SN-Plus DuraBlend in Australia

SR5

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I was at a Bunnings hardware today (thanks for the heads-up GreatWhite7) and they have started stocking Valvoline DuraBlend at a very good price.

Nothing very exciting for our North American friends, but both the 5W30 and 10W30 semi-synthetics are now rated API SN-Plus & ILSAC GF-5.

Previously they were just SN and for awhile the DuraBlend disappeared from the shelves and were only sold as a bulk oil to oil change shops

So it's good to see DuraBlend back again and it's good to see they have updated the spec, as there are not too many affordable SN-Plus oils around in Oz right now. They say on the container "Protection against Low Speed Pre-Ignition in .... turbo direct injection petrol engines".

They also have DuraBlend 10W40 (API SN/CF, ACEA A3/B4, MB 229.1, VW 501.01/505.00) which is the oil I'm running right now. (Not SN-Plus)

Their everyday prices are very good for Australia for 5L of semi-synthetic
DuraBlend 5W30 is $30
DuraBlend 10W30 is $35
DuraBlend 10W40 is $30

When I spoke to Valvoline over the phone a few years ago their semi-synthetics were about 30% synthetic, not sure now days but I assume still a decent amount.
 
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Back in 2005 I changed the oil in my 318 Regal SE to the 10w-40 Durablend, within 2 weeks I was replacing the rocker cover gaskets cause it cleaned out all the sludge and carbon that had built up over the years. Back then you could buy it from Big W.
 
Originally Posted by peejaycruiser
Back then you could buy it from Big W.

Yeah, I've seen Valvoline products at BigW and Shell products at KMart. I got some Zerex Dexcool from BigW as it was cheaper than the auto stores.

The auto stores are OK during a sale, but for regular everyday prices they are expensive. That $30 DuraBlend 10W40 at Bunnings would cost you about $50 at an auto store, until a sale hits then it will drop to $20 for a week, before going back up to its regular price.

It's nice to be able to pick up stuff at a regular everyday good price without having to chase the sales and stash the oil.
 
Just looking around at other semi-synthetics in Oz

Castrol GTX UltraClean 10W30 (SN & GF-5) and GTX UltraClean 15W40 (SN/CF & A3/B3) have yet to be updated, both are still just SN.

However some Penrite Vantage has been updated to SN-Plus
Vantage 5W30 (SN-Plus & GF-5) both semi-synthetic and full mineral
Vantage 10W30 (SN-Plus & GF-5) semi-synthetic
Vantage 15W40 (SN-Plus / CF) full mineral
 
Since almost all SN+ is semi-syn and VWB is now advertised as such in its lighter weights, I think DuraBlend is tough to find on the shelves in the US. Oil change places usually use "High Mileage with MaxLife" as their standard syn blend. I'm waiting for the people who do VWB changes as their standard conventional oil change to rebrand it as blend and raise the prices. Of course my change place (can't do my own in condo) has raised their coupon special from $10 to $20 in last six months-- luckily I still have a few $10 coupons left. I would guess that 10w30 VWB is still conventional and DuraBlend (if there is any) is a blend.

There's a couple disturbing customer comments on Amazon about VWB now being a synthetic blend rather than conventional and "everybody knows synthetic is fake". Marketing oil must be daunting right now.
 
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Originally Posted by SR5
It's nice to be able to pick up stuff at a regular everyday good price without having to chase the sales and stash the oil.
Was this post intended for a different message board?
 
Originally Posted by csandste
Since almost all SN+ is semi-syn.......... Marketing oil must be daunting right now.

Yeah, what you say makes sense. The Penrite Vantage 5W30 comes in two flavours, mineral and sem-synthetic, but they are both probably semi-syn, one with just enough and the other with more Group III base. Then they are marketed differently to serve those with different preferences.
 
Just checked the Shell mineral and semisynthetic oils in Australia and none show SN-Plus yet.
Shell Helix HX7 10W30 semi-synthetic is API SN; ILSAC GF-5.

Don't worry I can find ample full synthetic products like Castrol Magnatec DX 5W30 or Valvoline SynPower DX-1 5W30, both of which are API SN-Plus, ILSAC GF-5 and Dexos1-Gen2.

Just investigating the more economical end of the range.
 
Paying closer attention

DuraBlend 5W30 is API SN-Plus, SN & ILSAC GF-5.

DuraBlend 10W30 is API SN-Plus, SN/CF & ILSAC GF-5

Note the diesel CF is only for the 10W30.

Also for the 5W30 only, Valvoline says "Note: This product is NOT recommended for use in diesel engines."

Makes the 10W30 look like the stouter oil of the two. Not saying it's my first pick for a real Diesel engine, there are much better HDEO's or Dexos2 / C3 oils out there.
 
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I went in to my local Bunnings and had a look at at the stock and bought 10 liters of Synpower. $39 a bottle is nearly half the price of everywhere else, is only a special price till today then goes up to $45 which is still a top price. Got 1 more change to do on Helix Ultra then will go back to the Valvoline.
 
Originally Posted by peejaycruiser
I went in to my local Bunnings and had a look at at the stock and bought 10 liters of Synpower. $39 a bottle is nearly half the price of everywhere else, is only a special price till today then goes up to $45 which is still a top price. Got 1 more change to do on Helix Ultra then will go back to the Valvoline.


Thanks, I just found it on their web site, Valvoline SynPower 5W40 at $39 for 5L, that's a very good price. I've seen it for about $65 to $70 at other places. Good score.

Quote
SAE 5W-40, API SN/CF, ACEA A3/B3, ACEA B4, MB 229.3, GM-LL-B-025, VW 502.00, VW 505.00, RENAULT RN710, RN700
 
Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by SR5
It's nice to be able to pick up stuff at a regular everyday good price without having to chase the sales and stash the oil.
Was this post intended for a different message board?



lol.gif


Good question..
 
I mentioned this in another thread but probably worth mentioning here too.

At Repco (Australia) today, looks like Shell has a new oil.

Shell Helix Ultra 5W-30 full synthetic.
It's a GTL (PurePlus) based oil.

It's rated API SN-Plus, ACEA A3/B4, BMW LL-01, MB 229.5 / 226.5 and Renault RN 0700 / 0710.

This is the first SN-Plus (for LSPI control) and A3/B4 (for high HTHS) oil I have ever seen in the wild.
 
Bunnings (Australia) on-line is showing jugs of Valvoline SynPower 5W40 and 5W30 full synthetic for $33 each. That’s very good.

  • SAE 5W-40, API SN/CF, ACEA A3/B3, ACEA B4, MB 229.3, GM-LL-B-025, VW 502.00, VW 505.00, RENAULT RN710, RN700

  • SAE 5W-30, API SN PLUS, API SN, Resource Conserving, ILSAC GF-5, Ford WSS-M2C946-B1, GM dexos1™ GEN 2 APPROVED (Lic No. D10195GL103)
 
Just spotted at Bunnings Hardware and on sale to 21 November 21

Valvoline SynPower 5W30 full synthetic, the new API SP formula.
API SP / SN-Plus / SN, ILSAC GF-6A, Dexos1-Gen2.
$38 for 5L (reduced from $65)

Valvoline SynPower 5W40 full synthetic, the new API SP & Euro formula
API SP / SN / CF, ACEA A3/B4, MB 229.3, VW 501/505, RN 710/700
$38 for 5L (reduced from $65)
 
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