Six Sectors. One Supplier.
Select an industry to explore the relevant product range and find out how Gem Oils supports your sector.
Automotive Aftermarket Applications
Gem Oils supplies businesses involved in vehicle servicing, repair, parts supply and fleet maintenance across Ireland.
Independent Garages & Workshops
Lubricants and service fluids for businesses carrying out routine maintenance, servicing and repair across a broad mix of vehicle manufacturers and ages.
Motor Factors & Parts Distributors
A practical lubricant range for automotive distributors supplying independent workshops, trade customers and local vehicle-maintenance businesses.
Fleet Maintenance
Products for businesses and workshops maintaining passenger cars, vans and mixed light-commercial fleets as part of scheduled servicing and ongoing vehicle maintenance.
Passenger Cars
Engine oils, transmission fluids, coolants and other service products for petrol, diesel and hybrid passenger vehicles.
Vans & Light Commercial Vehicles
Lubricants and fluids for the everyday servicing and maintenance requirements of vans and other light commercial vehicles.
Older & Higher-Mileage Vehicles
Products covering a range of viscosity grades and lubricant requirements found across older vehicles as well as more recent passenger cars and vans.
Choosing the Right Automotive Lubricant
Selecting the correct engine oil, gear oil, or coolant for a passenger car or light commercial is more complex than it was a decade ago. Modern engines — particularly those fitted with DPF, GPF, or EGR systems — require low-SAPS (sulphated ash, phosphorus, sulphur) oils that will not block aftertreatment systems. Using the wrong viscosity or specification can damage the engine, void the warranty, or reduce the effectiveness of emission control systems.
The correct starting point is always the vehicle manufacturer’s handbook or service specification. The table below gives a general guide to the main product categories and their applications in automotive use.
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Product Type
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Application
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Key Specification
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Fully Synthetic Engine Oil (C2/C3)
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Modern petrol/diesel with DPF or GPF
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ACEA C2 or C3, 0W-30 / 5W-30
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Fully Synthetic Engine Oil (A3/B4)
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Petrol/diesel without aftertreatment restriction
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ACEA A3/B4, 5W-40
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Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil
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Older petrol/diesel, light commercial
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ACEA A3/B3, 10W-40
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Mineral Engine Oil
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Older or classic vehicles, fleet top-up
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API SL/CF, 15W-40
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Gear Oil GL-4 / GL-5
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Manual gearboxes, differentials, axles
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75W-90 (synthetic) / 80W-90 / 85W-140
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ATF (Dexron)
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Automatic transmissions
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GM Dexron 2D or 3D — confirm vehicle spec
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This table is a guide only. Always refer to your operator manual or contact the Gem Oils technical team to confirm the correct product for your specific machine and year.
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Why Specification Matters
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Using a non-low-SAPS oil in an engine requiring ACEA C2 or C3 can block the DPF and trigger costly regeneration or replacement
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Wrong viscosity increases fuel consumption, reduces film thickness, and can lead to premature engine wear
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Using GL-5 in a gearbox specified for GL-4 can cause yellow metal (brass, bronze) component damage
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Incorrect ATF grade causes slipping, overheating, and transmission damage in automatic gearboxes
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Mixing OAT and non-OAT coolants causes gel formation and can block cooling passages
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We confirm the correct product for your specific vehicle before you order
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Need a product recommendation?
Tell us your tractor make, model, and year and we will confirm the correct specification and the Gem Oils product that meets it.
The Gem Oils Difference for Automotive
Three reasons independent garages, motor factors, and fleet operators across Ireland choose Gem Oils for automotive lubricants.
Direct Technical Support
When you contact Gem Oils with a question about which oil grade or specification is correct for a specific vehicle, you speak directly to someone who can confirm the right product. No automated product finders, no call centres — direct technical advice from our team in Cavan.
Specification Accuracy
Every product in our automotive range states the specifications and performance levels it meets. For workshops, this matters — specifying the wrong grade for a modern DPF-equipped vehicle is a common and expensive mistake. We make it easy to get it right first time.
Nationwide Supply Across Ireland
Supply from our Cavan base to garages, motor factors, and fleet depots across all 32 counties. Drum supply for workshops, bulk for high-volume accounts. ISO 9001:2015 certified supply chain. Family-owned since 1962 — with named area managers covering every region of Ireland.
Featured Automotive Products
Key products from the Gem automotive range — covering modern low-emission engines through to older vehicles requiring conventional mineral grades.
Gem Synthetic LSX C5 0W20
5 Year Coolant (PINK)
Multigear XEP 80W-90
Syn Longlife Low Saps 5W-30
Always check the required product type, grade, specification and compatibility against the vehicle or equipment manufacturer’s recommendations before use.
Automotive Lubricants FAQs
Practical answers to lubricant questions that regularly arise during vehicle servicing and workshop maintenance.
Not necessarily. A viscosity such as 5W-30 only describes part of the lubricant requirement. Two oils with the same viscosity can meet different performance specifications and be intended for different engines. The required vehicle specification should always be checked as well as the viscosity grade.
Brand alone is not the deciding factor. The oil being added should meet the requirements of the vehicle and compatibility with the lubricant already in use should be considered. Where possible, use the correct specified product rather than relying on viscosity alone.
No. Oil can darken during normal operation, particularly in diesel engines, and colour alone does not provide a reliable indication of lubricant condition or remaining service life. Follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended service interval.
No. Automatic transmissions can require very different fluid specifications, and conventional automatic, CVT and dual-clutch transmission fluids should not be assumed to be interchangeable. The exact transmission-fluid requirement should be confirmed before use.