Check your WM clearance oils

[WhyMe]

i bought some oil that was on clearance at the WM when they had the big reorg. one was a Magnatech 5/20 for $11. that was what 3-4 months ago. So i decided to use it as my next oil change on my Honda

Drained oil and filter . opened the cap noticed it did not snap and there was no foil seal. there was the remnants of it where it was glued though so i knew it was supposed to have one. i poured a little into the cap and it looked fresh and smelled like oil.

So i decided to use it. poured it in and it started as usual. then i began to wonder if i did the correct thing. So i drained and refilled it with PP 0/20. at least this had the cap intact.

So what do you think happened ? did someone return it and the open the seal to verify which i have read WM is apt to do.? Someone put other oil in it and returned it? yeah probably will never know. i just wonder if i should use it in my lawn mower or as a topping off oil .

this is the first time its happened to me after 30 odd years of changing my own oil

 

[JC1]

Without a pic or sample, we cannot tell what the oil was like. If it was amber or clear then I think you would be ok.

 

[TheLawnRanger]

Someone opened it to see what the oil was like and put it back when they chose something else.

 

[dogememe]

Originally Posted By: TheLawnRanger
Someone opened it to see what the oil was like and put it back when they chose something else.


See what the oil was like? How is this helpful? Oh yes, this one smells good, hmm, but this one looks better, oooh I think I'll buy that other one it's purple.

Seriously, who the heck buys oil based on how it LOOKS?

 

[chainblu]

If it looked like new oil, it was probably ok. But, at the expense of only $11, I think you did the right thing.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: dogememe
Originally Posted By: TheLawnRanger
Someone opened it to see what the oil was like and put it back when they chose something else.


See what the oil was like? How is this helpful? Oh yes, this one smells good, hmm, but this one looks better, oooh I think I'll buy that other one it's purple.

Seriously, who the heck buys oil based on how it LOOKS?



Why ask why? Who start their engine without any oil in it? Maybe they were just checking to make sure it wasn't returned oil. Yeah, probably no reason to break the seal, but people do strange things. Ever notice how some people will press the elevator button when it's already lit? Push when it says pull or vice versa?

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: TheLawnRanger
Someone opened it to see what the oil was like and put it back when they chose something else.


This is the most plausible explanation.....

 

[dave1251]

All I can say is maybea person wanted to take a whiff. I have some this with my stash at home. Kendall GT-1 Max stinks. Being said currently it's my FAV.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: TheLawnRanger
Someone opened it to see what the oil was like and put it back when they chose something else.


This is the most plausible explanation.....



Very likely. I see shoppers opening up products all the time to smell or to look. Shampoo, lotions, etc.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: PimTac
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: TheLawnRanger
Someone opened it to see what the oil was like and put it back when they chose something else.


This is the most plausible explanation.....



Very likely. I see shoppers opening up products all the time to smell or to look. Shampoo, lotions, etc.


+1

 

[Vuflanovsky]

Originally Posted By: dogememe
Originally Posted By: TheLawnRanger
Someone opened it to see what the oil was like and put it back when they chose something else.


See what the oil was like? How is this helpful? Oh yes, this one smells good, hmm, but this one looks better, oooh I think I'll buy that other one it's purple.

Seriously, who the heck buys oil based on how it LOOKS?



I think you give WalMart shoppers too little credit. They could potentially be looking for anything from the smell, color of the oil to non-existent rebate stickers under the cap that the oil they bought two years ago had...The last time I was in a WalMart in a uhh..lesser neighborhood...half the oil filter boxes were crushed or distorted and a good percentage were in the wrong boxes...that's all you need to know to check the seals of every quart or jug you buy there.

 

[Dallas69]

If you buy oil based on color and smell, then you have some serious problems.

 

[Hall]

It was probably done by a BITOG'er and confirming that all of the jugs of oil were the proper color, viscosity, scent, and so on. They had a stack of SDS and tech sheets for each type of oil in hand too.

 

[blupupher]

I returned a jug of oil to Walmart once.
When I returned it, the clerk started to open it up.
I asked why she was opening a sealed container.
She said she had to check it.
I showed her the cap still has the little tabs intact and was still sealed.
She said she had to check it.
She cracked the top seal and checked it just by looking in it.
I asked what she was exactly she was checking for, and she said to make sure it was still full.
I showed her the little clear line on the side of the jug that showed the oil level.
She said she had to visually look at it.

 

[PimTac]

There was a recent thread here of someone who bought oil that had been used or tampered with from one of the big chain auto parts stores. This is not exclusive to Walmart so no matter where you purchase your oil, check it first that it’s sealed.

 

[Vuflanovsky]

Originally Posted By: Dallas69
If you buy oil based on color and smell, then you have some serious problems.


Yep. That's my point...You have to guard against the people who open up and potentially tamper with the oil for reasons only known to them. I'm not going to second guess them...I'm going to make sure the quarts or jugs are sealed...and the right oil filter is in the box, etc.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: blupupher
I returned a jug of oil to Walmart once.
When I returned it, the clerk started to open it up.
I asked why she was opening a sealed container.
She said she had to check it.
I showed her the cap still has the little tabs intact and was still sealed.
She said she had to check it.
She cracked the top seal and checked it just by looking in it.
I asked what she was exactly she was checking for, and she said to make sure it was still full.
I showed her the little clear line on the side of the jug that showed the oil level.
She said she had to visually look at it.

I thought the story was going to end by her saying it was opened and you couldn't return it...

 

[DGXR]

I also believe the most plausible explanation is that a customer checked the product and returned it to the shelf, then ultimately purchased a different one.

After reading all this, I think it's a good idea to twist off the caps at the store immediately after purchase, to check that the seal is intact. Any issues, I can show the cashier right away and go exchange it for a good one.

Originally Posted By: blupupher
I returned a jug of oil to Walmart once.
When I returned it, the clerk started to open it up.
I asked why she was opening a sealed container.
She said she had to check it.
I showed her the cap still has the little tabs intact and was still sealed.
She said she had to check it.
She cracked the top seal and checked it just by looking in it.
I asked what she was exactly she was checking for, and she said to make sure it was still full.
I showed her the little clear line on the side of the jug that showed the oil level.
She said she had to visually look at it.

I recently returned a couple jugs of oil to WalMart and the clerk at the returns counter twisted the caps back just enough to confirm that they had not been removed before (the little neck strap was still holding the caps firmly onto the jugs). He never checked the foil seal and I don't recall if he checked the clear side of the jug to see if it's full. But the return was quick and uneventful.

 

[PimTac]

The checking of the cap might be enough as some consumers including myself will not purchase any oil where the cap seal is broken even if the foil seal is intact.

Some oils have colored caps and some like Valvoline have a clear cap in which you can see the intact foil seal clearly. They should all have this feature imo.

 

[littleant]

Originally Posted By: blupupher
I returned a jug of oil to Walmart once.
When I returned it, the clerk started to open it up.
I asked why she was opening a sealed container.
She said she had to check it.
I showed her the cap still has the little tabs intact and was still sealed.
She said she had to check it.
She cracked the top seal and checked it just by looking in it.
I asked what she was exactly she was checking for, and she said to make sure it was still full.
I showed her the little clear line on the side of the jug that showed the oil level.
She said she had to visually look at it.

So i wonder what did with the open jug put back on the shelf ??