Valvoline Sales Down
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I'm thinking that it because of two things: brand image and high prices. How often is Valvoline priced the same or less than Pennzoil, Castrol, etc., when it sits on the same shelf as the rest of the competition? People choose the cheaper and cheapest products most often, not the more expensive ones, like Valvoline.
When's the last time Valvoline re-defined their image? It's been a while and long overdue for ad campaigns and a fresh marketing look.
I agree, if Valvoline was priced at something like 1.29/qt they would be making a killing right now. Guess thats what happens when you get a little too greedy.
I luckily never gravitated to Valvoline and am glad after I found BITOG.Years ago I wouldn't have used Havoline or Citgo or Kendall either.
The thing I find strange is a lot of dealerships and Independant mechanics I see use Valvoline.
Discount maybe?
The biggest factor that caused me to switch from a loyal 3k Valvoline user was BITOG! ![[Smile]](images/icons/smile.gif)
APAC did a lot of road work around here. Looks like declining profits there are a big factor.
Doesn't look like they have a big following in the bulk and quicky lube type markets from what I see.
Exxon/Mobil and Sopus seem to have a lock on Industrial products in many areas.
Probably many factors other than just consumer sales.
I have been here for two years and am still using Valvoline, although have never used the basic stuff in the white bottle. Maxlife is very good oil. Whether or not it is overpriced, you can buy it on sale. Most of my Maxlife was purchased for under $2 a quart.
What BITOG did get me to give up is my one quart every oil change Rislone Engine Treatment habit.
I use the evil white bottled stuff. =-) As did the previous generation, with no apparent ill effects. I always picked up a few cases when it goes on sale. I am down to the final 2 changes in the stock pile however. Maybe I'll look at the blue bottled not-quite-so-evil all-fleet and help keep Valvoline afloat. ;-)
Alex.
quote:Me too. I still don't think Valvoline is that bad though, just you can get better for less. The 4 qts of All-Climate that I still have I bought on sale for $0.79/qt in 3 cases. With all the free stuff I have gotten from them, I will be using DuraBlend and MaxLife for a few years. Will I ever use All-Climate again (which Valvoline no longer calls All-Climate?), probably not, unless it is free.
Originally posted by Beast of Busco: The biggest factor that caused me to switch from a loyal 3k Valvoline user was BITOG!
quote:They actually hope you forget about the rebate and they don't have to pay.
Originally posted by Cutehumor: no wonder they were giving the free oil after rebate deals. I guess to stimulate sales or sway future purchases. I don't know if it worked or not.
I used to use Valvoline ocassionally until they stopped sponsoring Mark Martin. Then they decided to be a part owner in a NASCAR team that has not come close to Martin's performance. So there ya go. ![[Happy]](/forums/graemlins/fruit.gif)
Anyone notice who won the NASCAR All Star race at Charlotte a few months ago? Yep, Mark Martin. What paint job did his car have at that race? His original Valvoline scheme. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!!!! ![[Freak]](/forums/graemlins/freak2.gif)
Anyone notice who won the NASCAR All Star race at Charlotte a few months ago? Yep, Mark Martin. What paint job did his car have at that race? His original Valvoline scheme. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!!!! quote:But it had Pennzoil in the engine. Pennzoil is a Roush Racing sponsor now.
Originally posted by bretfraz: I used to use Valvoline ocassionally until they stopped sponsoring Mark Martin. Then they decided to be a part owner in a NASCAR team that has not come close to Martin's performance. So there ya go.
Pennzoil may be a Roush Racing sponsor but I'd bet his Nextel Cup engines run Amsoil or Mobil 1 racing oils. My nearest Monro Muffler uses Valvoline bulk oil for their changes by the way.
I used SynPower 5w-40 because it is VW 502 and easily obtained at NAPA. Keyword: "used".
I used to use Valvoline in my car any time I wasn't using the farm fleet oil. Why did I quit? Honestly it was from talking to Valvoline's tech line on two or three different occasions. I had just bought a SAAB, which specified 10,000 mile OCIs under "normal" conditions, which I fit as perfectly as possible at that time. When I asked them about 10,000 mile drains (their bottles said the 3/3 thing on them at the time), they said there's no way any manufacturer would warranty an engine on 10,000 mile drains! They also said there was no way they'd use their oil for that long, even their synthetic. Was that Official Valvoline Policy or just goober techs talking out their ears? I don't know, but I decided at that point that I wasn't a Valvoline user any more.
If you look at the "figures" posted elsewhere in BITOG, you'll see that Valvoline SynPower is one of the best synthetics. The important numbers are viscosity index, flash point, and pour point. You can spend more money on Amsoil, Redline, Mobil-1, etc. However, their spec's aren't that much better. Perhaps Valvoline's success in synthetics also carries over to their dino oils.
Uh, the real important figures for me come from a UOA. Not enough Valv. syn. UOAs to show anything IMO. Plus I believe the figures you speak of are very, very old.
On a second note, I saw a Marathon-Ashland gas truck the other day with the Ashland taped over. Anyone know what that's about?
quote:I thought I heard recently that Ashland sold off Marathon, but not sure.
Originally posted by T-Keith: On a second note, I saw a Marathon-Ashland gas truck the other day with the Ashland taped over. Anyone know what that's about?
The sale was in July, the name change effective Sept 01, 2005.
http://www.marathonpetroleum.com/
Evidently Ashland brought gasoline refineries into the original partnership about 1998 and the St Paul facility was included.
These refineries stayed with Marathon as part of the buyout of the Ashland stake in the partnership.
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