Is it worth paying the extra for the Jaguar Spec Castrol brand oil, or will the aftermarket oils to the correct JLR spec be just as good? Over here, you can only get the castrol version in either 1L (expensive) or 200L containers!

 

As always it's up to you.
I do use an oil that meets the Jaguar spec but not Castrol.
The factory change interval was my big concern and I only let the car go 6K miles or so before I change oil and filter. I do my own work and figure it's the cheapest insurance I can do.
Here is my oil thread;
Mobil 1 0W-20 Oil

My opinion is this is the driving factor more than the brand of oil. We had a early poster named Bigg Will. He had a 2010 XFR he got new. He changed the oil every 3K miles using Walmart synthetic oil of the recommended viscosity. Note this oil DID NOT meet the Jaguar spec. Sold the car at 110K miles to move on to a different car. Zero problems including the tensioners!

I have a 2014 XJR with a VAP tune and pulley. Makes 540HP to the wheels on the dyno. Car now has 64K miles.
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Proper viscosity, oil change interval, and mechanical sympathy -not beating on the car before it's warmed up- mean more than anything else. I change my oil with the cheapest synthetic oil I can find every 6K miles (90% highway driving), and I don't care if it meets the "Jaguar spec" or not. I haven't seen a single cogent argument to use the published spec besides "Jaguar says so", and that's not good enough for me given the obvious conflict of interest. Car has 140K miles (50K of that with me) with zero issues, but that's anecdotal.

 

If you're an absolutist and must run JLR spec oil and can't find the Castrol, as I understand its rarer than hens teeth at this point, Liquid Moly makes a JLR spec oil that can be sent to your door. https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/jag...hle-lm20410kt2

Saying that, you can't really buy a "bad" oil these days. Adhering to a more normal sane change interval is going to be more important than having "JLR spec oil". Sticking to 5-6,000 mile intervals will do WAY more for the life of your engine than the brand of oil. Running 10-12,000 mile intervals is insane for today's 0W-20 (basically water) oils. As mentioned, driving habits help as well. Let her warm up before getting heavy footed, etc.

For what it's worth...

I ran the JLR spec LM oil for a couple of changes. I ended up going back to Amsoil Signature as the entire engine was just quieter running Amsoil. That's my experience and I'm sure someone will be along shortly to tell me how wrong I am for such a thing but...my engine likes it.

 

Pennzoil Platinum Ultra from Walmart is very affordable, available, and arguably compliant.
Just have it delivered.

 

I have used the 0W20 version of the above for 5 years without problems.

 

I think it's cheap insurance to adhere to the JLR spec. There are other brands beside Castrol that show the JLR spec: Mobil One, Motul, Liqui-Moly. I practice what the forum members recommend and change every 6K miles. This frequency of changes appears to be key to the life of the oil and consequently, the engine. A reason for using the spec oil that was convincing for me had to do with the additives for preventing coking of the oil. Oil is used to control a cam mechanism for timing and the concern was screwing that up with baked on deposits. The oil does lubrication and cooling, of course, but the spec oil is specifically designed for "cleaning abilities, not leave too much deposit, ability to clean after long term use." The long term use I don't care about but if keeps the oil from breaking down sooner so much the better. I purchase Castrol spec oil from a Land Rover outfit and have it shipped to me, Atlantic British Ltd. 800-533-2210.

 

I thought the “JLR Spec” had to do with a special dye in it or something for warranty claims. I also think you’re referring to the cam chain tensioners and their tiny pressure ports. The change was made from I think 5W-20 to 0W-20 to help initial start up pressure on the cam chain tensioners.

Baked on deposit and sludge come from long change intervals. I would argue that the JLR spec oil is probably lesser than today’s “performance” oils. Guys that are running around with insanely high boosted, tighter tolerances and much more severe running conditions these days than just a couple years ago and scattered motors don’t see to happen too often - unless you’re GM and a 6.2L.

Either way, the debate can and will go on for decades - long after we’re all motor oil.

But the consensus seems to me, irregardless of brand and spec, I think every agrees for these series motors…

0W-20
6,000 mile change intervals.

 

One thing I've also done is disabled the Eco start/stop. When you shut off your engine, the oil pressure drops. When it starts again, the oil pump has to re-pressurize the oil system, including the timing chain tensioners as well as replenish the oil film of every bearing in the engine. How many traffic lights do you pass through on your daily commute? By disabling the Eco start/stop I prevent unnecessary warm starts and wear on my starter motor.

 

thanks everyone for the responses. max 6k changes seem the way to go, and I'll keep to the JLR spec, but might not use the Castrol version. (I'm tempted to stay with Castrol for one more turn of the handle though). I agree with stop/start too. Good for emissions stats, bad for engines!

 

As I have stated many times before I have never used Castrol oil of any type let alone the special Castrol Unobtainium brew in either my 2010 XFR or 2014 F-Type and I have never had a single engine problem.
Instead I have used Penrite, Nulon or Valvoline which meets the JLR spec (and ILSAC GF-6A) in either 5W-20 then 0W-20, and at prices half or less than the Castrol brew. I also change the oil and filter every 2,000 or 3,000 km, in the last few years I am doing only some 2,000 km a year so I have reverted to 12 monthly oil changes instead of the six monthly changes I used to do.
Bottom line - no need to use Castrol at all and plenty of other oils out there which meet the spec and are just as good if not better.