As car owners, we take great pride in our engines and love to keep them clean and running as smoothly as possible. Many of us rely on Pennzoil for engine products, as it is a trusted company with a 40-year history of designing conventional and synthetic oils.
Today, we will examine the difference between Pennzoil Platinum and Ultra Platinum. These two oils, designed by Pennzoil, are synthetic but have different uses and qualities.
Let’s quickly look at Pennzoil Platinum vs Ultra Platinum with this comparison table.
Factors | Pennzoil Platinum | Ultra |
Mixture | Natural Gas, Fully Synthetic | Natural Gas, Fully Synthetic |
Viscosity Grades | ● SAE 0W20
● SAE 5W20 ● SAE 5W30 ● SAE 10W30 |
● SAE 0W20
● SAE 0W40 ● SAE 5W20 ● SAE 5W30 ● SAE 10W30 |
Cleaning Power | 40-45% | 65% |
Warranty | 15 years or 800,000 km | 15 years or 800,000 km |
Compatibility | Standard Quality Engine | High-Performance and Luxury Engines |
Price | $15-$20 | $30-$35 |
Table of Contents
What is Pennzoil Platinum?
Pennzoil Platinum is a full synthetic engine oil made from natural gas. Unlike crude oil, natural gas is free from contaminants, performs better at extreme temperatures, and will protect your car longer.
Like Ultra Platinum, Pennzoil Platinum is designed to be carbon-neutral from top to bottom. The container uses 80% less plastic and aims to reduce car emissions.
What is Ultra Platinum?
Like Pennzoil’s Platinum, Ultra Platinum is also designed with Pennzoil’s Pureplus technology. This means it is also made from natural gas and will provide the same benefits as Pennzoil Platinum.
Ultra Platinum is perfect for sports vehicles and other cars that travel at fast speeds. It offers good mileage and protection for high-performance and luxury vehicles and has a carbon-neutral design like its counterpart.
Pennzoil Ultra vs Platinum
While both engine oils are from the same company, each has some differing attributes that would make one better in certain situations. This section will dive deep into the similarities and differences between the Pennzoil Ultra Platinum vs Platinum.
1. Viscosity Grades
Both oils offer various viscosity grades for US and Asian vehicles. Pennzoil Platinum offers four different grades:
- SAE 0W-20
- SAE 5W-20
- SAE 5W-30
- SAE 10W-30
Ultra Platinum, on the other hand, wins this category slightly with the addition of the Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 0W-40, possessing five viscosity grades in total. This type of oil is typically used for European vehicle brands like Porsche and Mercedes.
2. Cleaning Power
One of the benefits of quality engine oil is its ability to clean the engine of impurities and residues in the piston during combustion.
Both engine oils offer excellent cleaning power. Pennzoil’s Platinum reduces piston pollutants by up to 40%. However, Ultra Platinum wins this category with its 65% piston cleaning capacity.
3. Warranty
Pennzoil has an extensive engine warranty for all of its oil products. For both Pennzoil Platinum and Ultra Platinum, the warranty covers up to 15 years or 800,000 kilometers. The warranty is also customizable and can be passed down to a new owner if you sell your car.
4. Compatibility
Both engine oils are outstanding additions to any vehicle and can work with cars, SUVs, and trucks, etc. Ultra Platinum, however, is better for high-performance or luxury engines.
It’s great for sports cars like Chevy Corvette, Camaro, and high-end cars like Mercedes Benz and BMW.
5. Price
One significant difference between the two engine oils is apparent in this section. Since Penzzoil’s Ultra Platinum is for high-performance and luxury vehicles, it also has a hefty price tag.
A 5-quart Pennzoil Platinum container can go for about $15-$20, while Ultra Platinum is almost double that at $30-$35.
6. Pros and Cons
In this section, we’ll look at the pros and cons of Pennzoil Ultra vs Platinum engine oils.
Pennzoil Platinum | |
Pros | Cons |
● Derived from natural gas
● Four viscosity grades ● Cheaper option |
● Does not offer SAE 0W-40 viscosity |
Pennzoil Ultra Platinum | |
Pros | Cons |
● Made from natural gas
● More viscosity grade options (five) ● Perfect for luxury and sports cars |
● Expensive. Almost double the price of Pennzoil Platinum. |
Which is better?
The answer depends on your priority. If you drive a sports car and want only the best oil, Ultra Platinum is the smarter choice.
Otherwise, I would go for Pennzoil Platinum, as it has almost the same features while being cheaper.
FAQ
What does Engine Oil do?
Engine oils can be made from crude petroleum or synthetic chemical mixtures. Each engine oil is also infused with additives that change its attributes for better performance.
Here are the primary purposes and benefits of engine oil.
1. It protects your engine from friction.
Abrasion, friction, wear, and tear are common in all moving engine parts. Over time, this friction leads to lower gas mileage and engine failure. Car oils, on the other hand, create a coating around the engine’s metal surface that reduces friction.
2. It keeps the engine free of contaminants.
Impurities inevitably find their way to your car and may come from microparticles like dust or metal. If left alone, they can cause severe issues to your car.
Engine oil creates a dispersant suspension where contaminants do not stick to pistons.
3. It absorbs shock.
Engine oils can be excellent protection against mechanical shock caused by your car’s regular operation. It absorbs the vibrations and diffuses the effect evenly throughout the vehicle, effectively reducing damage in one single part.
4. It reduces and protects the engine from rust.
Lubricants like engine oils safeguard against rust, since they stop water from getting inside the internals of the car engine. If rust is minimized, the engine can last longer and experience less degradation.
Is Pennzoil Platinum a Good Oil?
Pennzoil is a trusted brand with over 3,500 patents. Pennzoil synthetic oil such as Pennzoil Platinum and Ultra are both high-quality products made from natural gas. The company also offers a warranty, so you can be sure of its performance.
Can Mixing Pennzoil Platinum And Ultra Work?
Both engine oils are synthetic oils that come from natural gas and are compatible if you use the same viscosity. However, it is recommended to avoid mixing different products because we often can’t predict how they’ll interact.
How Long Does Pennzoil Platinum Last?
You should expect to get 7,000 to 10,000 miles out of this product before an oil change. With a quality filter, Pennzoil Platinum should last 25,000 miles or more.
Conclusion
Engine oils come in many brands, and Pennzoil is one of the best in the market today. Two of the best engine oils it has to offer are Pennzoil Platinum vs Ultra Platinum.
Both have high-quality, fully-synthetic formulas derived from natural gas and designed with Pennzoil’s Pureplus technology.
However, Ultra Platinum is a better option, albeit costing almost twice as much as Pennzoil Platinum.
Working with Vernon and Ryley has been a great experience for me. Together with the rest of the team, I hope to create reliable and useful information for our readers, no matter where they are and their experience with car maintenance.