Trying to liquidate my excess oil this year.

Joined
Jan 25, 2009
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Location
Georgia
I have about 7 to 8 quarts of Valvoline SYNPower 20w-50 full synthetic that I got on clearance about 5 years ago.

I mainly use it for my older lawnmower and it's been great. However I just don't need that much of it and there happens to be another oil I have about 20 quarts of that's also languishing.

I got Shell Rotella Gas & Truck Full Synthetic for free back in 2020 after the rebates. I'm using everything except the 0W-20 which has been mostly sitting around.

I'm thinking about combining roughly 1 quart of the Valvoline 20W-50 with 4 quarts of the Rotella 0W-20. This would make it a 5W-26 from my armchair calculations and I'm planning on keeping the OCI at 5k.

I know I won't blow anything up. I own a dealership but this will be for my personal use over the next several years. That guy who likes to perfect everything before retailing his daily drivers? That's me. I estimate that four to five oil changes will bring these two weights down to managable levels so that I can do top-offs with 0W-20 vehicles and regular OCI on the lawnmower with the 20W-50 until the year 2030.
 
I can't keep a stash. When I combine my strong desire to keep things maintained and my strong desire not to have clutter, I find myself gradually shortening OCIs for all 12 vehicles I service just to get the stash gone. I'm talking like running Castrol Edge EP and a Fram XG for 2,500 miles. It's almost like an endorphin hit every time I change the oil. (Not really, but I think that gets the point across.) I don't let myself build a stash anymore and won't buy anything until the vehicle hits the mileage on the sticker.
 
I can't keep a stash. When I combine my strong desire to keep things maintained and my strong desire not to have clutter
Then your head would explode if you saw my house. Got my last oil purchase stored in lower hallway for the last 6 months. Not to mention the tires in the bath tub. And yea, I can leave the toilet seat up any time I want.

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Then your head would explode if you saw my house. Got my last oil purchase stored in lower hallway for the last 6 months. Not to mention the tires in the bath tub. And yea, I can leave the toilet seat up any time I want.

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I'm sure I would be changing oil every other month for all 12 vehicles. If I kept to my actual schedule, that would be like 6 or 7 years worth of oil.
 
When i do my three cars and 2 tractors and 4 walk behind snowblowers it clears out a lot of oil.

Right now i need to seriously clean my garage and sort and find out how much of each oil i have. My daughters car used 10 40. I have good anounts of straight weight 30 for my tractors and a lot lot of 5 w 20 in mobil 1 and other brands etc.
 
I figure with the 3 current vehicles I'm maintaining and at current miles driven my stash will last till beyond 2050 when I'm about 91 years old. Some of it is already 25 years old. I've got oil I bought on sale 2qts./$1. and other that I bought at regular shelf price of $ .79-$ .89 qt. I bought up lots of oil years ago when I often had to change oil in my work car about every 4 weeks then I got injured and had to go on disability. Now I do 2 or 3 OC's per year. At last count I think I had something like 260 quarts of oil. I said a few years ago I wasn't buying any more oil because what I had would probably last me the rest of my life but then I got the chance to buy Mobil 1 at Walmart for under $1./qt. and I bought more. I'm pretty sure I won't be buying anymore.
 
Why? Just why do you guys hoard motor oil? What good does it do you? Unless you’re maintaining a fleet what’s the point?
The idea is to save money.

When you hoard you’re usually buying it on rebate/sale/clearance. Generally the oil is not going to go bad...and for some of us it won’t take up much space. I’ve purchased over 75 quarts of various brands for under $130 bucks. That oil lasted me maybe four years and 12 or so oil changes. There are people that pay $90-$120 bucks for an oil change nowadays, personally I was able to do 12 oil changes for $130 (and another $70 in oil filters). And it didn’t take any real effort to buy that oil on sale/rebate.

I’d do it again if I had the chance.
 
Why? Just why do you guys hoard motor oil? What good does it do you? Unless you’re maintaining a fleet what’s the point?
People buy and hoard all sorts of things for all sorts of reasons.

I like getting a deal.
I did an oil change in my mom's car today, 4.5 qts Rotella Gas Truck 5w-30 and a Champ oil filter. My total cost was I also did not have to go to a store and see what they had it stock (and spend $25-30 for a 5 qt jug and a filter).
Seems there are more and more posts here about how bare some oil shelves are looking.
My shelves look fine. It takes up a small section of shelves in my garage.
 
(and another $70 in oil filters)
I've got a stock of filters too, probably 35-40 of them. The ones for my Fords I think were all bought from $ .17 up to $1. each at store closeouts, flea markets, yard sales, etc. I doubt I've got $40. tied up in all of them. The high dollar ones are for my '16 Nissan and cost me about $2. each including shipping from Rock Auto. When I bought the Nissan in Feb. 2019 I ordered a dozen filters to fit it knowing they'd last me several years. I don't think I've bought any filters for my Fords since the early 2000's and didn't really need them then but I wasn't passing on A/C Delco filters at $1 each. When I do an oil change I don't have to worry about having to make a trip to pick up oil/filter and can do about 3-4 OC's before I have to take my drain pan and empty it.
 
I've got a stock of filters too, probably 35-40 of them. The ones for my Fords I think were all bought from $ .17 up to $1. each at store closeouts, flea markets, yard sales, etc. I doubt I've got $40. tied up in all of them. The high dollar ones are for my '16 Nissan and cost me about $2. each including shipping from Rock Auto. When I bought the Nissan in Feb. 2019 I ordered a dozen filters to fit it knowing they'd last me several years. I don't think I've bought any filters for my Fords since the early 2000's and didn't really need them then but I wasn't passing on A/C Delco filters at $1 each. When I do an oil change I don't have to worry about having to make a trip to pick up oil/filter and can do about 3-4 OC's before I have to take my drain pan and empty it.
As I was typing my post I began thinking about the filters, I haven’t really been able to find them much on sale (then again I haven’t really searched), but I usually pay around $6 bucks a piece for them at Walmart. And sometimes I can get them for a little less at a parts store my buddy works at. But I should check to see if I can get them on sale/rebate, because I have a pretty common Toyota engine with a cartridge style filter.
 
The idea is to save money.

When you hoard you’re usually buying it on rebate/sale/clearance. Generally the oil is not going to go bad...and for some of us it won’t take up much space. I’ve purchased over 75 quarts of various brands for under $130 bucks. That oil lasted me maybe four years and 12 or so oil changes. There are people that pay $90-$120 bucks for an oil change nowadays, personally I was able to do 12 oil changes for $130 (and another $70 in oil filters). And it didn’t take any real effort to buy that oil on sale/rebate.

I’d do it again if I had the chance.

I have a brand I like and works well for me, so I stick to it no matter the price. But that’s just me.
Each to their own, I’m not knocking you guys for doing it, just asking.
 
I have a brand I like and works well for me, so I stick to it no matter the price. But that’s just me.
Each to their own, I’m not knocking you guys for doing it, just asking.
Not knocking you either, but I have never really found one specific brand that works well for me, they usually all work well for me. However if I ever did find one specific brand that was noticeably better...quieter, less consumption, smoother, better fuel economy (consistently despite brand formula changes happening every few years)?? I probably would stick with it, I guess. Depending on cost. If it were within reason I'd stick with it.

But I do like the idea of running one thing forever and just sticking with it.
 
Then your head would explode if you saw my house. Got my last oil purchase stored in lower hallway for the last 6 months. Not to mention the tires in the bath tub. And yea, I can leave the toilet seat up any time I want.

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I stored a friction of what you have for a while and everyone was home was frustrated. Can't imagine what they're reaction if I was as brave as you.
 
Not knocking you either, but I have never really found one specific brand that works well for me, they usually all work well for me. However if I ever did find one specific brand that was noticeably better...quieter, less consumption, smoother, better fuel economy (consistently despite brand formula changes happening every few years)?? I probably would stick with it, I guess. Depending on cost. If it were within reason I'd stick with it.

But I do like the idea of running one thing forever and just sticking with it.

So quick story…my wife drove a 2006 Kia Sedona, we bought it with 130K on it. I changed the oil every 5k using Mobil 1. No matter what, 5k.
She only drove 1/4 mile to work, 1/4 mile home. Her commute was so short the battery would go dead in the winter time from the lights being on, defroster, wipers, heater…and I’d have to throw it on the charger once a month.
Anyway…it was the family car, we drove it every where on the weekends, in the summer it used 1qt of oil between oil changes. Mobil 1 5w-20. Costco, $26/case.
As the engine aged, 160k and up, it used 2qts every oil change. No leaks. Mobil 1, 5w-20 every 5k. Engine was always noisy when hot.
In the dead of winter, it started timing chain rattle at cold start up around 170k.

Switched to Castrol Syntec, at 175k, black bottle, 5w-20, 5k oil changes. No change in how the van was used. Zero oil usage, zero engine noise when hot. Zero timing chain rattle when cold. Traded the van in at 210k with original timing set, zero engine noise, zero oil usage.

I am one who doesn’t care how much it costs, I need it and it works for me, I use it. But that is just me.*

*your results may vary. Please check local listings and weather conditions for your application. No terms apply.
 
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