I've used Central Tractor Parts, Southern States Coöp, W.T. Grant, ShopRite, Kmart, Walmart, Sears Spectrum (made by Warren Oil), Rural King (also Warren Oil), Advance Auto (made by Valvoline and/or Texaco, I believe), and probably a few other store-branded oils I can't recall now. Several name brands, too. No failures attributable to any of them.
What are your thoughts on store brand motor oils?
- Thread starter 53' Stude
- Start date
Gram is amalie..US made
I only buy store brands for most things across the board on everything. This frees up a significant amount of money each month that I can put into long term savings. I only deviate from store brands if a name brand is a better value or product than the store brand for the same price. I'm in the process of switching from Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage Full Synthetic 5W-30 5 quart jugs to the Walmart SuperTech High Mileage Full Synthetic 5W-30 5 quart jugs. Also, I'm switching from Fram Ultra's to Fram Extra Guard filters, as Fram Extra Guard filters from Amazon are $3.50 with the "subscribe and save" option which is about the same price as the Walmart SuperTech oil filters. The Fram Extra Guard has a 95% efficiency @> 20 microns, which is better than the SuperTech oil filter's efficiency. This switch will save me $500 over the next 5 years due to the 11 oil changes a year with my 4 Honda Odysseys.
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Do your Odys have VCM enabled or disabled? Deep philosophical question, like a Rorsharch test. Are the Odys the same color?
I'll use whatever is least expensive and meets spec. I had a 2003 Pontiac Vibe that I traded to my father with 239,000 miles on it. Nearly every mile was with Meijer 5w-30 and changed at ~5,000 miles. He ran the car until almost 280,000 with whatever he could find at NAPA in nowhere Montana. It's still running around with a odometer that does not keep track of mileage (they stop at 299,999). I could run a more expensive motor oil but what would I gain? I also have a 2005 Rav4 with almost 200K. It currently has Havoline in it but the majority of it's life was on Meijer oil. Again, I'm not sure what I would gain from "better" oil. Personally I'm happy we have choices and there are good products that are available.
3 different colors. VCM is enabled.
So many engines are tough on the oil nowadays: VCM (extreme heat), Direct Injection (fuel dilution), turbo (extreme heat), stop/start engines (like ford ecoboost), etc. My plan is to use a good full synthetic and to reduce the OCI.
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Believe it's still Highline-Warren but we only get a limited product line compared to the US - Conventional and Full Synthetic.
Times must have changed up north then. For years I was told Safety Kleen blended it
Store brand oil is the lowest price choice most of the time. But oil clearance sales can provide even bigger savings.
I've become oil brand agnostic. As long as it's full synthetic, I think you will get the same result with any brand.
So in my opinion, the only thing differentiating full synthetic oil brands is price. It may not matter much if you have 1 vehicle, but if you have 4+ vehicles being driven a lot, it is nice to save the money over the long term.
I've become oil brand agnostic. As long as it's full synthetic, I think you will get the same result with any brand.
So in my opinion, the only thing differentiating full synthetic oil brands is price. It may not matter much if you have 1 vehicle, but if you have 4+ vehicles being driven a lot, it is nice to save the money over the long term.
I've used Supertech, Carquest, Kirkland Signature, and STP (Autozone) engine oils in my 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback and 2008 Lexus IS F for years without issue. If it meets the spec recommended in my service manual, I don't see the need to pay for more expensive brand oils. Change it often and sleep easy at night. Just my $.02.
My view has changed over the years since coming here.
I used to never even look at store brand oils, but now days, all I look at is does it meet the API spec's for the engine it is going it, if so, what is the least expensive oil out there.
I don't really care what brand it is (so long as it is a "real" oil and not one of the questionable quality dollar store type oils).
I just bought 8 jugs of 10w-30 Traveler's synthetic oil on clearance from Tractor Supply.
A 5 qt jug for the normal price of a single qt of Mobil 1.
Not a hard choice for me.
Will work just fine in all my vehicles and their oil change intervals (5,000 miles or less).
I used to never even look at store brand oils, but now days, all I look at is does it meet the API spec's for the engine it is going it, if so, what is the least expensive oil out there.
I don't really care what brand it is (so long as it is a "real" oil and not one of the questionable quality dollar store type oils).
I just bought 8 jugs of 10w-30 Traveler's synthetic oil on clearance from Tractor Supply.
A 5 qt jug for the normal price of a single qt of Mobil 1.
Not a hard choice for me.
Will work just fine in all my vehicles and their oil change intervals (5,000 miles or less).
I agree with you. Decided from here on out I’ll buy name brand oils if on clearance; think TSC and possibly Lowe’s
Routinely I’m seeing Providence (a rural King) blend for $14-15/5quart jug which is cheaper than Wal Marts Super Tech oil
It was for years but they refreshed the lineup I want to say 4 or 5 years ago and switched to Warren. Around the same time Kirkland oil showed up on shelves here.
Very good sir. Thank You
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- Sep 3, 2020
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I had and older civic never burned oil at 100,000 miles using 10/40 but I tried Walmarts syntech brand, sounds smooth same good mileage but I changed the oil before a 1000 mile round trip to Los Angeles through desert heats in summer. After tmrerurning the cam & rockers tick tuckity tick, I thought perhaps possibly an enternal issue . Changed oil again same brand. Made a second same trip. Same issue again after the trip . Locally grocery getting the oil wa fine but would breakdown on those king hot trips, (zero overheating issues) NEVER WILL I BUY DISCOUNT STORE BRAND OIL AGAIN ! It’s not worth that $3-$5 savings to end up wiping/wearing out your engine prematurely trying to save a buck or two,
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I agree
Cheap oil is cheap for a reason
They cheap because less advertising and less money spent on certified products. Used additives that mostly cost less and less base oil than premium products.
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