Your car, your responsibility
We all take responsibility for the food and drink we put in our bodies, but a new study has shown that motorists shy away from taking charge of which oil goes into their car’s engine.
Comprehensive new research of 1,000 UK drivers conducted on behalf of Mobil 1 has revealed that a worrying 96% say they either don’t care which oil is used in their car or simply go with what a mechanic recommends. More worrying still, even if they did care about this, 65% of respondents said they wouldn’t know which oil viscosity grade was recommended by their vehicle’s manufacturer anyway. An even larger percentage (69%) were ignorant as to which brand is recommended by their car’s maker.
Choosing the right engine oil for your vehicle is vital in terms of the level of protection on offer. Conventional oil is simply refined crude oil. Synthetic oil, however, is not only refined, but it is also distilled and purified. This helps to provide better protection against wear, high heat, cold weather and sludge build-up. Ultimately, this process helps your car’s engine run better for longer.
Tim Shallcross, Head of Technical Policy at the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), said: “Engine oil works in the harshest of conditions. It must keep lubricating, cooling and cleaning your engine while being constantly hammered by huge pressures and exposed to temperatures ranging from the sub zero of a midwinter cold start to the searing heat of the combustion chamber. Manufacturers know the demands placed on the oil and that is why they are so specific in the grade and quality they recommend.”
Further, the research conducted as part of the Mobil 1 survey found that more than a third of drivers (36.2%) have no knowledge of the difference between mineral and synthetic engine oils.
Throughout its 40-year history, Mobil 1 has been at the forefront of synthetic automotive lubrication innovation. Constantly developed to exceed industry standards, Mobil 1 is the world leader in the field of synthetic motor oil with an outstanding heritage. Furthermore, two out of three UK consumers experienced fuel economy benefits when using Mobil 1 as their preferred engine oil.Using advanced Mobil 1 can increase the life expectancy of your engine which means you’re protecting your investment.
Tim Shallcross, Head of Technical Policy at the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), added: “Responsible owners must take an active role in their vehicle’s health and wellbeing by using the right components to keep the vehicle running safely, cleanly and smoothly, and oil is one of the most important components to get right. The wrong grade or specification can increase engine wear dramatically, risking expensive breakdowns as well as affecting the car’s value.”
Commenting on the study’s findings, Dan McGoldrick, Field Marketing UK, Nordic and Benelux for ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants, makers of Mobil 1 said: “You don’t need any expert automotive knowledge to get involved with deciding what engine oil should be used. Do a little research, talk to your mechanic and express a preference. It’s your car and your money, and using the right engine oil will make both go further.”
Knowing what engine oil your car needs is a vital part of that decision-making process. The Mobil website mobil1.co.uk has a helpful ‘oil selector tool’ for motorists. From the homepage click on ‘car engine oils’, then ‘which oil for my car’ to access the search function where users simply need to input their vehicle registration number in order to discover which oil to use.
Back in 1974 when Mobil 1 was launched, it was the first widely available automotive synthetic lubricant on the market. Today there are other synthetic products, but Mobil 1 is still acknowledged to be the most advanced.