Analyzing my inventory of GC

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by DeaconBlue:
Yes that is correct. My 3 bottles of M02260 date coded red label 0w-30 are noted as being "Made in the USA of..." and the oil inside is NOT green.

Maybe Castrol had a supply problem sometime in Aug/Sept of '02 time frame and had to substitute a domestic concoction for a while to supply the demand? The black ink of the date coding also seems odd as well. I wonder what some of the other's M02 dates codes are? To me it just seemed very odd considering that several folks here have noted their M02 date coded red label bottles have the "Made in Germany" notation and are filled with the "magic green elixir of engine life".

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For most of 2002, the 0w30 Castrol was not made in Germany though. It was only towards the very end of 2002 that they began importing the German made 0w30 to North America. Before that point it was made in the US and was a completely different formula.

 

[bighead]

I need to stock up...y'all killing me with my measily 10 qt stash

 

[DeaconBlue]

The local AutoZone stores do not get restocked until Wednesday afternoon/evening so the soonest I can recheck their flow racks is on Thursday. So at lunch today I found yet another local store that had 7 bottles of the "Made in Germany" red label bottles. That makes 77 bottles of mostly M04 date coded "magic green elixir" found in 8 store in the last 5 days. I hope the Elves approve of my efforts.

Hehehe... this is becoming addictive. I sure hope the local 1.8T owners don't come looking for me and my stash. I truly hope the wife doesn't realize the $400 hole I just burned in my M/C.

 

[DeaconBlue]

Well after raiding the eight local AutoZone stores this past week, this is what I have netted;

M02260 3 quarts
M03042 9 quarts
M04023 10 quarts
M04097 19 quarts
M04237 6 quarts
M04280 25 quarts
?? 1 quart (date code misprint, but found among M04097 stock)

Total 73 quarts


Now I noticed some interesting things;

All the yellow label 0w-30 made in the USA quarts are date coded M01 with white ink, so that they are in fact "new old stock" being reintroduced to the market.

My 3 bottles of M02 date code;

black ink used on date code ?!?
sub titled as "Protects like no Other"
red label 0w-30
has API logo
the '1 quart' is printed in gold
noted on back as "Made in the USA of..."
not for sale outside North America
the oil is NOT green, but rather an amber color

My 9 bottles of M03 date code;

white ink used on date code
sub titled as "Protects Like No Other"
red label 0w-30
no API logo
the '1 quart' is printed in gold
noted on back as Made in Germany on the left side
not for sale outside North America
the oil is the Holy Green color

My 61 bottles of M04 date code;

white ink used on date code
sub titled as "Out Performs"
red label 0w-30
no API logo
the '1 quart' is printed in white
noted on back as Made in Germany on the right side
has BP logo
not for sale outside The Americas
the oil is the Holy Green color

I have not found any M05 date codes.

I would have to venture that my 3 bottles of M02 are NOT the real GC. Anyone with M02 date codes, are they noted as "Made in Germany" and is the oil truly green? Oh well, 70 bottles of the real GC is good for about 75-80K miles, so I am set for awhile anyways. I will give the local AutoZone stores a week or so to restock and then double check to see what is in their flow rakes.

 

[brian]

I think a lot of people have M02 that is green. That's what's in my Honda right now. In fact you're the first I've read say they have seen M02 that is NOT green.

 

[pscholte]

Unless I am improperly interpreting your comments your 02 that is not green is USA blended; it is not from Germany.

 

[DeaconBlue]

Yes that is correct. My 3 bottles of M02260 date coded red label 0w-30 are noted as being "Made in the USA of..." and the oil inside is NOT green.

Maybe Castrol had a supply problem sometime in Aug/Sept of '02 time frame and had to substitute a domestic concoction for a while to supply the demand? The black ink of the date coding also seems odd as well. I wonder what some of the other's M02 dates codes are? To me it just seemed very odd considering that several folks here have noted their M02 date coded red label bottles have the "Made in Germany" notation and are filled with the "magic green elixir of engine life".

 

[B00SS]

My M02, made in Germany, is green.