You know your car’s oil needs to be replaced, but which motor oil should you buy? Choosing the right product is challenging because there’s so much variety on the market. Understanding which oil is best for you is about understanding the specific needs of your vehicle.
Two of the best-known names are Pennzoil and Mobil 1. Each is the consumer-grade oil manufactured by two of the world’s biggest oil companies. Each has its own advantages.
This isn’t a question of which oil is better, but which is better for you. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of each to help you make an informed decision.
Is Pennzoil Better Than Mobil?
When judging which oil is better, keep it relative. Each brand will do something a bit better than the other. Since oil is so important for your car, it’s a good idea to know exactly what you’re putting into it.
Mobil 1 earned its reputation for top-shelf quality for years of dependable performance. Its oils are ranked among the highest quality. They’re also great for fuel economy.
Pennzoil is no slouch. Its oils also keep engines running well, but it is of slightly lower quality. This may result in a small change in performance, but it has the advantage of being meaningfully cheaper.
Can You Switch Mobil 1 to Pennzoil?
Whether you should switch oils is a question you should ask your mechanic. Your engine might need certain qualities available in only a select group of motor oils. Your mechanic can recommend oil brands and even specific oils to you.
One element to this is whether you should put only synthetic oils in your vehicle. This is more likely with today’s high-performance engines. Be sure to ask your mechanic if you need synthetic oil rather than conventional.
In general, you can switch between Mobil 1 and Pennzoil and not notice much. You’ll want to stick to the same blend – i.e. 5w30 – and find out if you need a synthetic oil or if conventional will work.
Is Mobil 1 Still the Best?
Mobil 1 remains one of the best oils available. It’s also the top seller in the world. There’s a good reason for that. Mobil 1 oils offer the highest quality in performance.
It is also among the most expensive oils available. You’re paying for its reputation and performance. Whether that makes it the best is a matter of opinion.
There are several major motor oil brands today. Most of them produce dependable motor oils that work fine. They might not work as great at Mobil 1, but they also cost less. You might get similar performance from an oil that is less expensive, which makes it a better buy.
Is Pennzoil High Quality?
Pennzoil provides high-quality, dependable oils. In particular, Pennzoil Platinum has a reputation as one of the best synthetic oils in the world. That makes it one of the best overall oils.
Pennzoil also costs a little bit less in most cases. While some of its oils don’t perform the same as other brands, it offers value. For something you’ll buy on a semi-regular basis, finding a good value is of critical importance.
Which Has Better Fuel Economy?
Mobil 1 oils break down slowly over time, which reduces friction. That will help improve fuel economy. They are known to provide a boost to the efficiency of your engine.
Pennzoil has an even more important advantage. It contains a substance that cleans your engine as you drive. The company says this can boost your fuel economy by 4.1 percent per year.
The reason this works is that as your vehicle ages, gunk builds up in the engine. Doing a lot of stop-and-go driving or going long intervals between oil changes makes it worse. That gunk makes your vehicle’s engine operate less efficiently.
Which Has Better Changing Interval?
The old days when you needed to get an oil change every 3,000 miles are dead and gone. Improvements in engine design mean that you can go much longer between oil changes. That will save money. So, which has longer change intervals between Mobil 1 and Pennzoil?
Pennzoil claims that if you use its synthetic oil you can drive 15,000 miles between oil changes. Mobil 1 says you can drive 10,000 miles between oil changes.
Which Protects the Engine Better?
Mobil 1 is designed to protect an engine, almost in an “at any price” sense. Compared to competing motor oils, it is slower to break down over time and in extreme conditions. That means it’ll offer longer-standing protection to Pennzoil.
A special additive to Mobil 1 oil allows it to completely coat components. That reduces friction, which is responsible for the greatest wear and tear in your vehicle.
Which Offers the Best Value for Price?
If you want Mobil 1’s superior engine protection, you’ll have to pay for it. It will keep your engine running smoother for longer, but you’ll pay for it. Mobil 1 oils are among the most expensive available today.
Pennzoil oils offer great performance but at a lower price. If you don’t need the bells and whistles that come with Mobil 1, Pennzoil offers great value.
When considering value, how an oil boosts fuel economy is important. Pennzoil is cheaper. The company also says that if you use its oil, it’ll improve your fuel economy by 4.1 percent. That will translate into fewer stops to top off your fuel tank.
Conclusion
Pennzoil and Mobil 1 are solid oils that protect your engine and boost fuel economy. You won’t go wrong picking either of them. But they each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Mobil 1 has superior performance. It does a better job at keeping your engine running clean and will lower your fuel use a little bit. Pennzoil is still a high-quality oil but has the advantage of being cheaper. If you’re on a budget, Pennzoil is a great choice.
If you learned something from this article, we’d love to hear about it in a comment. Feel free to share any insights that we overlooked. You can also share it on social media, where your friends and families might have the same questions.