For the “iron heart” of your car, this is no less important than buying the vehicle itself, since it is the quality and efficiency of the oil being poured that determine the flawless operation of the engine, and, therefore, of the car itself. The problem of choosing a highly efficient oil corresponding to the technical features of the engine is caused by a huge range of lubricating fluids from various global concerns and small manufacturers on the modern market. In this article, we will tell you about the oils that are produced by the Total concern, which have proven their high-tech efficiency over almost a century of existence on the market and are an excellent choice for owners of cars of any class. Let's consider how to carry out the correct selection of Elf oil for your car, so that it meets the requirements of the car manufacturer as much as possible and has a positive effect on the operational and quality properties of the engine.

Elf engine oil selection criteria.

Main series of oils

Oils under the Elf brand are presented in the domestic market with a huge assortment, which allows any car owner to choose a lubricant for the engine of his car. Lubricants have, according to production technologies, viscosity, class affiliations, depending on which the Elf company distributes the selection of oil. In order to orient the consumer in the company's products, we will consider the main series of oils, what is the difference between the main brands of goods presented on the domestic market:

1. The synthetic range of products is presented to the consumer with Evolution Full Tech oils, characterized by new generation technologies for modern machines. Oils of this category belong to high-performance lubricants for engines of various modifications; they comply with all international approvals and classifications.
2. Synthetics from the Evolution 900 series are oils characterized by an increased class of engine wear protection and optimized performance. The most common brands of lubricants in this series are Evolution 900 SXR oils, which, thanks to their unique composition, guarantee economical fuel consumption and increased antiwear properties, as well as the Evolution 900 NF group of lubricants, developed specifically for cars that are operated in high-speed engine operation, sports and aggressive driving.
3. The Evolution 700 range of products is a semi-synthetic oil class that differs from the above products in extreme high-temperature and low-temperature viscosity criteria, while providing the engine with a high level of protection and reliability.
4. Mineral lubricants are represented by the Evolution 500, 400 and 300 product lines. At the same time, Evolution 300 greases are recommended by the manufacturer for filling the generation motors of previous generation machines, guaranteeing them the maximum possible protection.

Such a distribution of products by class will help the consumer to find out from which series of oils, depending on the car model, mileage and driving style, it is necessary to choose a suitable lubricant for the engine.

Selection criteria

When choosing a lubricant for an engine, it is important to consider criteria that can affect the performance of the fluid for each vehicle. First of all, the manufacturer recommends selecting Elf oil by car, namely by brand, engine type and year of manufacture. In this case, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of the automaker regarding the viscosity, density and class of the lubricant. The viscosity criterion can vary depending on the climatic conditions in which the machine is used, as well as on the manner of driving.

An important factor when choosing a lubricant is the vehicle wear criterion, on which the class of applicable oil depends. For cars with low mileage or warranty vehicles, synthetic oils will be an ideal option, while semi-synthetic class products are recommended for filling the engines of cars with a mileage of at least seventy-five thousand kilometers. The mineral base is suitable only for vehicles with significant mileage. The company recommends selecting the Elf oil using a program that is adapted to the consumer, which allows online selection of a lubricant for a car engine with one hundred percent compliance with the technological properties of the liquid with the technical characteristics of a particular vehicle.

Oil selection service

In order to make life easier for car owners in terms of choosing a motor fluid, the French corporation has created a special program with which any consumer can use the Internet to quickly select Elf oil for a motor according to the brand of his car. To carry out this procedure, just go to the manufacturer's official website, select the oil selection service. The selection of oil for your car can be done in a few minutes by filling out a standard form, in which you must consistently indicate the data about the car.

In the first active window, you will need to select a vehicle category - a passenger car or a light vehicle weighing up to seven tons. Further, the program itself will provide a form for choosing the brand of the vehicle and its model, engine modification and the year of production of the car. In this window, it is important to indicate reliable information to ensure the correct selection of oil from the manufacturer, therefore it is better to use the information from the technical passport or user manual for the car.

After confirming the completed data, the consumer will be presented with a report on the selection of lubricants online, which will indicate the specific brands of Elf oils suitable for the vehicle. The service issues no more than three positions of lubricants that are guaranteed to be suitable for the specified vehicle, they can only differ in terms of viscosity or the interval between mandatory replacements. In addition to engine oil, the program provides information on suitable lubricants for other components and assemblies of the machine. As for the criteria for the reliability of the data obtained, you can confidently trust them one hundred percent, since the service is constantly updated by the company's employees, the user receives up-to-date information at the time of its search.

When creating the program, manufacturers took into account not only the technological qualities of lubricating fluids, but also the requirements of automakers for power units of machines, specific tolerances and specifications.

Popular machines and oil for them

Having analyzed the quantitative indicators and the prevalence of cars on domestic roads by brands and models, we can note the high popularity among consumers of Evolution 900 SXR oils with a 5W30 quality standard. This lubricant is excellent for engines of Lada Granta and Lada Kalina cars, which are leaders in terms of quantitative indicators on Russian roads; is considered the best option approved by the manufacturer for filling the engine of the KIA Rio car, which is currently being assembled within the country and featuring excellent quality and price ratios. For the Volkswagen Polo, which is in stable high demand among the consumer, the Elf oil corporation recommends Full Tech products for the bay, labeled 5W30, which are most suitable for the climatic conditions of the country, which meets the requirements of the automaker.

As for the most common SUVs and crossovers in Russia, their motors also mainly require lubricants from the Evolution 900 SXR series. This type of oil is excellent for engines of Korean-made Hyundai Creta SUVs, Renault Duster crossovers, which are leaders in sales of cars of this class due to the ideal combination of price and quality, compact and reliable Toyota RAV 4 crossover, which has become a leader among all-wheel drive car enthusiasts.

Features of the choice of quality products

When choosing a lubricant for a motor, it is important not only to choose its type and marking, but also to protect yourself from acquiring a fake. The more popular the manufacturer and its products are, the higher the temptation for fraudsters to sell. Elf oils are no exception: often on unauthorized markets there is a chance to purchase counterfeit, low-quality products, and then there is no need to talk about improved operational and functional capabilities of the engine, but more worries about the fact that the flood of non-original lubricant does not cause the machine to fail and expensive repairs.

The most effective option to protect yourself from buying a counterfeit is to order goods through the website of an official manufacturer or buy in a certified store that is an authorized seller of goods from the French concern.

Let's sum up

When choosing engine oil, give preference to only high-quality products that have proven their effectiveness and reliability over many years of vehicle maintenance. One of these time-tested lubricants is products under the Elf brand, which allows any car owner to choose the optimal lubrication option thanks to a decent range of products, compliance with all world-known tolerances and specifications. The assistant program, which is developed on the basis of the technological features of the oils produced and their compliance with the requirements of the automaker, will help to carry out the correct selection of oil for your car.

The owner of the Elf trademark is the French oil production and refining company TOTAL. In 2000, the corporation acquired the French manufacturer Elf, whose oil it continued to produce under the same brand. Another European brand, besides Total, is the Petrofina brand, which is practically not represented on the Russian market.

Elf engine oil is the main product to be introduced to the lubricants market. However, it is worth noting that the corporation is rebranding and selling liquid lubricants produced in Belgium and France under a single TOTAL trademark. The policy of preserving the natural old brands and the new brand allows the company to reduce marketing costs and keep the cost of the finished product within certain price ranges.

Elf motor oils are manufactured in France using technologies and formulations approved by a French developer. The sale is carried out through the official representative of the Total group, using a network of certified distributors and dealers. For retail sale, the goods are delivered in plastic blue canisters with a capacity of 1 and 4 liters, for corporate buyers, shipment is carried out in metal drums.

Quality assurance on the assembly line and at races

The quality of Elf motor oils has established itself for more than 45 years of production history. Initially, the products were intended for the domestic market and were produced for Renault. Until now, this product is approved for the first fill and is used in French car factories.

Elf diesel brands are used by Russian manufacturers on KAMAZ conveyors. But they come to the conveyor in Tatarstan under the single Total brand.

Elf engine oil is supplied to the assembly line of Datsun cars at VAZ and to the Romanian manufacturer DACIA.

Another confirmation of the quality of petrochemical products is the use of Elf liquid lubricant in the conditions of Formula 1 racing and motorcycle racing. Kawasaki has approved the use of these fluids, not only on racetracks, but also for potting in its factories.

Products for diesel engines are homologated by Mercedes Benz, MAN, Volvo plants and can be used in IVECO diesel engines.

Oil characteristics

The characteristics of the oils produced allow these liquid lubricants to be used in almost all types of cars, regardless of climatic conditions and driving style.

Gasoline oils

For the convenience of consumers and to meet the requirements of various operating conditions and driving styles, fluids are produced with a mark on the EVOLUTION label. Lubricants are subdivided by the manufacturer into three groups:

• Protection - mineral ELF EVOLUTION 300 FT and ELAF EVOLUTION SPORTI TXI
• Enhanced protection - mineral water 400 and 500 classifications Elf Evolution 400 FT and Evolution 500. This group of lubricants is also used for atmospheric and turbocharged diesel engines in passenger cars. This also includes the semi-synthetics of the 700 series. The semi-synthetic base is used exclusively for gasoline engines and diesel engines. The ELF Evolution 700STI 10w40 brand is universal and can be used on both types of internal combustion engines.
• The optimal composition is a fully synthetic oil, designed to protect the engine in all conditions and provide easy starting at low temperatures, fuel economy, and durability of operation. There are two series in this group:
  1. Elf Evolution 900 is a synthetic material for use in both gasoline and diesel engines. Some brands, depending on the letter code after the series number, can be used universally for all types of internal combustion engines.
  2. Elf Evolution Full-Tech is specially developed for application in accordance with Euro-5 and Euro-6 standards. These brands are approved for the latest Volkswagen, Mercedes and BMW vehicles.

Diesel oils

The French corporation allocates lubricant for diesel engines in a separate series. Under diesel technical fluids, the French mean goods for use in the internal combustion engine of heavy trucks, buses and agricultural machinery. Therefore, for light diesel commercial vehicles with a total weight not exceeding 5 tons, the selection should be carried out from the Evolution series. For heavy diesel engines, the Elf Performance line of fluids is available, which is divided into

• Elf Performance FE - reducing fuel consumption.
• Elf Performance

A lubricant for a diesel engine has a second name in the name, which determines the base base and options for the use of fluids

• Experty, Galaxy, Harmony and Victory - synthetics
• Discovery, Super D - mineral water
• Polytrafic - semi-synthetics

Some of the contents of the containers can be used as a working fluid for hydraulic systems, as indicated in the passport for the supplied products.

Moto oils

Total produces motor oils under the Elf brand. The range of produced motorcycle oil Elf meets all the needs of lovers of two-wheeled vehicles. This group of greases is also represented in all three groups of bases. There are both mineral and semi-synthetic and fully synthetic fluids.

The packaging says Moto 2 or Moto 4, respectively, for two and four-stroke motorcycle engines.

Special oils for vintage cars

A separate line of production is lubricants for retro cars with additives corresponding to engine materials. The main purpose of the production of this group is to fill the resulting niche for maintaining collectible cars and cars that are in operation, but have a solid age.

There are three types of lubricants:

• Elf HTX Collection - for Peugeot and Citroen after 1950
• Elf HTX Prestige - for collectible cars 1900-1950 years of release
• Elf HTX Chrono - for racing cars such as VW Golf GTI, Peugeot 205 GTI, Lotus, Porsche, Ferrari.

Selection of Elf oil by car make

The selection of Elf oil by car make is not difficult. Elf sellers carry out oil selection using printed and electronic catalogs. The manufacturer's website provides a complete description of the oil with the possibility of its use, depending on the type of internal combustion engine. Advanced technical characteristics of lubricants allow you to select the required composition, taking into account the driving style, loads and climatic data of the operating area.

Viscosity characteristics allow you to select all-season fluids with parameters from 0w40 to 10w60 and summer fluids with a viscosity index up to SAE 50.

How to identify a fake Elf oil

Fake Elf oil is not uncommon in the market. The relatively high cost of the original oil, compared to the cost of filling the oils into canisters similar to the original ones, makes this kind of dubious business quite attractive.

Any comparison of the original Elf oil and the counterfeit oil is a statement of a past fact. The counterfactual market does not stand still and also reads about its shortcomings.

To figure out how to identify a fake Elf oil, you need to refer to the production process. The factories use a "on time" consumables delivery system to reduce inventory costs. Therefore, the production date of the original canister always coincides with the oil filling date.

If earlier Romanian manufacturers did not put a QR code on the back side of the label and used canisters that coincide with the original only in color, now these "shortcomings" of non-original production have already been corrected. The counterfeit Elf oil is now bottled in containers that practically do not differ from the original.

Original elf products are distinguished by the sole of the canister. On the heel of the original, there are embossed stripes on the entire width of the canister. The width of the stripes and the distance between them are approximately the same. If in 2015 the counterfeit product was poured into canisters, where the lines did not reach 15-18 mm to the edge of the canister, then in 2016 the canister began to be forged more efficiently and now, like the original, three tides do not reach the edge of the canister only 5 mm ...

A definite, but weak, factor in confirming originality is the canister lids. Belgian and French plastic containers from Total factories are screwed with a lid that fits completely to the body of the canister or with a gap of no more than 1 mm and has a polished rounded corner on the top.

Underground bottling shops are not yet able to provide such a quality of manufacture of caps and screwing technology. But the process does not stand still and, most likely, this omission will be taken into account.

To purchase natural elf oil, you should contact the certified centers for the sale of oils of the French company.

January 4, 2017

The French concern Total never ceases to delight us with its new products on the auto industry market. In the last year alone, two new items have gone on sale at once - unique synthetics developed using the most modern technologies. In addition to expanding the range of lubricants, technologists are systematically improving the search and identification of oils for their vehicles. On the website of the official representative of Elf motor oil, the consumer was presented with a practical algorithm for selecting a lubricant.

Elf oil selection is similar to the algorithm from Liquid Moli. Who copied from whom, and whether there was such a thing at all, is not known. We can only guess. So, you need to have a laptop with Internet access at hand. The reader should go to the manufacturer's website, fill in several active windows with information. Filling out is so simple that it is intuitive for a person without experience. Special thanks should be given to the developers of Total for a methodological guide for motorists. In practice, it looks like this:

• in the first active window we see the inscription: "Category selection", where we indicate the type of vehicle. The client is presented with only two classes: passenger and low-tonnage, with a permissible weight of no more than 7.0 tons. Classifier for freight transport, motorcycles, not provided, reasons are not known;
• subsequent windows require the selection of a brand, model, type of power unit, year of manufacture. For the accuracy of the data, take the indicators from the technical passport for transport;
• the third window is the final stage, in which the final result is displayed in the form of a specific brand.

With the correct filling of active windows, the whole procedure will take no more than three minutes. In addition to engine oils, the applicant can choose transmission lubricants, system coolers, chemical additives.

After receiving the data, the buyer can safely go to the car shop to purchase lubricants. The information about the product is 100% reliable, as it was prepared by the specialists of the Total company. When new products are released, the changes are immediately entered into the catalog. At the first technical inspection, be sure to check with the employee what type of fluid is recommended by the manufacturer. It is advisable to use only the recommended oil until the end of the vehicle warranty.

In order to save your time searching for lubricants, I will give a few recommendations from experienced craftsmen. If you own a motor vehicle with a mileage of up to 75,000 km. run, fill in a fully synthetic base. Mileage is 150,000 km. - semi-synthetic liquid. Kilometers from 150,000 and more - only mineral oil, since it makes no sense to pour expensive oil into a worn out motor. According to the recommendations from the Total concern, the replacement interval for the mineral base is 15 thousand km, for semi-synthetics - 20 thousand km, for synthetics - 25 thousand km. The interval can be increased or decreased, depending on the operating conditions of the technical device.

For ELF lovers, oil selection is a matter of principle. The rest want specifics and common sense. ELF products are not the cheapest, but they are widely known. The brand looms large in all car and motorcycle competitions. The corporation itself is a sponsor of a number of teams participating in Formula 1, Dakar Rally, Renault World Series and many other lower ranked competitions. Costly measures, indirectly affecting the price of products, but on the other hand, confirming its high quality.

ELF is an abbreviation for Essence et Lubrifiants de France, which means "automotive fuel and oils in France" in Russian. The company was founded in 1939 under the name Elf Aquitaine, as a state owned company, owned by the French government, and as such existed until 1994. Until a corruption scandal broke out, at that time the largest in Europe. It is clear where there is oil - there is a lot of money and an intolerable temptation. The solution was found in the privatization and merger with the private oil company Total Fina. As a result, the TotalFinaElf merger existed for some time, and in 2003 the name was renamed and the name was reduced to the minimalist Total.

Total is the brand owner and oil manufacturer.

ELF has disappeared from the name of the corporation, one of the six largest oil producers, but the brand itself has survived. Painfully beautiful and "tasty" sounds in all languages. These symbols are not scattered around.

ELF range of oils

Total Corporation supplies the market with a full range of oils for automotive vehicles:

• Motor, for engines: Competition, Evolution, Excellium, HTX and HTXRetro, Sporti, Turbo Diesel.
• Transmission, for manual transmissions: Tranself and Gearelf.
• For automatic transmissions: Elfmatic, Speedmatic and Renaultmatic.
• Brake fluids: Frelub and LHM.

All of them are of high quality and excellent performance. Among motor oils, there are mineral, synthetic and semi-synthetic oils. All oils are universal, multigrade. Each oil meets a specific SAE standard and API class, and is also approved by various automakers in Europe and the United States.

Detailed information on each oil can be easily found in catalogs and on containers in which the products are delivered directly to the consumer.

It's easy to choose - the main thing is not to make a mistake

ELF oils are hard to miss. A blue canister and three white letters on a dark background immediately grab attention. Another distinctive feature is that all oil names begin with a reference to the SAE standard. For example: SAE 0W-30 ELF EXCELLIUM LDX, SAE 5W-40 ELF EVOLUTION SXR or SAE 10W-40 ELF COMPETITION STI, etc.

When choosing, remember that French oils were created for the French climate and the French car industry.

It is good in Russia for someone who owns a Renault or Peugeot and lives in the south. What should a northerner who owns a non-French car do? The following algorithm is proposed for it:

• Select ELF oil according to the make of the car.
• Go to the website of the official distributor.
• Fill out the proposed form.
• Indicate the category of the car, its make, model and type.
• Get system recommendations.

That said, some skepticism should be maintained. Having chosen the oil on the recommendation, you need to compare its characteristics with those prescribed by the operating instructions for your car. If they matched, great, pour it into the crankcase and set off to drive around the city, on a trip to the village to see grandfather or to racing competitions. Who likes what more.

If it is essential for you to choose something French - Elf oils are a good option.

Elf car oils designed for gasoline and diesel engines. These are French products from the TOTALFINAELF company.

The following are widely represented on the Russian market:

• grease lubricants;
• brake fluid;
• transmission fluids;
• car oils.

Elf motor oil belongs to high-quality motor oils, therefore it perfectly fulfills the duties assigned to it:

• cools the engine and moving parts;
• reduces friction;
• reduces fuel consumption;
• has a positive effect on the operation of the motor (quiet operation of the engine);
• protects the motor from rust and wear.
• helps to start the engine in frost;
• optimal combination: price - quality;
• works without additional topping up from replacement to replacement.

Car oils elf can be bought both in Russia and in the markets of 140 countries of the world, which cannot but testify to the popularity and quality of elf brand car oils.

Purchase of car oil elf

The main problem with all high-quality engine oils is counterfeiting. The likelihood of getting it is very high, especially if the brand is popular and its price is affordable. Therefore, it is worth taking the purchase seriously: you need to buy oil from authorized dealers or trusted sellers.

The second point: no matter how high-quality the oil is, it must have the approval of the car manufacturer. Even a good product can ruin the engine if it is not suitable for it.

Offers from the Rosta company - ELF oil

The Udmurdian company "Rosta" sells wholesale a wide range of vehicles and car accessories at affordable prices. It offers potential customers a choice of high-quality engine oils from leading manufacturers, including elf brand auto oils.