degradation and up to 50 percent from evaporation loss; and with Pureplus Technology, Shell Helix Ultra is 99.5 percent pure and is made from natural gas so it contains none of the impurities and weaknesses of crude oil.

What's even better with Shell Helix Ultra is that Shell is so confident about the Helix's Ultra’s capabilities that it has a Free Engine Warranty covering 15 major parts against lubricant-caused failures. On top of this, for added value and peace of mind, Shell is giving Free Roadside Assistance to Shell Helix Ultra users which can assist them for any emergency incidence on the road like towing or minor repairs from accidents, breakdowns, flat tires, battery boosting, emergency fuel delivery (except fuel cost) and sending of locksmith. These value-added services are in partnership with AXA Philippines.

Shell Helix Ultra is designed to protect car engines from the barriers that can hinder power and performance so that drivers can have the most enjoyable journey possible. Shell wants users of its Shell Helix Ultra engine oil to drive with great engine performance, passion, and a peace of mind so that they can DRIVE ON to their destinations uninterrupted.

To know more about engine warranty and roadside assistance, visit  share.shell.com/consumer/ph.

Updated on August 14, 2020 by Gail Alcabaza

Also Read

What Happens When You Put Too Much Engine Oil in Your Vehicle?

How To Check if Your Car's Engine has the Right Amount of Oil

Read All

Featured Articles

Recommended Articles For You

Read All

Featured Cars

  • Upcoming

Car Articles From Zigwheels

  • News
  • Article Feature
  • Advisory Stories
  • Road Test
  • Mitsubishi PH breaches 81K sales record for FY 2023
    Mitsubishi PH breaches 81K sales record for FY 2023
    Paulo Papa . Today
  • Imaeda takes over Mitsubishi PH
    Imaeda takes over Mitsubishi PH
    Paulo Papa . Today
  • Toyota PH rolls out promo for April
    Toyota PH rolls out promo for April
    Paulo Papa . Apr 24, 2024
  • Auto China 2024: Chery to unveil QPower architecture
    Auto China 2024: Chery to unveil QPower architecture
    Paulo Papa . Apr 24, 2024
  • Auto China 2024: brief explainer
    Auto China 2024: brief explainer
    Paulo Papa . Apr 24, 2024
  • Which is the better choice: Toyota Corolla Cross or Yaris Cross?
    Which is the better choice: Toyota Corolla Cross or Yaris Cross?
    Paulo Papa . Apr 22, 2024
  • Hard-hitting hybrids: Toyota Corolla Cross vs. Nissan Kicks e-Power
    Hard-hitting hybrids: Toyota Corolla Cross vs. Nissan Kicks e-Power
    Paulo Papa . Apr 22, 2024
  • Toyota Corolla Cross: Old vs. new
    Toyota Corolla Cross: Old vs. new
    Paulo Papa . Apr 17, 2024
  • Here are the new Toyota Corolla Cross variants
    Here are the new Toyota Corolla Cross variants
    Paulo Papa . Apr 17, 2024
  • MIAS 2024: Here’s what transpired on the first day of the annual auto expo
    MIAS 2024: Here’s what transpired on the first day of the annual auto expo
    Paulo Papa . Apr 06, 2024
  • Here are some ideal destinations and safety tips for the upcoming Holy Week
    Here are some ideal destinations and safety tips for the upcoming Holy Week
    Paulo Papa . Mar 08, 2024
  • Here are some New Year’s resolutions for car owners
    Here are some New Year’s resolutions for car owners
    Paulo Papa . Jan 03, 2024
  • PH auto market: 2023 in retrospect
    PH auto market: 2023 in retrospect
    Paulo Papa . Dec 15, 2023
  • Here’s a holiday gift guide for car enthusiasts
    Here’s a holiday gift guide for car enthusiasts
    Hazel Nicole Carreon . Dec 15, 2023
  • Oil players cut pump prices anew
    Oil players cut pump prices anew
    Paulo Papa . Nov 14, 2023
  • ELECTRIA: Toyota Zenix Q Hybrid is fit for modern families
    ELECTRIA: Toyota Zenix Q Hybrid is fit for modern families
    Ruben Manahan IV . Apr 02, 2024
  • First look: JMC Vigus
    First look: JMC Vigus
    Paulo Papa . Apr 01, 2024
  • First look: JMC Grand Avenue
    First look: JMC Grand Avenue
    Paulo Papa . Mar 27, 2024
  • Above average: Toyota Raize G
    Above average: Toyota Raize G
    Paulo Papa . Mar 22, 2024
  • BYD Atto 3: from the metro to the mountains
    BYD Atto 3: from the metro to the mountains
    Paulo Papa . Mar 18, 2024