Price difference really that big of a deal?

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I see people really having issues about paying $ 2-4.00 more for an oil filter and $ 2-10.00 difference for oil for an oil change that happens once every 4,6,9 or 12 months Is it really that big of a deal?

If so do you tend to always look for bargains or the cheapest deals you can find?

Do you eat at the dollar menus at fast food places instead of just getting a combo meal?

**I personally don't mind paying a little extra.
 
I don't mind paying extra for good quality stuff, but I'm a thrifty college student, so I try to find things on sale whenever possible
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I also do a lot of oil changes for friends & family so sometimes a lower cost does help.
 
People don't understand math. Paying an extra $8 or $10 per 6 month or 5000 mile OCI is basically UNDETECTABLE in the "cost of ownership" of a car. Gas prices, insurance, depreciation, etc. are the REAL costs. Thats why I pay the extra $10 and buy synthetics.
 
I agree with everyone so far. I spend $10/quart on oil. I skip fast food twice during an OCI to make up the difference so that I don't feel guilty about it. But literally there will be two times where I want the fast food that I say no to myself becuase of this.

I have a completely average income and quite honestly it doesn't hurt me in the slightest. Skipping the fast food is more a motivation to eat slightly healthier than anything else.

To each his own but where I get mad is people preaching about using synthetic when its not necessary when it's only a few dollars more.
 
In general, I don't mind spending more for higher quality. That is, up to a point. It's a matter of me choosing what I wish to spend extra money on. I see the benefits of running synthetic, so I pay the extra premium for it. However, I don't see the benefit of paying top dollar for some "premium" filters, when I can get a PureOne for about $6.00, less if I find a sale or rebate somewhere. I don't like ridding my wallet of $$$ needlessly.
 
I don't mind paying a little extra if it buys me something. I found it a real revelation to compare a name brand Fram to an ST when cut open. Long before BITOG, the PF 1177 my truck takes disappeared. I got to wondering how the various other brands I was using compared to the AC, and started cutting them open. None of them came close to having as much filter media as the AC. Fram was the worst by far, and ST, STP, Purolator, Hastings, etc. all were about the same. Then Wal-mart dropped the ST I was using. I have mostly used Purolators recently, but the newer ones have much less media, and I don't like the dome end bypass or foreign ownership. At least the dinky ST 3593A they suggest now is cheap and all American. Before I go to it, I am checking STP, Hastings, and Pronto. I am not paying the foreign fat cats a premium for a filter I don't trust. May even go with a NAPA silver first.
 
For regular everyday price, the differences are not much from one brand to another. But when there is a sale and/or rebate such as $1/qt PP at WM then there is no reason to buy M1 or Synpower or ...

Last year I bought several case of Synpower for less than $1/qt after rebate, you think that I should not buy it ? Saving few dollars per year on oil change is not big deal, but the satisfaction of buying some quality syn oil for less than regular price dino is priceless.
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I learned the "price is a factor" concerning oil exclusively from BOTIG!!! Before, M1 was easily in my price point but I will admit that as I have aged, I have become more frugal in other areas. I DO NOT eat dollar menu usually so I would not say that accross the board I am that frugal, but I have definitely become more cheap as I have gotten older. When I was younger and made less money, I would spare no expense on my cars, but now I give one the cheaper treatment and my other still gets premium parts & stuff. But I am definitely more open minded and frugal than I once was and I must admit, I love the fact that I know Supertech is fine to buy and even though i make more per year than I did 10 yrs ago, I have more debt and every little bit helps. I like price being a factor because if it was not, I can assure you I'd be using Redline or Amsoil in everything from my lawn mower to my Jeeps LOL. Pennzoil & Mystik products worked for my grandpa for years; no reason to try to top that if I can rationalize price being a buying decision factor
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Originally Posted By: BuickGN


To each his own but where I get mad is people preaching about using synthetic when its not necessary when it's only a few dollars more.


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I don't object to sensible economies. I don't use a costlier product if I can't get my money's worth out of it. Now with baseline oil prices coming up to $3.xx-$4.xx ..it makes it easier than ever to make $8-$10/quart oil work. The performance gap has closed ..but so has the $ gap.
 
I buy quality and I'm not afraid to pay for it. However if I am buying brand X motor oil, and brand y filter I buy it for the best price I can get it for. Since I have an oil stash and a filter stash I'm never w/o oil or filters. So if I happen to be in Walmart and they have a deal on brand x oil at the time that is where I'm getting it from, same goes for AAP, PB, or where ever I shop.

I do the same thing with soda, beer, laundry detergent, paper goods, etc. Buy quailty at the best price, advertisements make it easy. Knowing prices helps, and never running out of something always used helps too. I could write more, but I think I got my point across.
 
Yeah, I go on a managed "fuel trim" method of always having what I need in stock. My wife and I differ in views on many things. She's always looking for "more of what she wants". I'm always geared to "not doing without of what you need". That is, while I'll buy anything that we use in bulk if the price is right, she doesn't view that as a reason to stay poised to buy the next normal consumed need in bulk. She then takes the stash for granted and expands the list of items since she doesn't need to think about them.
 
Although I like to get oil on sale/rebate/closeout/FAR, I do also like to get the best price on gasoline, which we do buy by the gallons every week.
 
I used to drive all over to find the cheapest gas. Might of saved 5-10 cents a gallon. For the wasted time, aggravation and the tiny amount I usually saved I decided to get over it.
 
I'll pay extra for a filter but not for oil (to a degree, anyway... I'm still buying oil that's up to my car's requirements).

With a 5K OCI and burning 1 qt every 2K, I can't see a reason to go synthetic. With a different car, maybe I would... it would honestly depend on the car.

Currently I'm using Formula Shell oil that I get at Costco, and either a Napa Gold or Carquest Blue filter (sometimes an AC Delco also). I like the guys at Carquest way better than Napa, but Napa is on my way home. I also like to buy oil by the case so that I have extra quarts for when I have to add.

I don't eat off the value menu, and I don't go out of my way for cheap gas. However, I pass 4 stations on my way home, and I do go to the cheapest out of those.
 
I'm notoriously cheap; I buy stuff at the Dollar Tree and Save-a-Lot grocery, patronize a nearby gas station that is the same price as Wal-Mart without foisting ethanol on me, etc.

Nowadays, with longer OCIs, we have plenty of chances to save. There's some kind of sale from the auto parts stores nearly every month. If you're doing, say, six-month OCIs, that's six chances to grab a deal for your next change. I bought the October change's oil, NAPA synthetic, when they had a sale in May or June; and I'll scoop up a filter at NAPA on sale this month.

Back in the 3-month days, I expect, we were a little more rushed. "Crikey! I've gotta change the oil next week! Never mind looking for a sale, I'll just grab the usual off the rack!"
 
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
People don't understand math. Paying an extra $8 or $10 per 6 month or 5000 mile OCI is basically UNDETECTABLE in the "cost of ownership" of a car. Gas prices, insurance, depreciation, etc. are the REAL costs. Thats why I pay the extra $10 and buy synthetics.

I understand math and its still $8 or $10 out of pocket at time of sale. Sure, there other larger costs but 8 or 10 bucks is still 8 or10 bucks.
 
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