Wal-Mart Super-Tech dino SL 5w-30

[csandste]

That's one of my few qualms with this oil (which I use). Wal-Mart can move production around from Pennzoil / Quaker State to Warren and back again and the bottles probably won't indicate a thing. Is the original test on Warren or Pennzoil / Quaker State?..really don't know. If they move production to Shell we really probably won't know, as Wal-Mart's sure as hell not going to change the bottles to reflect it until they're out of containers.

Of course Shell was always rumored to do the same thing, being totally different oils in different parts of the country. I think Consumer Reports picked up on that point when they did the New York taxi tests.

 

[YZF150]

So perhaps that is a reason to spend the extra on a branded oil--a greater likelihood of getting the same (or a much more similar) product in the bottle each time.

 

[csandste]

I don't think that's necessarily the case. In addition to variations in Shell, I think that Castrol can vary quite a bit (this from memory). Havoline is certainly two different products. The Equilon may be identical to the future SuperTech, the new product is identical to Chevron. Citgo used to be a fine old-line American company, now it's part of the Venezuelan oil cartel. Have Phillips and Conoco changed since their merger? Don't know.

I would expect Wal-Mart to always supply an adequate product, but also continually beat down suppliers. The trademark is theirs and they could move production at any time, but I don't think this is much different than what happens with many "brand name" oils.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

TTT for newcomers!