GM's Dexos Additive and Recommendations

Busterbrown

Original poster
Member
Dec 4, 2011
253
I recently changed oil on my 11 Buick Regal and noticed that Dexos1 was the recommended product to use. Partnerships in the US are limited to full synthetic higher end brands such as Mobil1 and Pennzoil. GM's publication on the use of Dexos claims to offer advantages in fuel efficiency, emissions longevity, and oil change intervals. Is it malarkey or another scientifically proven breakthrough component in motor oil? Just curious to see what members think? A 'do-it-yourself" $50 oil change on a naturally aspirated 4 cylinder powerplant seems excessive...

GM dexos information center
 

Wooluf1952

Member
Nov 20, 2011
2,663
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
$50 does seem high.

How many quarts does the Regal take for a change?
 

Busterbrown

Original poster
Member
Dec 4, 2011
253
Wooluf1952 said:
$50 does seem high.

How many quarts does the Regal take for a change?

The filter is $10 plus the nearly $7 / quart of synthetic gold. The 2.4 liter ecotec uses 5. So, I'm looking at a $45-50 change when using an acdelco filter with mobil1 oil. I'd love to see the performance metrics.
 

Mark20

Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
Dexos is a marketing program in addition to a specification. GM requires oils to meet the specification but they cannot force you to buy dexos labeled oils. Many well known oil manufacturers have decided NOT to sign up and pay for the dexos label. Amsoil is one I think Shell is another. While they cannot display the dexos logo on the bottle front they can state they meet the dexos spec on the back. I know for a fact all proper grades of Amsoil state they meet dexos plus other applicable manufacturers specs on the bottle back.
 

Simon01

Member
Dec 5, 2011
116
:iagree:

GM is trying to keep customers coming back to the dealers. The only time they would probably check to see if you used dexos would be if they thought an engine failure was due to lack of maintenance.
 

Busterbrown

Original poster
Member
Dec 4, 2011
253
Mark20 said:
Dexos is a marketing program in addition to a specification. GM requires oils to meet the specification but they cannot force you to buy dexos labeled oils. Many well known oil manufacturers have decided NOT to sign up and pay for the dexos label. Amsoil is one I think Shell is another. While they cannot display the dexos logo on the bottle front they can state they meet the dexos spec on the back. I know for a fact all proper grades of Amsoil state they meet dexos plus other applicable manufacturers specs on the bottle back.

Thanks for the input. Honestly sounds like GM is fermenting another revenue stream.
 
Busterbrown said:
Thanks for the input. Honestly sounds like GM is fermenting another revenue stream.

XLF 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil (10k oil change)

API SN (Resource Conserving), SM...; ILSAC GF-5,
GF-4...; ACEA A1/B1; Ford WSS-M2C946-A, WSS-M2C929-A,
Chrysler MS-6395; GM dexos1TM (supersedes LL-A-025, 6094M
and 4718M). Fortified with detergents that exceed dexos1™ sufated ash specifications.

5W-30 (OEF) (3k oil change)

API SN (Resource Conserving), SM...
ILSAC GF-5, GF-4...
Ford WSS-M2C946-A, WSS-M2C929-A
Chrysler MS-6395
GM dexos1TM (supersedes LL-A-025, 6094M and 4718M)
Fortified with detergents that exceed dexos1™ sulfated ash specifications.

5W-30 (ASL): (25k oil change)

API SN (Resource Conserving), SM…; ILSAC GF-5, GF-4…; ACEA A5/B5, A1/B1; Ford WSS-M2C946-A, WSS-M2C929-A; Chrysler MS-6395; GM dexos1™ (supersedes LL-A-025, 6094M and 4718M) Fortified with detergents that exceed dexos1™ sulfated ash specifications.

What Mark20 said was correct, although they cant/wont put it on the bottle all 3 blends of AMSOIL exceeds dexos1 specifications.

Steve
 

Mark20

Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
Simon01 said:
:iagree:

GM is trying to keep customers coming back to the dealers. The only time they would probably check to see if you used dexos would be if they thought an engine failure was due to lack of maintenance.


If you read the section on oil in recent GM manuals you will find they give an out to using dexos oil. It is not required only recommended for later generation GM vehicles.

BTW I think one part of the dexos spec is air entrainment in the oil particularly for the active fuel management system.
 

MAY03LT

Member
Nov 18, 2011
3,412
Delmarva
Steve A said:
although they cant/wont put it on the bottle all 3 blends of AMSOIL exceeds dexos1 specifications.

Good to know, thanks!

Mark20 said:
If you read the section on oil in recent GM manuals you will find they give an out to using dexos oil. It is not required only recommended for later generation GM vehicles.

Do you have a link to any of that stuff? The GM dealer that my work deals with said that using dexos was important for if/when a warranty issue may come up. We've been using mobil1 in them.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
I bought 5 quarts of mobil 1 + mobil 1 filter from Autozone on their oil change special recently, and it is Dexos certified or whatever. Cost me about 32 bucks I believe. Of course the Trailblazer requires 7 qt so add two more quarts to that but still it isn't that much. Pricing is in line with what I've come to expect from buying mobil 1 in the past. I've been using mobil 1 in my vehicles for a few years now (always buying it on special hehe).

I lost an engine in my old car from oiling issues, not sure how much was caused by abuse by the previous owner and how much was from me using cheap dino oil, but I figured $15 more an oil change that gets me better lubrication and protection is worth it.
 

Wooluf1952

Member
Nov 20, 2011
2,663
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MAY03LT said:
Do you have a link to any of that stuff? The GM dealer that my work deals with said that using dexos was important for if/when a warranty issue may come up. We've been using mobil1 in them.

I may be wrong, but you only needs to use oil that meets the specs in your owners manual.

The Dexos may be a better oil, but not necessary for warranty work if it's not specified in the owners manual.

I think the first model year this is required for is 2011.
 

Mark20

Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
From my 2011 Silverado owners manual

"Use of Substitute Engine Oils if dexos is unavailable: In the event that dexos‐approved engine oil is not available at an oil change or for maintaining proper oil level, you may use substitute engine oil displaying the API Starburst symbol and of SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade. Use of oils that do not meet the dexos specification, however, may result in reduced performance under
certain circumstances."

And:

“The FTC’s statement should help those ILMA members, for example, who have decided not to license General Motors’ dexos™ engine oil,” said ILMA counsel Jeff Leiter. “Some ILMA members have complained to me that the automaker has made confusing statements about its new engine oil and warranty coverage for new vehicles. It makes sense to hand a customer a copy of the FTC consumer alert, showing that the use of equivalent products should not affect warranty coverage.”

The FTC consumer alert can be viewed at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consume ... lt192.shtm.

And here is the back of an Amsoil XL bottle:
View attachment 20763
 

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Busterbrown

Original poster
Member
Dec 4, 2011
253
Mark20 said:
From my 2011 Silverado owners manual
"Use of Substitute Engine Oils if dexos is unavailable: In the event that dexos‐approved engine oil is not available at an oil change or for maintaining proper oil level, you may use substitute engine oil displaying the API Starburst symbol and of SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade. Use of oils that do not meet the dexos specification, however, may result in reduced performance under certain circumstances."

My Regal's manual states the same. Reduced performance under WHAT circumstances??? Is this the technical editor's take on GM's Dexos claims?
 

MAY03LT

Member
Nov 18, 2011
3,412
Delmarva
Sparky said:
Pricing is in line with what I've come to expect from buying mobil 1 in the past.

The problem that I have ran into is when John Q. Peckerhead trades his 84 Jalopie in for a 2011 Traverse and the $33.00 oil/filter change that he was used to is now double that.:ugh:

Wooluf1952 said:
I may be wrong, but you only needs to use oil that meets the specs in your owners manual.

The Dexos may be a better oil, but not necessary for warranty work if it's not specified in the owners manual.

I think the first model year this is required for is 2011.

Yep 2011 is where I'm seeing it being called for. I never looked in the owners manual but I will next time.:cool:

Mark20 said:
“The FTC’s statement should help those ILMA members, for example, who have decided not to license General Motors’ dexos™ engine oil,” said ILMA counsel Jeff Leiter. “Some ILMA members have complained to me that the automaker has made confusing statements about its new engine oil and warranty coverage for new vehicles. It makes sense to hand a customer a copy of the FTC consumer alert, showing that the use of equivalent products should not affect warranty coverage.”

The FTC consumer alert can be viewed at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consume ... lt192.shtm.

Thanks for the info! The link is botched, any chance that you can repost it?
 

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