Dealership oils

[Fa24wrx]

Is there a running thread keeping up with what manufacturers dealer oils are? (I did search but found not much) If not, would it be informative to have one?

For example, we know subaru is Idemitsu oil. I think a fee other japanese cars are, too.

Maybe we could include UOA if we get them too.

The reason I'm asking: I'm curious what Hyundai/Kia uses for their dealer/bulk oil since we plan on sticking with the oem services for my wife's 2024 seltos that gets about <4k miles per year.

 

[cptbarkey]

Dealerships are under no obligation to use manufacturer oil.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Is there a running thread keeping up with what manufacturers dealer oils are? (I did search but found not much) If not, would it be informative to have one?

For example, we know subaru is Idemitsu oil. I think a fee other japanese cars are, too.

Maybe we could include UOA if we get them too.

The reason I'm asking: I'm curious what Hyundai/Kia uses for their dealer/bulk oil since we plan on sticking with the oem services for my wife's 2024 seltos that gets about <4k miles per year.

I would think it would vary by manufacturer with regards to how well they police it if at all with their dealers.

@Foxtrot08 would probably know exactly what goes on.

 

[Glenda W.]

Problem is every dealer could use a different bulk oil distributor. You really don’t know what your getting and dealers normally rely on the distributor being honest.

Would be interesting to have a list of manufacturers oil but even that changes and possibly even different by region.

 

[IndyIan]

Whatever major brand is cheapest locally that meets specs... I doubt too many Subaru dealers in north america uses Idemitsu unless they are near their distributor? I was not really impressed with bulk oil my Subaru dealer was using, as it was leaving varnish in a relatively cool unstressed engine on easy 6k mile intervals.

 

[Fa24wrx]

Hmm. I guess I thought it would be pretty consistent within brands

 

[Glenda W.]

Hmm. I guess I thought it would be pretty consistent within brands

Many years ago before my railroad career I worked at a GM dealer. At the time Havoline made GM branded oil and later became Mobil. Our bulk oil was filled by a local distributor using Quaker State.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Is there a running thread keeping up with what manufacturers dealer oils are? (I did search but found not much) If not, would it be informative to have one?

For example, we know subaru is Idemitsu oil. I think a fee other japanese cars are, too.

Maybe we could include UOA if we get them too.

The reason I'm asking: I'm curious what Hyundai/Kia uses for their dealer/bulk oil since we plan on sticking with the oem services for my wife's 2024 seltos that gets about <4k miles per year.

Likely varies regionally or even dealer to dealer taking the best deal from regional bulk sales.

Inquire at your service center, then ask to see the actual BBL or tank.

Often they all want to impress so they fib and say, "We use Mobil 1". Then I say, "Oh that is unfortunate, I prefer XYZ".

My VW dealer installed the incorrect oil in my lease car, I was asked to be shown the tank, and it had an invoice for Castrol 5W40 502 00/505 00 in the pocket.

Better do a 2x per year on that Steltos, even though the miles are low.

 

[Fa24wrx]

Likely varies regionally or even dealer to dealer taking the best deal from regional bulk sales.

Inquire at your service center, then ask to see the actual BBL or tank.

Often they all want to impress so they fib and say, "We use Mobil 1". Then I say, "Oh that is unfortunate, I prefer XYZ".

My VW dealer installed the incorrect oil in my lease car, I was asked to be shown the tank, and it had an invoice for Castrol 5W40 502 00/505 00 in the pocket.

Better do a 2x per year on that Steltos, even though the miles are low.

Yea we do every 6 months oci

 

[kschachn]

Even if they use Idemitsu oil then that isn’t the same as “Subaru Genuine Motor Oil” or whatever it is called. This applies to the other OEM branded oils.

Someone on here once stated that BMW dealerships use BMW branded oil but the one I know about does not unless you ask and pay more. Same for every other dealership I’ve been to for Toyota and VW. They are under no compulsion from the automaker to use branded oil. Same for other consumables as well including coolant and ATF.

I don’t think they are obsessed by grade either, including at my VW dealership.

 

[PontiacHO]

Usually oil from local oil companies also sale fuel oil, machine oil, etc…
They will use the same tanker for all.
That’s your “free oil changes” oil!

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Dealerships are under no obligation to use manufacturer oil.

Yes my old Toyota dealer used Chevron unless you requested Synthetic.

 

[Fa24wrx]

Even if they use Idemitsu oil then that isn’t the same as “Subaru Genuine Motor Oil” or whatever it is called. This applies to the other OEM branded oils.

Someone on here once stated that BMW dealerships use BMW branded oil but the one I know about does not unless you ask and pay more. Same for every other dealership I’ve been to for Toyota and VW. They are under no compulsion from the automaker to use branded oil. Same for other consumables as well including coolant and ATF.

I don’t think they are obsessed by grade either, including at my VW dealership.

Wow I had no idea. Ok then

 

[ATex7239]

I’m not sure what keeping such a database would achieve. Other than just a nice to know feature. Would be a lot of work for not a lot of gain.

If a dealership is using the branded oil which meets spec or a non-branded oil which also meets spec then in both situations they are using an oil that meets spec.

 

[Sandstorm]

My local Honda/Acura dealership uses Pennzoil. Local Mazda dealership uses Mobil.
Whatever is the cheapest and meet the specs, they will use.

 

[JohnnyG]

Whatever is the cheapest and meet the specs, they will use.

And the specs part is probably questionable.

 

[xspeedy]

I would bet the dealers and most quick oil change shops don’t even have different viscosities or grades of oil. There is probably a huge drum of some bulk 5w-20 that goes into anything that comes in.

 

[Sandstorm]

And the specs part is probably questionable.

Yes, even the Mercedes dealer uses the questionable oil. Do your own oil changes folks.

 

[72C10]

Could be anything, including the distributor's generic house brand. It depends on what the shop wants to order.

 

[Thebigm]

Is there a running thread keeping up with what manufacturers dealer oils are? (I did search but found not much) If not, would it be informative to have one?

For example, we know subaru is Idemitsu oil. I think a fee other japanese cars are, too.

Maybe we could include UOA if we get them too.

The reason I'm asking: I'm curious what Hyundai/Kia uses for their dealer/bulk oil since we plan on sticking with the oem services for my wife's 2024 seltos that gets about <4k miles per year.

My Volks dealer uses Wolfs head