"C-Store" oil gets bad raps!

[GumbyJarvis]

We have all heard of the "XXX BULLSEYE USA 5-30" stuff but there ARE cstores that do SELL decent oil

Working at one, If they ever decide to stock any horrible oil, id be the first one to pour it down the drain!

anyway, the store I work at sells Pennzoil, Castrol, Castrol HM, and Trac in house brand oils. All Trac oils are made by WPP, as on the bottle it says so, API SN, upgraded from SM a year or so ago, and alot of Taxis/Company work trucks run it.

A few other Racetracs sell QS instead of Pennzoil, along with QSHM/Defy.


From what I hear Sunoco oils are good too.

 

[dave1251]

Did you not just bash Fram oil filters on a couple of threads? I do not like orange cans but I know of people that have used them for decades without engine failure. I used to find Accel SA oils at WM next to brand name oils. So finding bad oil is not exclusive to convenience stores.

 

[Hallmark]

Originally Posted By: GumbyJarvis
We have all heard of the "XXX BULLSEYE USA 5-30" stuff but there ARE cstores that do SELL decent oil

Working at one, If they ever decide to stock any horrible oil, id be the first one to pour it down the drain!

anyway, the store I work at sells Pennzoil, Castrol, Castrol HM, and Trac in house brand oils. All Trac oils are made by WPP, as on the bottle it says so, API SN, upgraded from SM a year or so ago, and alot of Taxis/Company work trucks run it.

A few other Racetracs sell QS instead of Pennzoil, along with QSHM/Defy.


From what I hear Sunoco oils are good too.


Sunoco oils are good? I just checked the Sunoco website and noted that all of their oils are identified as API Service SL and ILSAC GF-3 products...decades old oil standards that won't meet current new car warranty requirements. These are not lubricants for modern engines.

 

[mongo161]

I've bought and used the Accel Brake Fluid, DOT 3, without issue from Big Lots. WPP puts out some good products....it's up to the consumer to ask questions and become informed about what their vehicle needs.

I would not rely on the advice of an hourly, pt, employee of a C Store, Big Lots or Walmart on what oil is best for my engine.

No offence intended.... where I live most of these C Store folks are "straight off the boat" and are still having problems with the English language.

Forget about asking any of them for directions or the location of an address.....

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: Hallmark
Originally Posted By: GumbyJarvis
We have all heard of the "XXX BULLSEYE USA 5-30" stuff but there ARE cstores that do SELL decent oil

Working at one, If they ever decide to stock any horrible oil, id be the first one to pour it down the drain!

anyway, the store I work at sells Pennzoil, Castrol, Castrol HM, and Trac in house brand oils. All Trac oils are made by WPP, as on the bottle it says so, API SN, upgraded from SM a year or so ago, and alot of Taxis/Company work trucks run it.

A few other Racetracs sell QS instead of Pennzoil, along with QSHM/Defy.


From what I hear Sunoco oils are good too.


Sunoco oils are good? I just checked the Sunoco website and noted that all of their oils are identified as API Service SL and ILSAC GF-3 products...decades old oil standards that won't meet current new car warranty requirements. These are not lubricants for modern engines.


It has not even been a decade since GF-3/SL was superseded.

Look on the API licensed website Sunoco is API certified and good stuff it is blended by ADVANCED LUBRICATION SPECIALTIES, INC

http://eolcs.api.org/brandSearchResults.aspx?mode=search&q=&go=Search

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: mongo161
I've bought and used the Accel Brake Fluid, DOT 3, without issue from Big Lots. WPP puts out some good products....it's up to the consumer to ask questions and become informed about what their vehicle needs.

I would not rely on the advice of an hourly, pt, employee of a C Store, Big Lots or Walmart on what oil is best for my engine.

No offence intended.... where I live most of these C Store folks are "straight off the boat" and are still having problems with the English language.

Forget about asking any of them for directions or the location of an address.....


I am sorry Accel may be fine. But having Accel API SA rated oils next to other current API spec name brand oils is not a good practice. Why even blend a API SA rated oil with a SAE grade on it?

http://www.wd-wpp.com/specsheet/accel001.pdf

 

[mongo161]

They still blend SA oils, without detergents, for certain equipment that require non detergent oils.

Lots of equipment still in use today like compressors, chain saws and other HD equipment still require this SA, non detergent, oil.

It just goes to show you...."Oil is Oil" to some people who work in these stores. They put all oils together, except for a few, used for different applications.

When I want TC-W3 all I can find in the WM oil aisle is SuperTech. But if I go to sporting goods....Pennzoil Marine Synthetic Blend can be found there and for less money....at summers end.

 

[WMSmotorhead]

I have a few stores around here that stock junk, and a few that don't. I usually will "once over" the shelf when I stop anywhere, just to see if everything is cool.


Accel is a WPP product if you didn't know. Many Accel products are up to snuff for modern cars.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I though Warren Oil Mag1 specs better than WPP Accel? Go l;ook at PQIA. I know the love of WPP came from their very good performing synthetic they blended YEARS ago, but current production may lead you to another Warren.
Ps - there are Three completely independent Warrens now, IIRC?

 

[Tom NJ]

Originally Posted By: GumbyJarvis
We have all heard of the "XXX BULLSEYE USA 5-30" stuff but there ARE cstores that do SELL decent oil

Agreed - the majority of the C-stores that PQIA visits sell only quality oil. That said, the majority of the bad oils that they find are from C-stores.

Large and national chain stores usually have corporate policies governing the quality of the products they carry. This is also true for larger C-stores chains, but many of the smaller ones are owned or operated by private small businessmen who keep a keen eye on cost. Since the store profit falls to their pocket, they are attracted to lower cost goods and are more apt to fall victim to deceptive distributors who tout their cheap garbage oils as fine products (just read the label!).

I firmly believe that most C-store owners are honest folk who would drop poor quality oils if they understood the difference. There are also, unfortunately, quite a few who turn their back, don't want to know, and succumb to the siren song of extra profit.

Tom NJ

Note: While I am an unpaid Advisor the PQIA, the opinions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of PQIA.

 

[WMSmotorhead]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
I though Warren Oil Mag1 specs better than WPP Accel? Go l;ook at PQIA. I know the love of WPP came from their very good performing synthetic they blended YEARS ago, but current production may lead you to another Warren.
Ps - there are Three completely independent Warrens now, IIRC?


I know only of TWO Warren companies...

Warren Dist. (Wne/Wpp) stamps.. The Mag1/Accel guys.

and..

Warren Unilube (Wu) stamp... the Warren/Coastal guys.

Both of them are OK... although WPP does have a bit better track record over the long term.

Accel is a different blend than Mag1... to a degree, but neither are "Bad"... Mag1 has some proprietary FMX formulation said to make it hold up longer.

I have many bottles of WPP stuff on the shelf.. Mag1, and Federated.. I have some Coastal grease and gear lube from WU also.

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
Did you not just bash Fram oil filters on a couple of threads? I do not like orange cans but I know of people that have used them for decades without engine failure. I used to find Accel SA oils at WM next to brand name oils. So finding bad oil is not exclusive to convenience stores.

Total engine failure is not the big issue with the Fram filters.
Note the commercials on TV showing a cut up inferior Fram compared to brand X.

 

[dave1251]

Thanks but really how often does a Fram just completely implode on itself? Less than 1% of the time? I do not like them it seems construction on Fram filters is to build a filter to minimum specs and maximize profits. I do not use Fram oil filters for anything. Fram Air Filters are fine. Also If I had a Fram oil filter on my truck or car, I would not be waiting for engine failure due to oil filter failure. I was just pointing out to the OP that he does not like convenience store bashing but it willing to bash a product that is manufactured to warranty specs.

 

[GumbyJarvis]

 

[WMSmotorhead]

That would be the Warren Unilube company that made the Trac brand. The Coastal guys.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted By: WMSmotorhead
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
...
Ps - there are Three completely independent Warrens now, IIRC?


I know only of TWO Warren companies...

Warren Dist. (Wne/Wpp) stamps.. The Mag1/Accel guys.

and..

Warren Unilube (Wu) stamp... the Warren/Coastal guys.

...


I see now Warren Unilube is a subsidiary of parent Warren Oil Co.

With the HD Diesel Lubriguard and as you mentioned, the Coastal brand. I do recall a third but may just be my fading mind.

Thanks for the clarification, WMSmotorhead

 

[Garak]

A local C-store has gone to the Spectrol oil. Before, he was selling No Name brand oil. At least both have current API/ILSAC specifications.

 

[GumbyJarvis]

cant be any worse than Winn Dixie today, looked at automotive section, 1.99 for AmericanXT ND 30, ND40, 8.99 for Castrol GTX

In other words, unless you know what youre doing, the average "IDK About cars" person is going to go with the 1.99 oil, vs 8.99. Kinda funny, because AZ is next door, looks as if WinnDixie sells the AmericanXT alot, while the CastrolGTX white bottles look brown how dusty they are.