Sometimes I think upper tier is overrated

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I don't care how others spend their money or how long their intervals are. I just tune out the veiled, condescending comments like so many floated around here when a poster uses what's required by a manufacturer...

-Oil is cheap, engines aren't
-I use X because I want the absolute best for my car
-I don't know why people spend X on their car and cheapen out on oil

Etc.
 
We all make justifications to spend a little more with the idea that "we're getting something better" that's going to preserve engine life, it's not just those that run boutiques.


There's plenty of people on here who's car does not call for a synthetic oil, yet they pick up the $22 jug of M1/Penn/Valvoline/etc when they could grab $12.50 jug of Chevron Supreme and be just as fine, even if it's not to the same theoretical interval length (but let's be honest, many of these same people still run 5k-7500 mile intervals). And before anyone bothers with the "but mah mail-in rebates*", Chevron has one for the Supreme as well. I'm not claiming that what they're doing is wrong, I do it all the time too and with motor oil to boot. It just feels like a real double standard on here sometimes.


*By the way, mail-in rebates are the worst. I don't fault anyone at all for not buying something even though it has a rebate with it. I don't really care to sit around for 3 weeks waiting to find out if I'll get a check or not because I bought my oil at Walmart or on Amazon and those two retailers aren't "approved".
 
Originally Posted by wemay
I don't care how others spend their money or how long their intervals are. I just tune out the veiled, condescending comments like so many floated around here when a poster uses what's required by a manufacturer...

-Oil is cheap, engines aren't
-I use X because I want the absolute best for my car
-I don't know why people spend X on their car and cheapen out on oil

Etc.



I agree with this. I don't understand the correlation because the product costs this means it's better.
 
What matters is wide open statements like he posted, you answer for him.
Ok …
2 questions
Does it ?
Why don't you run it ?
 
Originally Posted by 4WD
What matters is wide open statements like he posted, you answer for him.
Ok …
2 questions
Does it ?
Why don't you run it ?

No it doesn't
I get Havoline ProDs for 19.95 6 qts. If I ran conventional I would run it.
 
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by ARB1977
Not promoting AMSOIL. I know it's not very liked around here. Even at Walmart it can cost over 30.00 when you buy an additional qrt. I pay right around the same maybe a little more for Amsoil XL. The only down fall is anything over 100.00 gets free shipping. On the other hand a case can last me a year if not more.

It's not about liking or disliking anything and you're free to promote it if you wish. It wasn't about the technical aspects of any two motor oils, it was about the price comparison you made which was not accurate. Walmart also has free shipping and if I recall correctly it is at the $25 level and requires no membership fee.

And why are we buying an extra quart for this comparison? Are you also buying an extra quart of Amsoil? You lost me on that one.

My vehicles take 5.5 qrts. I generally buy 6 qrts from retailers. Amsoil I buy by the case.
 
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Originally Posted by 4WD
What matters is wide open statements like he posted, you answer for him.
Ok …
2 questions
Does it ?
Why don't you run it ?

It's an example of a wide open subject, and correct me if I'm wrong here, but I don't believe any conventional oil is dexos approved. Even if that's wrong, it doesn't matter as it again would fall under my statement that many people here don't have a car that requires synthetic. Some do and this obviously doesn't apply to them. I do have a few bottles of it, but I also admitted to being in the group that will sometimes spend more to get something I feel is better (synthetic for a few dollars more). That said, I also don't run around on here trying to spend other people's money for them, nor do I make habit of putting down the products people do decide to buy. This is a serious problem on here.
 
Originally Posted by JustN89
...That said, I also don't run around on here trying to spend other people's money for them, nor do I make habit of putting down the products people do decide to buy. This is a serious problem on here.


Exactly
 
Originally Posted by ARB1977
My vehicles take 5.5 qrts. I generally buy 6 qrts from retailers. Amsoil I buy by the case.

Whatever machinations you have to perform to make the numbers come out in favor I guess.
 
Originally Posted by dave1251
Originally Posted by wemay
I don't care how others spend their money or how long their intervals are. I just tune out the veiled, condescending comments like so many floated around here when a poster uses what's required by a manufacturer...

-Oil is cheap, engines aren't
-I use X because I want the absolute best for my car
-I don't know why people spend X on their car and cheapen out on oil

Etc.



I agree with this. I don't understand the correlation because the product costs this means it's better.


The price to quality ratio is all over the place and depends on where you are paying for what. From the time since Mobil 1 has been commonly and cheaply available at Walmart which as referenced is a place with no member fee to get in, 5 quart jugs costing under $25 for just about any Mobil 1 that is not the Annual Protection ? I observe three things:

1. Boutique oils are almost irrelevant; some may still seek them out. Perhaps it is application.. I do not know.
2. Parts stores are too high priced on oil, as well as just about everything else; as mentioned before, they still sell oil. Perhaps some feel Walmart is not an acceptable place to shop, not a car place, not quality stuff even though the Mobil 1 is the same, any number of reasons.
3. Oil quality has improved drastically with every API service category up to and including the new SN and SN plus and oil is not the same as in the 70s, 80s. Maybe the drastic improvement in quality came in the 90s, maybe in the 2000s. However, past 2010 and now coming up hot on 2020,

you can get good, very good, excellent quality oil and any price point, and the decisions on which way to go take a number of turns, framed also in individual preference. And nobody is incorrect in a choice of brand they like. Nor oil they choose. Now, if that turns out to be the wrong oil for the car, maybe that is the discussion.
 
Originally Posted by Corollaman
.

Interesting story. Most "conventional" oils are really synthetic blends [/quote]

The simple fact that conventional oils do not meet some common specs eg GM dexos 1 and "semi synthetics" do sort of puts that statement in question. This has been posted many times over yet never proven. Can you post one conventional oil that meets dexos 1?
In fact Pennzoil touts the use of a traditional oil base.

Quote
Pennzoil® motor oil uses a traditional oil base, fortified with Active Cleansing Agents™ to continuously prevent dirt and contaminants from turning into performance-robbing deposits. This helps keep engines clean and responsive. In fact, Pennzoil® conventional oil helps clean out sludge lesser oils leave behind and keeps cleaning all the way to the , fortified with Active Cleansing Agents™ to continuously prevent dirt and contaminants from turning into performance-robbing deposits. This helps keep engines clean and responsive. In fact, Pennzoil® conventional oil helps clean out sludge lesser oils leave behind and keeps cleaning all the way to the
 
Probably good you run shorter intervals in an engine with an internal waterpump that will eventually load your oil with coolant.
 
Originally Posted by TiGeo
The issue with Amsoil is the MLM component and the lack of approvals.

Ya, most bitogers already know that going in. Doesn't stop them from buying though. They probably think they're getting the best engine oil out there. If they buy signature series products they may very well be right.
 
Originally Posted by Garak
Multi-level marketing isn't even all that bad in comparison to waiting for Canadian Tire to decide which product we're worthy of receiving at a sensible price this time around.

Sometimes we're lucky here in Canada. Maybe a couple of times a year Canadian Tire will have PUP on sale for $30.00 or about $22.70 U.S for 5 litres. Not bad at all for a top tier oil that some people south of the border have trouble finding at a decent price.
 
Synthetic allows me to change oil twice a year on cars/SUV's that only go 5-7000 miles/year on short trips almost every day. Sometimes the OC monitor lights up but I ignore it and just reset. With conventional I changed every 3 months. Probably dumping good oil but now I don't have to change oil in the cold with snow on the ground. I have always gotten my rebate check on M1 that I bought at WM even though not on the approved retailer list. Right now you can get a 5 quart jug and an M1 filter for around $20 with tax. How can you beat that? I'll buy any major brand with or w/o a rebate when I need it. I'll buy a case of Schaeffer now and then just because. I get a case at a time from a local retailer for way less than amazin. It's still too much but so is a good steak. Don't cheap out on a filter.
 
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My opinion is that it depends on the engine, a simple port injected NA engine will be happy with any engine oil that is approved for use in the engine as long as it is change regularly.

A TGDI is another story, as engine are pushed to the limit , trying to get every MPG and horsepower with the help of high compression and/or turbos, it's my opinion that the average PCMO will shear/dilute to a point it will not protect as well as some good synthetic or HDEO.

GF5/ILSAC's goal is more of getting a better MPG than to protect the engine IMO.
 
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