Trying to find GC....

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I must be really unlucky...not able to find any of the 2 oils that I'm interested in...Chevron Supreme or German Castrol.
I live in Oak Ridge, TN, close to Knoxville. Does anyone know how to find some GC in this area?

I'm doing an Auto Rx treatment soon, and want to change to GC or Chevron Supreme after that.(current oil: Pennzoil HM 10-30)

What kind of temp-range is GC suitable for? is it ok in 90 degree summer? or just in winter?(97 Ford 4.6L mod.sohc)
 
Have fun!! I have been looking for 2-3 months. Al we keep getting is a steady resupply of the crappy yellow label American made 0W30! I just returned from my weekly pilgrimage to Autozone.
Lat time they had 4 quarts of the yellow stuff ths time they had about 20 quarts of the yellow stuff and none of it had any dust on it.

It is really getting frustrateing!!! I can mail order SLX oil from Europe faster then waiting for castrol to distribute this stuff!

I want to try this stuff in the old buick and see how she does with it!
 
quote:

What kind of temp-range is GC suitable for? is it ok in 90 degree summer? or just in winter?(97 Ford 4.6L mod.sohc)

Since this oil is a very thick 30wt (12.2cst at 100c) which is almost a 40wt, it should work out very well in the hot summer for most engines. It'll definitely protect better than Mobil 1 5w30 or 10w30 in the heat, since those oils are only 10cst at 100c.
 
quote:

Originally posted by 97tbird:
I must be really unlucky...not able to find any of the 2 oils that I'm interested in...Chevron Supreme or German Castrol.
I live in Oak Ridge, TN, close to Knoxville. Does anyone know how to find some GC in this area?


Since Autozone, the only place you can find GC in the US that of which I am aware, is HQ'd in Memphis, I am surprised you can't find it in TN. They must not distribute it some parts of their
own backyard.
frown.gif
 
I wonder if Castrol might be getting a good laugh at the people searching all over the place for their German Castrol. If they were really serious about selling this stuff, then it seems to me that it would be everywhere and easy to find. For all we know Castrol may be dumping motor oil from overseas on the US market to get rid of it. There was a person 'Down Under' who said that another Castrol oil had replaced the German Castrol in his country.

The German Castrol is a good oil (UOAs certainly indicate that). My car ran good with the German Castrol. One problem is that the oil has no API starburst symbol. If Castrol wanted to compete with Mobil 1 they have an oil in the German Castrol that would probably be more than up to the job. They could manufacturer the oil here and make it available in other viscosities.

These things do not seem to be happening. If the oil is being dumped on the US market, it will all be gone soon enough.

I for one am not going to run around like a chicken with its head cut off looking for the German Castrol, when I can go to a Wal-Mart store and buy Mobil 1, which is probably good enough, although it could probably be better. If Mobil 1 is not your cup of tea, you can obtain Amsoil, or Redline.
 
quote:

Originally posted by dickwells:
All of the 0W30 I find in Illinois says made in usa on it.

german stuff is at the autozone in schaumburg, ONLY german stuff, tons of it.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Mystic:
I wonder if Castrol might be getting a good laugh at the people searching all over the place for their German Castrol. If they were really serious about selling this stuff, then it seems to me that it would be everywhere and easy to find.

I don't think it's Castrol's fault here. I think any Autozone in the country can get it, but they just aren't ordering it since nobody has been buying up the old stock yet! A lot of stores won't order new stuff if they haven't been able to sell what they've already got. I bet you most of the managers at all the Autozones don't even have a clue that people are looking for this oil.

I think with winter coming up, the chances of them selling the old 0w30 stock is good (at least in northern areas) so you'll see a lot more GC 0w30 showing up soon.

Castrol does need to allow this stuff to be sold in other locations though. I remember how AC Delco would only allow it's Ultraguard Gold filters to be sold in Pep Boys, and look what happened to it, discontinued due to lack of interest! Well duh!
pat.gif
How stupid was AC Delco? Put the product in more locations and it would've sold you idiots!!
nono.gif
 
You really have to check out a few Autozones. It's hit and miss. Over the weekend, I visited five different autozones and found the GC at only two of the five and supply was limited even at the two. Plus, at one of them, they had TWO different red labels, one from Germany and one from the U.S. which adds to the confusion. There are three more autozones in the greater Columbus area and I plan on hitting them before the 6 fo 5 deal expires, although I might not actually be saving money from all the gas I'm using
grin.gif
.

[ September 29, 2003, 08:38 AM: Message edited by: VeeDubb ]
 
I'm in Memphis. I'll check for german castrol on my next trip to the super autozone. I'm not looking to buy though cuz I already have a 100 qt stock of dino oil.
tongue.gif
 
quote:

I bet you most of the managers at all the Autozones don't even have a clue that people are looking for this oil.

1) The managers at Autozone don't do any sort of ordering. It's all on automatic computer controlled replenishment.

2) The cases of German Castrol are absolutely identical to the cases of the American 0-30. They have the same bar code on the back. Therefore, when an autozone sells out of GC, it's not unlikely to get a bunch of American 0-30 in it's place. They honestly don't know the difference.


My manager thought I was completely nuts for coveting all the GC we had in the store. If anybody lives near cape cod, come into my store, I've got about two cases of the stuff sitting on the shelf.
 
I went in to the Dixon AZ at lunch time expecting the same old disappointment, but there it was. Only 6 bottles before it turned into USmade. Had them look for more but there was none. My truck is about ready for a change so I am all set now. I think I will go with a K&N filter for a little more flow than my usual Pure1. The oil has no noticeable odor to me. I was expecting it to be frog green but I only see a little green tint up at the meniscus line. Oh well, I am a happy camper.
 
On top of the computer generated ordering triggered with sales of products, store personnel can and do order products if there is more demand/request for it. The AZ that I buy my stuff, the store manager was able to get 4(6 packs) of CG. The store still have 2 cases left which I will probably pick up before the buy 5 get 1 free offer ends on 10/4.
 
quote:

Originally posted by pinoy99:
On top of the computer generated ordering triggered with sales of products, store personnel can and do order products if there is more demand/request for it. The AZ that I buy my stuff, the store manager was able to get 4(6 packs) of CG. The store still have 2 cases left which I will probably pick up before the buy 5 get 1 free offer ends on 10/4.

pinoy99,

I guess the guy I talked to either didn't try very hard, or has no influence, because he was never able to get any in, or else he did and then bought it himself!
 
I got some more GC in Center City Phila ghetto today, so much for demographics. 1 stray case way back, had to dig hard, but that 6 for 5 special is about to end. Is this the new batch? M030426A T/W05482 For the Record, my local AZ manager orders 2 cases a week of GC for me, I've used 6 and have 6 stored. They have 10q of dusty 'ol Yeller and no problem ordering the good stuff.
Also: the whole 6 for 5 deal goes along with the speculation that Castrol is reformulating, getting rid of old stock...maybe a better product because all grades of jug Syntec meet ACEA A5.

[ September 29, 2003, 08:37 PM: Message edited by: TSoA ]
 
quote:

Originally posted by TSoA:
I got some more GC in Center City Phila ghetto today, so much for demographics. 1 stray case way back, had to dig hard, but that 6 for 5 special is about to end. Is this the new batch? M030426A T/W05482 For the Record, my local AZ manager orders 2 cases a week of GC for me, I've used 6 and have 6 stored. They have 10q of dusty 'ol Yeller and no problem ordering the good stuff.

Maybe it's a C Springs thing, but the guys here insist the system is "push" not "pull" and the one guy who said he "had called" once and would call again, never has delivered. In the first case, maybe they don't want to bother, and in the second, maybe the guy has no clout, but that is the way it is working here. From the VOAs I've seen, I believe that T/W05482 is the "purest" batch of the bunch.
 
I hit the jackpot today. Went and checked out yet another Autozone and loaded up on three cases. So I've cleaned out just about every Autozone in the Columbus area, which means I'm set for oil changes for two cars for the next 40,000 miles (catching up to pscholte
grin.gif
).

Spoke to the manager and he was very friendly. He said the GC will continue to show up as long as there is demand. If somebody buys two cases at a govem autozone, it will trigger an automatic reorder.
 
quote:

Originally posted by VeeDubb:
I hit the jackpot today. Went and checked out yet another Autozone and loaded up on three cases. So I've cleaned out just about every Autozone in the Columbus area, which means I'm set for oil changes for two cars for the next 40,000 miles (catching up to pscholte
grin.gif
).

Spoke to the manager and he was very friendly. He said the GC will continue to show up as long as there is demand. If somebody buys two cases at a govem autozone, it will trigger an automatic reorder.


Congratulations on your find! I just hope the manager was making his comment on continued supply based on solid information and not just thinking to himself, "That's the way it always works, so I am safe in saying that about GC."
 
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