Where do you buy oil?

[nick5446]

This is admittedly a ridiculous post/question, but where are you guys getting your oil these days? It seems like with so many modern cars requiring/recommending so many different viscosities, stores are expected to carry so many different types, it really limits the options of each. I run 10w-40 in most of my bikes (synthetic in the newer ones, conventional in the older ones), and some of my oddball bikes require oddball oils. I change my oil frequently enough that I don't subscribe to the idea that it needs to be Mobil 1, etc, so I usually buy whatever's cheap (it also has to pass the same SAE and API standards - but let's not get into that). My typical MO for the last several years has been to go to Walmart a few times a year and buy a few gallon jugs of their brand 10w-40 syn and 10w-40 conv for about $20 and $15 respectively, but for the last year plus it seems like they hardly have any 10w-40 at all.

A few weeks ago I put off an oil change on my Tiger until the last minute and nowhere in town (including all the usual auto parts stores) had any 10w-40 at all (synthetic or conventional). I ended up having to run 10w-30 conventional for a 2800 mile road trip and was pretty annoyed by it. Last night I went to three stores and eventually found one that had exactly the four quarts of 10w-40 synthetic I needed, at $18/qt. $100+ DIY oil changes are lame. Any suggestions? I'm sure my local dealer (Cycles 128) has what I need, but I'm sure even their cheapest option (Maxima?) is probably $20/qt for synthetic. Maybe I should look into buying in bulk...

[TheIglu]

Find the spec your bike calls for in the manual. See if Rotella makes one in similar weights that meets that spec.

For my bikes, both are JASO MA2.

Rotella T6 synth is JASO MA2.

Rotella T6 is available in 5 quart jugs at WalMart for teh cheep.

Done.

[nick5446]

Find the spec your bike calls for in the manual. See if Rotella makes one in similar weights that meets that spec.

For my bikes, both are JASO MA2.

Rotella T6 synth is JASO MA2.

Rotella T6 is available in 5 quart jugs at WalMart for teh cheep.

Done.

Not sure I follow - my bikes call for 10-40, which Rotella doesn't make. You're saying jump up or down to 5/15W-40 so I can use Rotella?

Taking my Tiger for example, since that gets the most miles, the manual calls for 10w-40 or 10w-50 synthatic JASO MA

[xrocket21]

I like Amsoil

[RandyO]

NAPA

[nick5446]

NAPA

the two near me never have 10w-40...although now that you mention it, i'm sure if I made friends with them they'd order whatever I want

[RandyO]

the two near me never have 10w-40...although now that you mention it, i'm sure if I made friends with them they'd order whatever I want

my local NAPA caters to truckers, farmers, loggers, etc, the only viscosity I rarely see is 0w-40, 5w-40, 10w-40, 15w-40 is always on shelves in NAPA and Valvoline brands

[whynot]

Amazon. So I don't have to criss-cross Eastern Massachusetts looking for what I want.

[Jim]

without sounding biased as i'm a walking billboard for Motul, i will use different weights in different times of the season. my bike calls for 10w-40, but i will use 5w-40 in colder temps. be careful of buying stuff on amazon/ebay has they might be selling recalled product.

[TheIglu]

Not sure I follow - my bikes call for 10-40, which Rotella doesn't make. You're saying jump up or down to 5/15W-40 so I can use Rotella?

Taking my Tiger for example, since that gets the most miles, the manual calls for 10w-40 or 10w-50 synthatic JASO MA

Yes.

Unless you are riding in the extreme temps on either side of the weight rating, it doesn't matter.

[TheIglu]

I remember when I fell for the Amsoil multi-level-marketing bullshit.

It's no better than any other decent off the shelf oil. But my buddy is a distributor, order through him!


Rotella T6 15w-40 from Walmart is your answer. Enjoy.

[boosten lebaron]

I use rotella t6 in just about everything I own in the 5 or 15w40 flavor. Bought from Walmart.
Everything old (50 plus years) I usually just run 10w50 Valvoline vr1 oil cause it has Brawndo in it or something. Bought from Advanced Auto usually but I have to check online to see if it's in stock before I go. I generally buy every bottle they have so I don't have to go back for at least a year. I have a lot of old things.
For the truly ancient motorcycle (nearly 100 years old) I need special 50w oil I can only get online.
I have one stupid new vehicle that gets 5w20 syn and I do mobil 1 for that. Walmarts is by far the cheapest but I can get it anywhere really.

[OreoGaborio]

+1 for 5 or 15w40 T6 from Walmart in pretty much everything I own.

Send in your receipt and get your digital gift card here.

https://rotella.shell.com/en_us/prom...eepstakes.html

[xrocket21]

I remember when I fell for the Amsoil multi-level-marketing bullshit.

It's no better than any other decent off the shelf oil. But my buddy is a distributor, order through him!


Rotella T6 15w-40 from Walmart is your answer. Enjoy.

I never got into the distributor thing. I think if you pay a 1 year membership it cancels out shipping and pays for itself. It can be hard to find the right oil where I live.

[OneCheekRider]

I remember when I fell for the Amsoil multi-level-marketing bullshit.

It's no better than any other decent off the shelf oil. But my buddy is a distributor, order through him!

haha my guy was Dave in Chelmsford. Anyone else?

Not trying to start an oil war, but I still use Amsoil only now it's all online. It's just really simple for me to have a one stop shop for oil, filters, gear oil, trans fluid, etc that show up at my door and their online vehicle guide makes it even simpler. The gear/trans oil packs are easy to use without a transfer pump too. At one point I was sending various oil samples to blackstone and Amsoil had the highest TBN which makes me feel better bc I run longer intervals than most.

I also buy Kirkland oil for my Mustang and that thing runs just fine too. I used to do Supertech but going to Walmart around here is an exercise of patience and a gamble of vehicle damage in the parking lot.

[FriskyDingo]

.....My typical MO for the last several years has been to go to Walmart a few times a year and buy a few gallon jugs of their brand 10w-40 syn and 10w-40 conv for about $20 and $15 respectively, but for the last year plus it seems like they hardly have any 10w-40 at all.

and how about the new Toyota 0w-8 Spec, good luck finding options for that "oil"....

[whynot]

Call it entropy, I guess, any question about oil ends up here, what oil should I use?

[PurplePackage]

And don't buy the big jug of T4, buy the even bigger cardboard box with the plastic bag inside it.

[RandyO]

And don't buy the big jug of T4, buy the even bigger cardboard box with the plastic bag inside it.

,just go for the 55 gal. barrel

[boosten lebaron]

Childs play. Just fill a spare home heating oil tank of the 275 gallon variety.

[MUZ720]

napa can get you most any oil you need. Walmart is also good pricewise, and their online orders are shipped quickly.

[MattR302]

I’ve been 50/50 mixing the 5w-40 rotella with the 15w-40 rotella to make 10w-40 rotella.

[RandyO]