Mobil 1 from Walmart-different from anywhere else?

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I've seen this a few times in the last few months, where folks are claiming that Walmart has some special blend just for them, and it may not be as good as the Mobil 1 you get from an Auto Parts store, or other retailer....thoughts?
 
From my understanding as read hear at BITOG, this can not be done according to LAW. If an oil company(again, my understanding) makes "X" oil(be it dino, blend, syn or HM), it must be the same no matter which store buys it.

However, a store buying in large qty's like W*M or our favorite large chain auto parts store, then they(the store) can request a particular size/amount in a container. In other words some time ago, JUGS used to be ONLY 4 qts(in the US). Then they moved to 5qts. Now you will see 5+ qts in some instances/some brands/some stores.

Now, for a store/house brand, this may in fact be different. However, the oil must be produced to API minimum specifications and most likely will be produced to a price negotiated by the chain. But it still needs to meet spec.

This is how I understand it.

CB
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
They do it with TV's, I'm almost surprised they can't do it with oil...
Changing the formula would require doing all the tests over again to meet all the different specs. And trying to meet all the different ones and still have them listed would be challenge if your trying to get it cheaper.
 
This topic pops up every few years. Mobil 1 in WMT is the same formula as Mobil 1 uses in every store that sells Mobil 1. The only difference is WMT buys a lot more of it and probably pays a little less for it and prices it accordingly.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
They do it with TV's, I'm almost surprised they can't do it with oil...


Many big retailers do this with electronics to avoid price matching, but they do so by changing the model number, and usually a minor feature or two.

Although I can't think of an example, I know I've seen instances where Wal-Mart sells a jug of oil with a slightly different capacity than the parts stores, probably for the same reason.
 
I have a sure example of walmart cheapening their electronics. In 2008 i was shopping for a panasonic plasma tv.
panasonic had three models that were identical on the outside and feature set. One had a 800U suffix one had a 80u suffix and walmart had a 8u suffix. All were 58" 1080p plasma tvs.

I found a good deal on the 800u and bought it. 4years later it broke and when looking for repair parts i found some differences. I was shocked.

There were some ic that get hot inside the tv. The 800u had heatsinks on these chips and 3fans on the top to move air across them. The 80u had heatsinks but no fans, the 8u had no heatsinks!!!!.

The 8u boards were the only ones avaialble so i had to chisel the heatsinks off my old board and put on he replacements.
 
If it was a different blend or formulation then it would need it's own Dexos licence number and would be listed as a different product on the GM approved oil page.
 
There's an easy way to verify this yourself. Look at the dexos1 license on an M1 at Walmart, and compare it to the dexos1 license on the same grade of M1 at another location. You can't have the same dexos1 license for a different product.
 
5 Quart jugs were Walmart exclusives a few years ago,complete with the Walmart logo on them. Did some kind've patent eventually run out?
 
I don't recall this question being ask about other brands of oil that are sold at WM. Most likely an attempt by oil salesman to discredit M1 oils sold there.
 
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I've seen this a few times in the last few months, where folks are claiming that Walmart has some special blend just for them, and it may not be as good as the Mobil 1 you get from an Auto Parts store, or other retailer....thoughts?

Urban legend, which in this case IF really happening would seem to be promoted by some ignorant AP store "folks". Been covered here before, M1 sold at WM same oil as sold elsewhere including AP stores. Stating otherwise....

tinfoil-HAt2.gif
 
As stated earlier, the product name would have to be different. Walmart does have a huge amount of clout and can get things specified exactly for them, but if it's say a Sony 300fxa, the Walmart exclusive would have to be Sony 300fxb or 300fx1. The size of the container would help Walmart avoid price matching but the oil would still have to be the same. I detest Walmart but I wouldn't have any concerns that their Mobil 1 is my different than anyone else's.
 
Originally Posted By: NH73
Thats the age old statement on everything sold at Walmart.


Well, it's literally their business model, sooooo...
 
Well, the only thing to worry about would be some cost conscious Walmarter buying a jug, using it for a change, and then returning it full of the used oil, water, or who knows what.
Believe me, this was on my mind when I changed the oil in my daughter's car.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
They do it with TV's, I'm almost surprised they can't do it with oil...


Yes, but how they do it with TV and such is with different model numbers.

So at Best Buy, you might have an ABC-1234-BB as the model number. At Circuit City, you might have an ABC-1234-CC as the model number. The TVs may even have the same specs and same parts. But, technically they are different model numbers. (Helps them out when it comes to price matching guarantees.)

I don't think you have different model numbers of M1 oil.

As others have indicated, you might have different size packages.

I'm sure there are games suppliers can play. However, I suspect that is after the production. I can't be cost effective to have different production runs of M1 for different stores. However, if they can run 5Qt jugs for Wal*Mart while everyone else is getting 4Qt jugs, that can help reduce unit costs as I suspect there is little difference in packaging costs for a 5Qt vs 4Qt jubs.
 
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