I don’t trust the oil change places anymore so I do my own changes. However I noticed at Auto Zone a case of oil ranges from $26 for the generic Auto Zone brand oil to $42 for brand-name Pennzoil, Quaker state, etc.
What route do you all recommend here? Pay out the nose for a brand name and hope the quality is better, or be more savvy and get the cheap stuff because oil is oil?
Are You Paying For Advertising?
Ask the Auto Zone people where the oil comes from. They often know. I would think it comes from a major oil company. They sometimes know that it’s the same as (major brand goes here). The price difference could be the savings Auto Zone realizes by not paying for national advertising.
You didn’t talk about your car. If you drive a real “beater,” then any old thing will work, anyhow. If you drive the car you plan to own for a long time, get a brand name and buy “peace of mind.” You should be able to afford the difference with the savings by DIY!
Generic. Just look for the API badge.
www.carbibles.com has a good primer on oil. I recommend a visit.
I wait for sales and get name brand as cheap as generic. Last year, O’Reilly Auto parts ran several Valvoline offers making the oil $1.60 per quart or less, and I stocked up. A month ago, Walgreens ran regular Shell Oil for $1 per qt after rebate. Also watch sales/special deals at your local Walmart.
Not all counter personnel know where the generic comes from at a given store, and not all store brands come from the same source across the country. That complicates knowing exactly what you are getting.
Good approach. Personally I just get the Wally World stuff. As long as it has the API and SAE badges it meets specs.
Check your owner’s manual for the API rating. API ratings later in the alphabet are better than API ratings at the beginning of the alphabet. As long as the generic oil has an API rating that meets or beats what your owner’s manual recommends, it will work just fine. Make sure you also get the right viscosity. Find out what your owner’s manual recommends and read the label on the oil to make sure it meets all those requirements.