What's the best value on premium oil?

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: chevrofreak
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
I wasn't really joking (well, I do lie from time to time) ..but the odds of you ever running into Schaeffer's anywhere is not probable. If I hadn't signed on as an Amsoil rep, it would have been on my list of stuff to try. The ante is pretty high ..but so what

If I ever do decide to use Shaeffer's, there's a dealer in the town where I grew up, and where my dad still lives. I go out there pretty often.


Then offer to ship a quart or two to hate2work so he can save $350 for the ante to have it on his shelf to admire.

 

[hate2work]

Originally Posted By: jackkpts
What car will you be using this in? How many miles a month/year do you drive and what is the mix of highway to city? What weight do you need?

I have seen and read very good things about Motorcraft blended, which I believe is around $12 a gallon at Walmart. Pennzoil Platinum is also highly rated and around $20/gallon. You may find BOGO for some brands at Auto Zone or Checker.


This oil will be used in my 06 Tacoma, my wife's 06 Corolla, as well as my daughter's 99 Civic. We inherited a 1980 Citation with 52k miles, and I just did an OC using 10w30 Durablend. I may use it in that as well, although I'm not sure how it would tolerate it.

I'd use 5w- 30 in both Toyotas, not sure about the Honda. Prolly 10w -30 in the Chevy.

Both Toyotas drive a mix of city/highway, maybe 12-14k per year. The Honda about half that distance, mostly in the city. The Chevy only goes 1 mile to work, with an occasional longer drive once a week.

I'm sure Schaeffers would work well, just trying to get the best value. It's not the old question of do you really get more if you spend more, it's the question HOW MUCH more do you get when you spend more?

 

[adibigs]

that chevy must have some serious sludge - engines and oils need to get hot and to operating temperature that what cleans the engine

 

[hate2work]

Originally Posted By: adibigs
that chevy must have some serious sludge - engines and oils need to get hot and to operating temperature that what cleans the engine


Well, I think it does have some sludge. But I've been told on this forum from more than one poster NOT to run any kind of cleaner through it. It doesn't leak a drop of anything right now, and actually runs pretty well. It was well maintained, but it has only used for short, infrequent runs for the past 28 years.

 

[addyguy]

Originally Posted By: hate2work
Originally Posted By: adibigs
that chevy must have some serious sludge - engines and oils need to get hot and to operating temperature that what cleans the engine


Well, I think it does have some sludge. But I've been told on this forum from more than one poster NOT to run any kind of cleaner through it. It doesn't leak a drop of anything right now, and actually runs pretty well. It was well maintained, but it has only used for short, infrequent runs for the past 28 years.


Bet you'd be suprised how clean that engine is if you opened it up. Yes, it was used for short trips, but if it saw regular maint. like you said it did, its probably pretty darn clean inside. The fact that it doesn't leak at all says a lot about the shape its in....

 

[adibigs]

well true about the routine serv. then the sludge probability would be cut down by far - however if there is sludge i would not recommend an engine flush because from age the seals arent what they were new which is understandable , and that sludge could be preventing leaks. that goes for switching to synthetic oil which could find its way past the sludge and you could start to see leaks never seen before. stick with a petroleum oil 10w30 for winter and 10w40 for summer months.

 

[bulwnkl]

You said your only criteria are:
1) 'Synth' or 'synth' blend,
2) Able to go 7k miles between drains.

#1 is satisfied by nearly anything these days, so your only real criterion is #2.

Given that, you'll have to run a few UOAs to know for sure.

Schaeffer's product should make it in those vehicles, though I have an '06 vehicle that chewed it up and spat it out in that many miles, even dosing it with LC. My '05 is much harder on oil than the '06, so I'm not even going to try it that far.

If your vehicles are big fuel diluters, your only viable option for that distance may be RLI. I don't recall their pricing by the 5-gallon pail. If you were willing to make the $350 ante, they may be competitive with Schaeffer. You'd almost certainly still have to pay freight, though. You could try the guy south of Spokane who is (was?) a distributor for them. He might have stuff in stock? I can't recall his name any more. Call RLI and ask them?

If your vehicles are not fuel diluters or known sludge-monsters, You probably don't need anything more than Schaeffer's, and you may be just fine with any old API-certified oil. Add a little LC20 if you need to. Blue-bottle Chevron Supreme, even with LC added, would certainly be about the best value you'll find given your criteria. Schuck's still runs it for $0.50 - $0.90/qt ~quarterly, don't they? If that'll go the distance you want, you won't find a more cost-effective option.