A Porsche is a high-performance vehicle, so you want to be sure to use the right oil and not just any old discount oil from the sales bin. The most important factor to consider is what Porsche recommends for your specific vehicle. Start by checking the owner’s manual and always go with the grade of oil recommended by Porsche. Here are the best motor oils for your Porsche so you can be sure your engine is both protected and running at peak performance.
(Editor’s note: Please check with your owner’s manual if you have any questions. Every oil listed here won’t necessarily apply to every Porsche ever made, obviously. All of the associated websites have guides to make sure you get the right oil for your car. Here’s Porsche’s own take on the matter.)
1. Top pick: Mobil 1 Extended Performance
This synthetic oil provides engine protection for vehicles of any age. It’s designed to perform for up to 20,000 miles between oil changes, but you can of course replace it more often if needed. The synthetic molecules in this oil reduce friction to prevent excessive deposit and sludge buildup. This also provides lubrication and wear protection even in severe operating conditions like extreme heat or cold. It provides heat protection at temperatures up to 500° Fahrenheit as well as protecting in temperatures as low as -30° Fahrenheit with quick cold-weather starts.
It meets ILSAC GF-6 standards, providing low-speed engine preignition and preventing timing chain wear while helping keep the engine clean, improving fuel economy, and limiting oxidation to prevent oil breakdown over time. It’s suitable for most engines including high-performance turbocharged and supercharged gasoline and diesel multivalve fuel-injected engines.
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2. Mobil 1 Extended Performance High Mileage
Those who have a Porsche with higher mileage should look for an oil designed for high mileage engines. This one is targeted at vehicles with over 75,000 miles on the odometer. It’s a synthetic oil that is rated for up to 20,000 miles between oil changes, just like our top pick. It meets ILSAC GF-6 standards to provide low-speed engine preignition and helps prevent timing chain wear.
Mobil 1 Extended Performance High Mileage oil also helps keep your engine clean. This can help improve fuel economy. It provides heat protection up to 500° Fahrenheit as well as protecting in temperatures down to -30° Fahrenheit. This oil is suitable for high-performance turbocharged and supercharged gas or diesel engines.
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3. Valvoline SynPower Full Synthetic
Valvoline SynPower Full Synthetic oil fights the three main causes of engine stress: heat, deposits, and wear. It’s formulated with durable, anti-wear additives that stay in the oil longer to offer superior engine stress protection for a longer period of time.
It also helps clean the engine with sludge and varnish protection and is fully compatible with other conventional synthetic motor oils. Temperature isn’t an issue with cold-weather protection that allows for faster oil flow on startup as well as high-temperature protection for severe driving conditions.
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4. Penzoil Platinum High Mileage Full Synthetic
This unique oil is the first full synthetic high mileage motor oil made from natural gas. This creates less oil burn off than other high mileage oils on the market. Through Pennzoil’s patented Pure Plus Technology, the natural gas is converted into an oil with lower friction, better low temperature properties, and improved stability compared to more traditional motor oils made from crude.
It even looks different with a crystal-clear appearance rather than the amber color of other oils. It helps prevent loss of power, delivers fast low temperature oil flow for cold weather starts, and protects your engine from extreme heat. It also has superior friction protection and keeps pistons up to 20 percent cleaner than industry standards.
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5. Castrol Edge Advanced Full Synthetic
Providing superior film strength, this synthetic oil from Castrol helps your engine deliver maximum performance. Designed specifically for those who want the best performance possible from their vehicles, it includes fluid titanium technology. This changes the way the oil behaves when it’s subjected to high pressure. It’s three times stronger than conventional motor oils for improved friction reduction, better anti-wear properties, and stronger deposit control.
It also reduces metal-on-metal contact across a wide range of driving speeds and protects the engine through the full drain interval. Its ability to inhibit the formation of deposits further maximizes engine response to ensure you get the performance you’ve come to expect from your Porsche.
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6. Royal Purple High Performance Street (HPS)
Lesser known by some, but quite well-known in motorsports circles is this high performance motor oil that contains a synthetic additive called Synerlec. This increases the ionic bonding between the oil and metal engine components. That, in turn, reduces wear on moving parts and helps keep operating temperatures down to maintain peak performance.
Additives in this oil also reduce low-speed preignition and prevent sludge while improving overall lubrication. These additives also minimize exhaust gases. The result of this special oil formulation is increased engine life, lower maintenance costs, better overall performance, and even improved fuel economy for your Porsche.
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What weight oil should I use?
We always recommend checking your owner’s manual for the recommended oil weight for your specific vehicle. Porsche’s engineers perform extensive research and testing of engine oils, so you don’t have to guess on what’s best for your car.
What exactly do the numbers and letters for the oil weight mean?
The oil weight measures the viscosity of the oil, which is the thickness of the fluid. The first number that precedes “W” in the oil weight is the oil’s viscosity rating at low or winter temperatures — the “W” standards for winter. The number that follows the “-” is the oil’s viscosity rating at high temperatures.
Recent updates:
Updated (5:43 p.m. EST, 02/27/2023): Updated images and product descriptions so they’re accurate for 2023. Added shopping links for all our recommendations to Amazon and Walmart.