High mileage car: special oil?

Question

Is it necessary for my 1998 Toyota Avalon (over 115,000 miles) to use special oil? If so, which one do you recommend that doesn't cost too much.

I'm having a hard time convincing my dad that thinks that any oil is fine. What facts should I tell him?

Thanks.

Answer 1

what ive found over the years is on a high milage engine it likes a ''thicker oil''....had and old renault 17ts which was high milage,i put in 10w 40 oil[recomended] and it knocked and rumbled...i took it out and put in a good quality multigrade oil [20w50] and it ran smooth as silk....

Answer 2

High Mileage Oil is great! I use it in every vehicle I currently own, a 1987 Toyota Celica GT4, an 89 Celica GTS and an 1993 Chrysler New Yorker 5th Ave.

The 5th Ave has 480,000 kms! on the original engine and it still runs great.

As engines get older, they wear out on the inside. Basically, where parts were once precise, they are more loose and sloppy and worn down. They 'play' between these parts breaks oil down faster, giving you less lubrication, more deposits, more damage to engine seals.. over less time. Meaning, more frequent oil changes.. and baby your car.. OR ELSE!

High Mileage Oil has seal conditioners that help maintain and even moderately repair damaged seals and additives that reduce deposits sitting around your engine. They improve cold starts, reduce oil consumption and reduce wear and tear on your engine components...

The math is simple...  an old engine does not function internally the same as a brand new one. One would be naive to think so. You must treat an older engine as such and give it products designed SPECIFICALLY to maintain it...

And get a high mileage filter too. They have gel additives that help maintain the viscosity of the oil...  giving it longer life and corrosion resitors as well...

Answer 3

Oil is not oil as homeboy there states.Go with high mileage.  

Answer 4

Oil is a lubricant. So, oil is oil.  Any oil is fine.  Fact is, you should study.  Your car is now 10 years old, beyond any warranty so as far as Toyota is concerned the sooner you buy a new one the happier they will be.(Same goes with every other auto manufacturer).   Oil slows down the wearing process of parts sliding past parts but all oils will allow wearing to happen.

  Heck, for a number of years when money was tight, I found out that bulk oil(at the garages - the ones where the service guy would run  up and say "Check the oil and fill the car sir",  they never would use the whole can of oil so the excess got put into a drum..that excess has consistency of 30W.    Fine.  My sports car was leaking it/burning it at the time and getting oil for 1/3 the price was just dandy.  Never hurt the car any.