2019 test2 productsEngine Oil & Fluids
Which Motor Oil Brand Wins?
We compared 2 motor oil options head to head. Schaeffer's Supreme 9000 came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Winner
Schaeffer's Supreme 9000
Price shown in test: $13.87 per quart
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Runner-up
Mobil 1 Annual Protection
Price shown in test: $10.48 per quart
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | Spec claims | Lubricity test, bearing wear and film strength, 10 minutes | Cold flow test, new oil, -15 F for 24 hours | Evaporative loss test, oil heated on a griddle to about 375 to 400 F for 2 hours | Post-heat four-way cold flow race, -15 F for another 24 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Schaeffer's Supreme 9000$13.87 per quart | 5W-30 full synthetic engine oil for gasoline engines, exceeds API SN classification, ILSAC GF-5 and GM dexos1 compliant, exceeds OEM specs for GM, Chrysler, Toyota, and Honda plus other brands, friction modified with Micron Moly and Penetro, claims strong protection against wear, scuffing, and abrasion, resists thinning in higher temperatures, quick lubrication in cold | no specific weight or wear scar numbers were narrated, presenter states both oils did extremely well but the victory goes to Schaeffer's | first to reach the end of the oil slide, winning over Mobil 1 by less than half an inch | started at 417 grams, ended at 414.4 grams, a loss of 2.6 grams | new Schaeffer's finished first, cooked Schaeffer's finished second (just behind new Schaeffer's, beating the new Mobil 1 by less than half an inch); narration also describes the cooked Schaeffer's losing about two and a half grams during the evaporative loss test, which is close to but not identical to the 2.6 gram figure stated during that test, kept verbatim as a minor inconsistency rather than reconciled |
| 2Mobil 1 Annual Protection$10.48 per quart | ultimate full synthetic motor oil, licensed API SN resource conserving, ILSAC GF-5, GM dexos1, claims proven protection for one full year or 20,000 miles, recommends an extended performance oil filter and following the owner's manual maintenance schedule, recommends checking oil level frequently, if under warranty follow the vehicle's oil life sensor or the owner's manual interval, extended service not recommended in severe applications | no specific weight or wear scar numbers were narrated, presenter states both oils did extremely well but Schaeffer's won this test | reached the end of the oil slide just behind Schaeffer's, losing by less than half an inch, presenter calls it a very impressive performance by both | started at 407.14 grams, ended at 404.66 grams, a loss of 2.48 grams, won this test with less evaporative loss than Schaeffer's, though by a narrow margin | new Mobil 1 finished third, just behind cooked Schaeffer's, and just ahead of the cooked Mobil 1 which finished last |
How it was tested
- lubricity test on a test bearing, measuring weight loss and wear scar size, 10 minutes per oil
- cold flow race down an oil slide after 24 hours at -15 F
- evaporative loss test, oil heated on a griddle to about 375 to 400 F for 2 hours, weighed before and after
- post-heat four-way cold flow race comparing new oil versus heat-exposed (cooked) oil for both brands, after another 24 hours at -15 F
“however that can only be one oil that advances to the next level and that's clearly Schafer's”