Cheap Motor Oil Is Fine but You Should Pay Extra for the Good Stuff, Testing Shows

If you want to cheap out on engine oil, you can. But if you plan on keeping a car long-term, it's better to pay up.

Photo by: YouTube

By: Brian Silvestro

Jul 13, 2024 at 9:00am ET

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If you're like me, you're probably always stressing about what type of oil to put in your car. As much as I'd like my beaters to be running top-shelf oil, I can't always afford the best of the best. According to this latest test from the Project Farm YouTube channel, cheap oils are totally fine to run in your engine. But if you want long-lasting health and performance, you should spend a bit more.

The channel brought together six different brand-name motor oils ranging from $14 to $58 per jug to test their efficacy in a series of experiments. The host tests things like oil viscosity, the ability to withstand heat or cold, and wear from a simulated friction test. Project Farm also sent a sample of each oil to a lab to analyze things like the presence of detergents and anti-wear additives.

The results are fascinating. Every brand exhibits healthy levels of lubrication—not entirely surprising given these oils all adhere to SAE standards of quality. Where they differ most is how they perform in different temperatures, and what types of additives are present. The mid-priced Hot Shot's Blue Diamond oil outperformed every other oil when it came to cold-temperature testing, for example.

Where you'll find the biggest differences as price increases are the additives. The pricier the oil, the more additives are present. Detergents like Boron and Calcium and anti-wear materials like Phosphorus and Zinc are extremely helpful for long-lasting engine health. More stuff like that is present in the most expensive oils tested, while the cheapest oil, the Mobil Delvac, has the least additives.