Wal-Mart Canada - bye bye Fram, hello Purolator

[cp3]

STs were made for WalMart though, to me that's a difference. It makes sense that Champ would make them to WalMarts spec or price point but I too have a hard time believing a major brand would put a non-equal part on WalMarts shelf.

Are the Goodyear tires you mention available elsewhere? Same model and part number? I know Canadian Tire has some models that you cannot buy anywhere else.

 

[KCJeep]

Goodyear Wranglers, "ST" maybe I don't remember now and don't know the exact name for sure, but they lasted about 2 years on my Jeep and should have been good for 4 or 5 IMO.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Odyssey
regarding quality, i've notice that the oil that "on special" at WM Canada. do not have the same specs. as the oil on "regular price". i.e the 5 liters 5w30 QSUD is Honda/Acura HTO-06 approved but the same 4.73 liters 5w30 QSUD on sale is not HT0-06 approved and also do not have the sign "bonus cash back 400k guarantee" on it. the different is very minor and nobody would be able to notice unless you read the fine print


There's no difference in the oil whatsoever. SOPUS doesn't make one kind of QSUD 5w-30 for 4.73 L jugs and one for 5 L jugs. One is simply 5 U.S. quarts, one is five litres. If QSUD 5w-30 has HTO-06 approval, that's for all the current production QSUD 5w-30, whether it's in a quart jug or a 5 gallon pail, if such a thing were available. SOPUS has made several labelling snafus in the past, and this won't be the last one.

XOM has even addressed this topic on its website. It sells the same M1 to Walmart as it does to everyone else. They may make certain concessions in package size, but the contents are the same. The unfortunate thing is that these urban legends persist and will continue to do so. It doesn't matter how many denials oil companies and Walmart issue, nor how many VOAs show the same product, or that all M1 5w-30 has the same dexos1 license number, some people will twist that into evidence of the conspiracy, rather than against it.

The inferior filter batch notion is laughable, too. If Batch X of filters is slightly poorer than Batch Y, or if Batch X cost less to produce than Batch Y, why would this Batch X necessarily have to go to Walmart? The products appear identical and have the same warranty. Why sell the cheaper product to Walmart when you can sell the cheaper product to everyone with no one knowing the difference?

Picking on Fram and fiber endcaps again, they didn't just fit them on their orange cans for Walmart only. They took advantage of the cost saving technique for all their orange cans, not just for one retailer.

 

[HicksNSticks]

Not just SupCent Wal-Marts with tire & auto facilites. Our local undersized WallyWorld here in the boonies has also dropped all Fram filter products in favor of the Bosch/Purolator line. Prices range from $4.88 to $11.97 Cdn depending on which style/application you prefer. Seem to recall that the white Puros used by my old man back in the 70's said premium not classic on them though. Probably alright if you like to keep on a regular change sked, although kinda hard to pass up a Wix or Baldwin/Hastings for only a buck or two more from the auto parts guys. CT's meager selection varies from day to day unless looking for syn filters. Mostly repainted frams and puros there anyway. If you know your prices, mfgs, and like to shop around, a bargain can always be found elsewhere. If you're just into one stop shopping then Wmart is the place for sure. Best pricing on oil around here that i've noticed anyway. Just my 0.02 cents guys.
Thanks,
HicksNSticks

 

[Patman]

I finally got around to checking out my local Walmart's auto section and it too is now full of Purolator and Bosch filters. I am happy to see they carry a Purolator cartridge filter for my wife's Jetta, and that it's $3 less than the Fram one they used to carry! It's only $5.88 for the cartridge filter, and the other Purolator classics are selling for $4.88. In both cases those are amazing prices! Fram is going to see a massive drop in sales in Canada by not having their filters in Walmart anymore.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Patman
Fram is going to see a massive drop in sales in Canada by not having their filters in Walmart anymore.


If CT and Partsource follow suit, Fram's going to be in big trouble up here.

Seriously, it's better this way. Walmart didn't have the good XGs up here anyhow. Those were only at CT and Partsource, along with some parts stores.

 

[2K2AcuraTL]

As I went thought WM yesterday... and stood in disbelief..... I may be a month behind the news.. but I'm happy to sew the orange wall of death disappear at WM...!!

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Garak


If CT and Partsource follow suit, Fram's going to be in big trouble up here.

Seriously, it's better this way. Walmart didn't have the good XGs up here anyhow. Those were only at CT and Partsource, along with some parts stores.


My local CT finally has the Fram Ultra for both my Corvette and my Civic now though, so I don't want it to disappear now!

 

[Garak]

Agreed. CT and Partsource can keep their Frams, and it would be good if they kept the XG or whatever the name this week or next will be. They're definitely cheaper than most similar alternatives.

 

[albertadave]

I would say this decision has nothing to do with the quality of either Fram or Purolator.
They might have told Fram to lower their prices or Purolator gave them a very sweet offer.

If a product is not selling or not generating enough profit as their very sophisticated sales algorithms determine,they will tell you,to reduce the price they pay for your product.

You will never have a huge profit margin when Wal-mart carries your product,but the volume of sales more than makes up for that.

Hopefully Bosch will not sacrifice integrity and quality standards,just to rule the prime shelf space at Wal-mart..

 

[nobb]

It appears that Walmart is now clearing out the Purolator/Fram filters and possibly going back to Fram. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[KCJeep]

Motorking (Fram rep here) posted the other day that Walmart Canada's filters sales were way down with Purolator and they were going back to Fram.

 

[Garak]

And some in other provinces than me have seen it, too. I haven't been in a Walmart yet. Ask Overkill; I'm sure he's wandering a Walmart Canada oil aisle right now.

 

[Kira]

Hello, When I read all this conjecture about 1) which low end filter Wally will stock, 2) which manufacturer will lower its production standards to "earn" Wally's shelf space, 3) how many millions of units need to be sold for razor thin profit margins to accumulate etc.

Don't get me wrong; I love a bargain as much as the next person but doesn't the scope and vocabulary of this thread point to the complete subjugation of quality once you enter the world of Wally?

It simply underscores the wisdom of buying a better filter like a WIX or Hastings or Mann or Hengst or OEM in the first place. Kira

 

[KCJeep]

I have not seen a shred of evidence that an orange can or Puro Classic purchased at Wally's is even one whit different than one purchased at an auto parts store.

The old Supertech ecores did appear to have less pleats and different media than the Autozone STP ecore counterparts did though, but there was a "brand" separation there.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Kira

Don't get me wrong; I love a bargain as much as the next person but doesn't the scope and vocabulary of this thread point to the complete subjugation of quality once you enter the world of Wally?

It simply underscores the wisdom of buying a better filter like a WIX or Hastings or Mann or Hengst or OEM in the first place. Kira


The Fram Ultra is sold at Walmart ... it's the same quality as any other Ultra sold elsewhere. Walmart also sell Bosch Distance Plus, which is a pretty high end filter.

 

[strat81]

Originally Posted By: WillB
Use some caution here folks, and do some research on Chinamart. If it is on their shelves, it will be the lowest grade, cheapest filter made by the company.

Hence why I refuse to shop in Chinamart!!


So the Fram Ultra and Puro Synthetic filters are the cheapest filters made by the companies?

Does this apply to other products at Walmart? I.e., am I getting some kind of inferior Mobil 1 at Walmart versus the stuff at NAPA?

What about rifles? Is the Colt 6920 Walmart sells some kind of chicom forgery and not a real Colt?

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: KCJeep
I have not seen a shred of evidence that an orange can or Puro Classic purchased at Wally's is even one whit different than one purchased at an auto parts store.

I don't think that's the contention. I know Canada isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of filter sales volume, but I'm wondering if Canada's switch to Purolator products caused some logistical problems for Purolator. I know that a Walmart Fram or Purolator is the same as a Fram or Purolator from elsewhere. However, I do know that when Walmart Canada switched to Purolator, the supply of Bosch Premiums at other Canadian locations was disrupted, to the point of being totally cut off, for months.

Was any pressure put on Purolator by Walmart or parts stores to ramp up production? Did Purolator enter a supply venture that they just couldn't fulfill?

 

[sir1900]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
I have not seen a shred of evidence that an orange can or Puro Classic purchased at Wally's is even one whit different than one purchased at an auto parts store.

I don't think that's the contention. I know Canada isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of filter sales volume, but I'm wondering if Canada's switch to Purolator products caused some logistical problems for Purolator. I know that a Walmart Fram or Purolator is the same as a Fram or Purolator from elsewhere. However, I do know that when Walmart Canada switched to Purolator, the supply of Bosch Premiums at other Canadian locations was disrupted, to the point of being totally cut off, for months.

Was any pressure put on Purolator by Walmart or parts stores to ramp up production? Did Purolator enter a supply venture that they just couldn't fulfill?



I had never seen Bosch on Canadian store shelves until Walmart started carrying them.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: sir1900
I had never seen Bosch on Canadian store shelves until Walmart started carrying them.

They were hard to find on shelves, certainly. NAPA Canada carries them, as do a few online retailers. However, when Walmart started selling them, my online supply dried up for months.