Yikes! Bought any engine oil recently?

[Guest Kingsley]

Went to O'Reilly, my FLAPS, and picked up Mobil 1 synthetic oil for the family Lexus RX350. Price was $8.99 per quart and that pricing ran through all of the various grades of Mobil synthetic and spilled over into other brands. Been a while since I changed the oil but how long has this pricing level been in effect? Very possibly covered previously in the Forum and missed by me but a bit of a shock. Counterman not too much help.

Kingsley

[padgett]

Dunno: I usually pay $2 more ($13 instead of $11 for 5 quarts) of High Milage 10W-30 than regular dino. Maybe the plastic is imported.

[NCReatta]

Considering the amount of miles I drive. I'm probably changing oil in one of my cars at least once a month. It's been slowly creeping up, but that's about the going rate now.

Sent from my mobile device using Forum Runner

[KDirk]

Yup, the price is up and expect more such action based on recent announcements concerning monetary policy. Sure to spike the per barrel price of oil that much more, so brace for even greater sticker shock. I am considering reducing the frequency of oil changes as I put very few miles on both the Reattae and they do not get run hard when driven. I could probably go 6 months at a stretch without concern for the condition of the engine oil. Probably even longer, but I am not quite ready to risk stretching it more than half a year.

My DeVille has the oil life monitor (reads out a % of remaining oil life, when it hits 10% it warns to "change oil soon", and 0% it states "change engine oil") and it had it's last oil change almost 5 months ago. Computer calculated oil life is still well over 50%, so maybe I should be using that as a guideline for how long the oil is really good for. I will say the old 3 month/3000 mile rule is rubbish, and just causes needless expenditure and waste. I will add that if you are driving a LOT of miles under harsh conditions the 3/3000 rule may sill apply, but for most average drivers, this frequency of oil change is excessive.

KDirk

[DAVES89]

I buy the cheapest dino oil I can find, and when it goes on sale I buy. Just paid $2.00 a quart. [and it is not reprocessed oil].

[Guest MercWagn]

I think you would do well to purchase your oil at chain department stores, like Sprawl-Mart, or other large chain stores. This goes for just about anything you can purchase at a parts store that is over-the-counter: wiper blades, bulbs, chemicals, etc. Once upon a time, I spent many years in the wholesale auto parts business; the chain retail auto parts outlets are very competitive on hard parts (behind the counter parts), but when it comes to the rest, their profit margins are set sky high. Example: 194 mini-bulb in the, ugh, retail bubble pack at any auto parts store around here is about 4.99--Sprawl-Mart 2.98 (which is still way too high). It wasn't that long ago that I could go to one of my wholesale connections and buy a box of ten 194 bulbs for 1.50-2.00.

When it comes to hard parts, most times the retail outlets are real close to wholesale parts houses--once in a while, they are even cheaper. Like with everything else, it is always best to do your homework, and keep some of those hard-earned greenbacks in your pocket.

Oil is outrageous, regardless of where you buy it. But, as I've recently been informed, all virgin oil has some synthetic in it, though uncertain of the percentage; surely, it isn't very much in 'conventional' oils.

[Guest Richard D]

When Hurricane Isaac was threating Miami I went to the FLAPS to get some straight 30 W dino oil for my generator and it was $5.99 a quart for any major brand. I use 10W30 dino Pennzoil in both Reatta and 71 Skylark and it has gone to $4.99 a quart. I change them twice a year, about 2-3000 miles.

[DH Comet]

Just got 4.73 litres (5 quarts) at WalMart for $11.88 - steal of a deal!

[Guest 89 Maui]

DH -

I agree with you, I'll bump shoulders to buy my oil there along with my fish oil and vitamin D !!

[Guest Corvanti]

DH -

I agree with you, I'll bump shoulders to buy my oil there along with my fish oil and vitamin D !!

Tranny fluid is just as bad! :mad: i went to Autozone and paid $4.99 per qt for their brand. $6.99 to $8.99 for name brands. i stopped at a mini-mart on the way back to pick up some adult soda , and just happened to go down their oil/t-fluid - same dex fluid was $2.99 per qt....

[Machiner 55]

Just got 4.73 litres (5 quarts) at WalMart for $11.88 - steal of a deal!

Gentlemen,

If you think the price of oil is high, I suggest you take a side trip down

the meat isle at that great value market and take a look at the price of beef.

Their price per pound for extra lean ground beef is around 10 bux per.

Buys yer meat first and you'll think the oil is cheap!

John F.

[padgett]

I buy from the Mart at the Wal and splurge for the Hi-Milage 10w30 (never have used 5w30 since rarely even gets to freezing and are garaged), in recent years never drive enough so change at 6 months. Sometimes will go longer if less than 100 miles driven.

BTW prices aren't really going up, the dollar is dropping. Canadian dollar has recently been worth more than US but now looks like we are dragging them down with us.