SM Motor Oil

[Buford T. Justice]

I was at Wal-Mart yesterday and decided to look at the motor oils there. Every conventional oil I looked at was SM. Strangely, the Mobil 1 Extended Performance in the 1 qt. bottles were all SL. The Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5 qt. jugs were SM. My local Wal-Mart doesn't carry Castrol motor oil. I sure didn't see any.

Also, Wal-Mart has the Valvoline 5 or 6 pack (I forget which) of conventional for just under $10. I couldn't tell if it is SM or not. I have always liked Valvoline oil. I am not sure why it gets a bad rap here. Maybe I will search the used oil analysis on Valvoline here on BITOG.

Havoline was considered crappy oil here in my area. I know 3 very competent mechanics and they all said that Havoline was bad and that Valvoline was the best. That has been about 10 years or so ago so maybe things have changed.

 

[schwartr88]

I picked up a couple of the 5 packs of maxlife for $10, and they are SM oil. I opened a box at walmarts just to be sure.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

Oh they have it in MaxLife too? The ones I saw I think were just regular Valvoline conventional oil. They had pictures of cars on the boxes. One had one of Richard Petty's old race cars on it.

 

[schwartr88]

Oh, I would believe the AC is SM too. Just pry open a box and look.

I had a coupon for $5 dollars the purchase of 5 quarts of maxlife so I bought the 5 pack box. In the end I got 5 quarts for 5 bucks.

 

[fastbear]

All the diesel oils like 5-40 and 15-40 Shell Rotella are still exempt from the SM classification and still SL rated.

 

[Cutehumor]

I will never say anything bad about valvoline on this board. I've been bought off..oops I mean given free oil after rebate.

 

[csandste]

"Havoline was considered crappy oil here in my area. I know 3 very competent mechanics and they all said that Havoline was bad and that Valvoline was the best. That has been about 10 years or so ago so maybe things have changed."

The only thing the same from ten years ago was the name. Different manufacturer, different formula, only the brand remains.

 

[MarkC]

And it's pretty good.

 

[Gary Allan]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Buford T. Justice:


Havoline was considered crappy oil here in my area. I know 3 very competent mechanics and they all said that Havoline was bad and that Valvoline was the best. That has been about 10 years or so ago so maybe things have changed.

---

Impressions are hard to shake, Buford. If you see a few bad events with a given product ..most people usually brand the product as junk for the rest of their lives. Some times it's true ..but most times not. You see it all the time...cars ..whatever. If they don't keep abreast of evolutions in lubrication ..they won't have any reason to change their opion.

It's like thinking that LT1 is the same engine that you had in your 1961 Biscayne wagon and basing your opinion upon that experience.