Motor oil quality and price

[ThosL]

I was at an auto parts place the other day and did not want to spend $5 a quart; I mentioned that to the counter worker and he pulled out a  case of part synthetic, I think it was "Parts Plus" brand and cost $2.50 a quart.  Is this a significant issue with it being summer and cars running hotter than usual?  Somehow motor oil has crept up in price, what are the best options of affordability and quality?

[987687]

I know everyone has their own opinion on oil, and blah blah blah. Which is great and all, but personally I buy oil... I buy it by gallon or 5qt jug, and I buy whatever is cheap. $2.50/qt actually isn't a bad price. I usually end up paying around $12/gallon.

[idosubaru]

if you're asking about a newer Subaru turbo engines you have to run full synthetic.

severe conditions like racing or heavy duty towing would also be wise.

 

but in general, it doesn't matter on non-turbo Subarus. follow the owners manual which says oil must meet standards, blah, blah.  which all oil does unless yo'ure buying something wonky.

 

the value to synthetic oil is in it's extended drain intervals.

synthetic is excellent - but you're not gaining anything by using it in non-turbo applications because the car will make 200,000+ miles regardless of which oil you choose.

 

it's like buying titanium and bolting it to your car - titanium is excellent material, but if there's no need for it there's no gains to be had.

 

your car will last longer if you wax it daily - it will be more aerodynamic, less drag, and put 0.0000000000034 less stress on all the engine and transmission components.  i can argue that from an engineering stand point and i'm right.  but it has no practical, real world value.  same is true with synthetic - it's great and true and good - but if you're engine/uses don't need it, there's no gains.

 

in general the blends, like the "part synthetic" that you got are the worst value.  they put enough synthetic in it to call it a "Blend" or "Semi-synthetic" - but you might as well just regular oil.

 

sounds like you got a good price this time, but in general the blends are pointless.  go with synthetic or regular oil, unless you get a good deal again.

[AdventureSubaru]

Walmart supertech - cheap and works fine. Taken my cars to 277k 341k and 220k

[ThosL]

OK, thanks for the feedback on this from the pros.  Maybe the topic will help out someone else because sometimes we need to be reminded.

[zombieforce]

By law a synthetic blend oil only has to contain 30% synthetic oil so its just a marketing tool.

[Fairtax4me]

Walmart supertech - cheap and works fine. Taken my cars to 277k 341k and 220k

X2

I've run the 5w-30 Supertech in my 95 since I started driving it about 8 months ago and have no complaints. Over 10k miles so far. 236k on the engine.

Supertech 80w90 gear oil in the trans is doing great as well.

 

Around $14 / 5 qt jug of oil. $14 / gal for gear oil.

Compare to $27 and $18 respectively at the auto parts store.

[987687]

Wow that's not a bad price for gear oil. I'm gonna have to pick some of that up. I never changed the oil in my junkyard trans, I just made sure to keep the tailshaft capped, and ran it LOL.

[quazi]

I know I should stay out of this...But I did the HGs on my 2003 non-turbo a coupla' months ago @ 130,000mi. I couldn't believe how clean and sludge-free it was. The piston bores still had cross-hatching! 

 

Switched to Mobil One after break-in and I'm less than a religious oil-changer.

 

It's damn expensive,tho. 

 

It's my first experience cracking open a modern-era engine. Might have more to do with the quality of mechanical engineering than chemical.

 

JW

[Ibreakstuff]

I only use Amsoil (even in my beaters) and it has a sticker shock. With blackstone labs testing, it is very surprising how many miles you can get before a change is required tho. They make really good oil/air filters too.

[jp98]

You really don't have to run Amsoil to be able to do extended oil changes, any good quality synthetic will do  but the testing needs to be done to determine when the oil needs to be changed.  A lot of times you can just change the filter at the recomended interval and top off with oil and go again. 

 

I am driving a Ford diesel with the 7.3 in it running Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme 5w40 and my recomended oil change interval from Blackstome Labs is 12,000 miles.  But I change it once a year just because I don't drive it that much. 

[propane]

 

 To add to the consensus that 90s & above to
20??  Subies are not too finicky about
oil brands (if basic spec of met), consider that modern oil is built with
additive packs combined into base stock, more and more resembling “synthetic”
(perhaps why it is more expensive) and as oil changes are extended out past the
3000 mile “old school” rule, Oil filters are just catching up, to meet this
extended interval. Cheap filters can go into bypass mode, (not filtering) even
though the oil is still good for more miles. (Oil analysis is easier for diesel
eng than gas engines), I also heard that is why NAPA went to Platinum grade filters next step better
than Gold. & also heard that just one supplier, WIC (spelling?) makes
nearly all filters in USA, built to which ever OE specs are ordered

 

[heartless]

also heard that just one supplier, WIC (spelling?) makes nearly all filters in USA, built to which ever OE specs are ordered

 

There used to be a small WIX filter plant near me, and someone that used to work there did say they built most (not all) "name brand" filters.

but, like most of the manufacturing in Northcentral Wisconsin, they closed up and left town some years back....

 

Like most others here, I buy what oil I can afford that meets spec for my car. The local farm & home chain store has a house brand that goes on sale fairly regularly - we buy by the case when it is - good for a couple of oil changes that way. Filters - I generally get Purolator.