Where do you buy bulk oil in drums?

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SecondMonkey

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So I got to thinking today...it wasn't very long ago I could get good dino oil for $0.99/quart every day. Now it's nearly as much as synthetic! How much is it going to cost in 5 years? 10?

I figure if I bought a 55 gallon drum of something that would be nearly a 10 year supply for me...two drums...well, we'll be driving flying cars by then.

Where does somebody go to purchase a 55 gallon drum of oil? Can I get anything good for a decent price? Or will I end up paying nearly the same per quart for bulk no brand oil? If I could find a drum of something like Chevron Supreme, for less than I pay per case at Costco...I'd be a happy camper. (plus I'd have a good excuse to buy some kind of fancy pneumatic oil dispenser
grin2.gif
)

Same can be said about 2 cycle oil, except 55 gallons might last one year in my boat. Where can I find that?
 
Most places that sell bulk fuel (to farmers, construction outfits, etc.) will sell bulk oil. Look on the internet or phone book for distributors.
However, buying in 55 gal drums is usually for convenience, not for saving money. The cost to make a 55 gallon steel drum is usually not cheap. (Most oil companies stopped putting a deposit on them when they found out is was more expensive to tote them back and rewash them, so the cost of a 55 gallon drum gets added to the cost of your oil) You also need the pump that screws into the threads to pump out your oil. Have you priced one of those lately?
In 10 years you will have so much condensation inside the drum, I'd be afraid to use it. Most people that use oil from a drum will have it used up in less than a year.
Once last question. 55 gallon drum take up a lot of space. Do you have room 110 gallons of oil?
 
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Well, if you spend some time looking at the Product Rebates, Sales and Promotions forum, you can build a 220 qt (= 55 gals) stash at a lower cost per quart than what you'll pay in the drum purchase.
I buy 55 gallon drums of oil for the garage at work, and the cost per quart is not that great of a deal.
As others have pointed out, cleanliness and condensation are real concerns with a drum, as well, while you have no problems with either if you stock jugs and quarts.
 
I love Mobil 1 0W-40 and use it in all my vehicles and tractor. My Saab dealer buys it in 55 gallon drums so I checked on the price from the distributor they use. They pay $1245 per barrel delivered. That's $5.66 per quart. Very close to the regular per quart price at Wal-Mart. Now if I buy my Mobil 1 on sale from AutoZone, PepBoys, Advance Auto, etc., I can usually score it for less than $5.00 per quart. So, in my case, I am actually better of buying it by the quart and stocking it in my oil cabinet.
 
Stihl 2-cycle oil comes in 1 gallon jugs, 5 gal buckets and 55 gal drums. Contact your local dealer for more info. If you don't know where your local dealer is, go to stihlusa.com and put in your zip code.
 
The oil spec will change in the meantime and you'll be stranded. Plus the oil will spoil with all that air and moisture in there. Just the shippng cost and BBL dep will kill any savings. - Unless the lube will be depleted in a couple mos in a business - you're not doing yourself any benefit or favour.
 
the difference in price between a 5 gallon bucket and a 55 gallon drum is minimal. The retailer sells jugs at loss leader prices, you will save minimal money at best. 55 gallon is mainly for convenience for the lube shop.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Amsoil sells by the 275 gallon tote. Or 55 gallon drum.
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I love the term "tote". I almost want to get one so I can tell the wife "Honey I just picked up a small tote of oil for the car"
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Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Well, if you spend some time looking at the Product Rebates, Sales and Promotions forum, you can build a 220 qt (= 55 gals) stash at a lower cost per quart than what you'll pay in the drum purchase.
I buy 55 gallon drums of oil for the garage at work, and the cost per quart is not that great of a deal.
As others have pointed out, cleanliness and condensation are real concerns with a drum, as well, while you have no problems with either if you stock jugs and quarts.


+1 I have 300 quarts of PP, QHP,QTP, M-1 and Edge in the basement at a cost of take it back NOW!"
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
The oil spec will change in the meantime and you'll be stranded. Plus the oil will spoil with all that air and moisture in there. Just the shippng cost and BBL dep will kill any savings. - Unless the lube will be depleted in a couple mos in a business - you're not doing yourself any benefit or favour.


Yeah, and I saw somewhere on here that someone asked Pennzoil what the reccomend shelf life of oil was and were told 4 years.

Although I think buying a 55gal drum might make more sense for dino and shorter OCI. If you had the pump gun and had 4 or 5 cars you were changing the oil for that held an average of 4.5 qts, you could easily go through it within a year. The gun would be easier to meter out partial qts too.
 
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You can buy many popular brands of oil in 55 gal drum from autozone and o'rielys. Probably several other chain stores like that. The cheapest I have seen lately was a 55gal drum (pick up only) for $539.99
 
Alright - probably the wrong section for this - but what about 2 cycle oil? I use LOTS of TCW-3 oil in the summer and it's rarely on sale. I do not have a Walmart near by.

Anywhere I can get a drum of Pennzoil TCW-3?
 
I buy service pro semi blend in the barrel for 97 cents a quart no barrel deposit. it last about 8 months with my usage and i have no problem. the only way to buy oil
 
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