To all who bash Valvoline

Dominic · Sep 18, 2004

Valvoline has always been a good oil for me. I run it in everything, and my maxlife oil reports are quite good with it. The all climate isnt a bad oil to start with, but I don't consider it good for more than 3,000mi changes

Thanks for the post

newtoncd8 · Sep 18, 2004

And their new Maxlife synthetic 5W30 (available at Wal-Mart) is ACEA A3 rated, thought that was impressive. I haven't seen many 5W30's with the ACEA A3 rating.

Gene K · Sep 19, 2004

I dont bash Valvoline. I have used some of their products I really liked. The original High Mileage oil (with Moly) and still like Valvoline VR1 as a affordable Weekend Warrior Race Oil.

There are better choices for less money in most of the othe rproducts in the Valvoline Line. Why would I pay more for Valvoline All-Climate than Motorcraft Synthetic Blend?

Gene

ToyotaNSaturn · Sep 19, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by like a rock:
I was at the local Walmart yesterday...Well Castrol not more than two weeks back was selling 5 quart jugs for 6.80 and now they are selling for over 9.00 a jug.

That's not Castrol, that's Wal-Mart playing with price points. They dictate what they say sell everything for. Do you think the 5qt jugs of Pennzoil will last forever at $6.77? Better stockpile now if you're PZ fan.

IMO, Castrol GTX is the best dino one can buy as it is more shear stable than even my stockpile of Chevron/Havoline.

And about that Valvo bashing...I'm one of "those" guys. But I got screwed at a local Valvoline oil change shop not all that long ago. I do admit that not everything about Valvo is negative... As a result of that bad experience, it made me start changing my own oil again and brought me to BITOG. For those two things, I'm eternally grateful to Valvoline.

like a rock · Sep 19, 2004

Not trying to get people fired up toyota and saturn just making a statement of my feelings. Sorry if you took it as Castrol bashing. That it is not.

ToyotaNSaturn · Sep 19, 2004

like a rock, no offense taken. hopefully none was taken by yourself either...didn't mean to come across that way at all. I shoulda put a couple smilies in my original post

I'm just not a Valvo fan at all. BITOG has really changed my mind about alot of things. In fact, Castrol has always been the dark horse of oils for me. But hanging around here has changed my mind after seeing their dino seemingly outperform everyone else's. This winter, I'm going to the "green side"

Funny thing about WalMart is that they must have some sort of regional contracts and pricing structure for certain periods of time. M1 was rarely at the local Walmarts here, now they ALL have the 5 qt jugs for $19.82...and the PZ jugs are a really good price. They used to have Castrol at the upper $6 range, but it's been $8.47 for those 5qt jugs for some time now.

like a rock · Sep 19, 2004

Thanks for your input toyota n saturn. I have used castrol gtx for years and you are right about it being one of the most shear stable dino oils out there. I have a Saturn L-300 24 valve dohc v-6 that likes to mash oil quickly. I ran gtx 5-30 for 3000 miles last winter and the uoa showed that it sheared very little at least less than a average dino would. My first uoa on this car was with amsoil 5-30 not the true synthetic which sheared down to a high 20 weight. If walmart is trying to play with price based on brand sales they are doing a great job. Castrol oil moves from my store very quickly.

TallPaul · Sep 19, 2004

I have 50 bottles of Valvoline Maxlife and Durablend stashed in my cellar. I am a Valvoline nut. Valvoline has been good to me. I have a couple good Maxlife UOAs posted here.

Bio-T · Sep 19, 2004

Valvoline is a good oil, as are many on the market. Oil and filter changed with reasonable miles/time will help the engine last forever. I just got 5 free quarts of Max Life 5W30 to put in my low mile/low use Caddy. And for free, why would I bash this oil?

mikep · Sep 19, 2004

Like you already found....Havoline at $1.42

. GeneK also brings up another excellent, low cost choice of Motorcraft 5w-30 which is already a syn blend at the same price, or a few pennies more than the Havoline mineral oil.

Virtuoso · Sep 19, 2004

You know, I thought I saw a (perhaps more than a) few UOA's where 5w-30 GTX actuslly sheared down quite a bit over 3-5k-ish intervals. I'm not GTX bashing (I used it religiously for my SHO's before I switched go GC); but I wouldn't call it the most shear-stable dino. I know the 10w-30 is pretty stout though.

GSV · Sep 19, 2004

quote:

And their new Maxlife synthetic 5W30 (available at Wal-Mart) is ACEA A3 rated, thought that was impressive.

That is impressive. I'm going to check it out.
Competition is a beautiful thing!

"MaxLife Synthetic is safe for new and rebuilt engines and will not void new car warranties. Recommended for engines specifying API SL/SJ, ACEA A3/B3/B4, BMW LL01/98, VW502.00/505.00, MB229.3/229.1."

MaxLife Syn datapage

GSV · Sep 19, 2004

I bet the flogging we gave them prompted these new oils.

You Valvoline fans should thank us.

you're welcome

JohnnyO · Sep 19, 2004

At my local K-Mart and Wal-Mart both, the Havoline is a lot cheaper than the Valvoline.

Flimflam · Sep 19, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Virtuoso:
You know, I thought I saw a (perhaps more than a) few UOA's where 5w-30 GTX actuslly sheared down quite a bit over 3-5k-ish intervals. I'm not GTX bashing (I used it religiously for my SHO's before I switched go GC); but I wouldn't call it the most shear-stable dino. I know the 10w-30 is pretty stout though.

Virtuoso, when I posted my UOA for my Suzuki Sidekick with GTX 10w-40, many experts in BITOG mentioned that my GTX had really sheared down to where it was almost a 30-weight.

Nevertheless, I had great wear numbers with GTX. Altthough I now use Chevron Delo 400 15w-40, I would have no hesitation about pouring GTX into my engine any day, any time. It is one great oil.

Gene K · Sep 19, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Virtuoso:
I thought I saw UOA's where 5w-30 GTX actually sheared down quite a bit over 3-5k-ish intervals.

This is normal for a API Starburst Energy Conserving Dino 5W-30. They have to be designed to shear down a grade almost immediately in order to earn the Starburst.

Gene

Drew99GT · Sep 19, 2004

Look at all the 5w-30 dino reports, and you'll find that GTX shears the least of all the dinos.

tmorris1 · Sep 19, 2004

I think the Free after rebate MaxLife works great.

like a rock · Sep 19, 2004

I was at the local Walmart yesterday and noticed Castrol has increased the price point on SM gtx to 1.92 per quart and also raised the high mileage to 2.48 per quart. Well now this is much more expensive than all climate Valvoline at 1.78 per quart. And when you look at Castrol voa vs. Valvoline voa's there is not much difference except that gtx has moly and all climate does not. We also see several more gtx uoa's vs. all climate uoa's. I think the quality of the two brands of oil is right about equal. The big gripe was Valvoline was always higher priced with less of a add pack. Well Castrol not more than two weeks back was selling 5 quart jugs for 6.80 and now they are selling for over 9.00 a jug. Heck syntec blend is about the same price. It seems Castrol's marketing and price points are all mashed together. They make a good oil, I have used it for years. But there is better like the new havoline SM line for 1.42 per quart. I bought a case.

farang · Sep 19, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by tmorris1:
I think the Free after rebate MaxLife works great.

That's true! Nothing beat free after rebate! Just got into their new free oil (started a few days ago). I have enough Maxlife for the next 30000mi with 3000mi OCI

To all who bash Valvoline

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