Blends on their deathbed?

[daves87rs]

Remember when blends were cool? Me too....Ran some durablend in my first car...

Now full synthetics are often cheaper than the blends, dinos that are nearly blends themselves, we could see this coming a mile away....

Sears, along with quite a few local places, are unloading Durablend. Not seeing as much GTX blend either. Looks like at least retail wise, they seem like they'll be gone by year's end.

Now bulk, that may be a different story. Ford's Motorcraft, GM's AC delco branded, and service pro's semi syn for the indies seem to be still going strong.


Your thoughts?


(thought this might be better than another "what oil for my thread... )

 

[volk06]

I've heard rumors that most conventionals are actually a synblend anyway, just without the labeling and marketing as such. How much syn is in it, I have no idea, but it would not surprise me if they had a little bit in it. It makes sense to me to just get rid of the blend for that reason, 1 less oil to make and market. I know COP doesn't make a conventional PCMO anymore as they are all a synblend (76, MC, Trop Artic, Kendall, Honda) or full syn...

 

[JHZR2]

I think that as long as there is a marketing gimmick in it, they will try to sell them.

You are right, when conventionals say synthetic blend on them, then one would have to ask how a product can be differentiated.

But if something can be sold at a premium, why not?

Unless of course since the blend cost has been factored into the pricing, it just does not matter... So save shelf space and add grades is the better approach...

 

[supercity]

Cheap full synthetic oils are moving into the traditional tarket market that blends have been in. Why buy a blend when you can have a full! Most manufacturers are going down the full synthetic and premium full synthetic line up. Modern day conventionals seem to be a blend of some kind but are not marketed that way. Finding a traditional mineral only product is not that easy anymore. Is it becoming harder to meet specifications with a mineral only product?

 

[dave1251]

DEXOS-1 will keep synblends alive for the time being.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Just noticed Pennzoil Gold is Dexos Cert. at Wal-Mart yesterday. It was also only about a quarter more than Pennzoil Conventional in qts...

 

[modularv8]

Yes you are correct. Blends are pretty much going away. The primary reason is that marketers no longer can command a premium for blends over conventional. The performance gap has narrowed significantly between synthetic and conventional with dexos1 filling the mid tier position.

 

[WMSmotorhead]

They will make what sells... and works. If it doesn't work well, OR doesn't sell well, it will be gone.

 

[fdcg27]

High mileage synthetic blends seem to be holding their own, and don't look to be going away anytime soon.

 

[addyguy]

Actually, blends have just 'morphed' to serve different oil markets.

It was pointed out that AC Delco 'Dexos' oil, and Pennzoil Conventional's Dexos 'Gold' are syn-blends.

Also, a lot of High Mileage oils have gone from being 'conventional' to being blends - Maxlife always was; Mobil Super High Mileage now is; as is the newest QS 'Defy'.

Also, I doubt C-P Motorcraft belnd is going anywhere anytime soon..same as the 'Dexos' oils, it serves the Ford market.

Blends are actually seeing an INCREASE in market share, just in different guises!

 

[dave1251]

I do not look at Phillips blends as blends. Sorry.

 

[addyguy]

Why?

...they say right on the container they are blends!

 

[artificialist]

There are only a few synthetic blends that I see selling well:
1. Motorcraft
2. Other ConocoPhillips oils.
3. High Mileage engine oils.

 

[volk06]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
I do not look at Phillips blends as blends. Sorry.


Whats different between Phillips blends and any other blend to make you say that? Just curious

 

[Carmudgeon]

I like having choices.

That said, the oil companies have created so many segments, it's getting silly. And that's on top of the various brands and grades, and it becomes too much.

The real enemy is shelf space, or the lack thereof, even for auto parts stores, never mind general retailers who carry motor oil.

Any user of something other than a nW-30 knows how it is to be pushed off the shelf, and left with few, or no choices.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
High mileage synthetic blends seem to be holding their own, and don't look to be going away anytime soon.


That market is growing, I will say that...

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
DEXOS-1 will keep synblends alive for the time being.


Until they go Full Synthetic as well....

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
Why?

...they say right on the container they are blends!


Because they are blended to preform as conventionals.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Why?

...they say right on the container they are blends!


Because they are blended to preform as conventionals.



With extra protection at start up...

 

[dave1251]

Not really.

http://www.conocophillipslubricants.com/...theticblend.pdf
http://www.epc.shell.com/Docs/GPCDOC_X_cbe_24855_key_140007054913_201202271120.pdf