Costco oil??

Grumpytoast92 · January 19, 2022

So I've started using Kirkland brand full synthetic 0w-20 in my truck. It seems to be working great, just wondering if anyone else has had experience with it? It is super cheap, about 26$ for 10qts. This cuts my oil change prices in half! I change oil and filter about every 6k miles. Any info you guys have on this product would be appreciated. Thanks!

Grumpy Bear · January 19, 2022

If advise is what you seek, this is mine.

It's a Warren Oil product that meets the Dexos1Gen2 spec. I've been using the 5W30 about a year in a sick 2.4 Ecotec I4 that has a thirst. No complaints. Yep...cheap but about the same oil as any other non PAO based lube. It's a good value if used wisely.

If 6K is your wish I'd be inclined to do a UAO or two or three. Keep tabs on 100C viscosity, TBN vs TAN and fuel/water dilution to establish a trend. Any *W20 mineral based synthetic hovers the lower limits of HTHS when it's new. Doesn't have to go far off grade to run into wear issues. Adjust OCI per labs.

Edited January 19, 2022 by Grumpy Bear

CamGTP · January 19, 2022

It's fine.

Supreme Pizza · January 19, 2022

The brand of oil is not as important as how good your maintenance habits are.

Salsa De Piña · January 19, 2022

I, too, have been using Kirkland in the Mrs.' 2.4 Ecotec (Verano.) No complaints. That car gets 5000 km OCIs because by then, I'm topping it up anyway.

Grumpy Bear · January 19, 2022

1 hour ago, Salsa De Piña said:

I, too, have been using Kirkland in the Mrs.' 2.4 Ecotec (Verano.) No complaints. That car gets 5000 km OCIs because by then, I'm topping it up anyway.

How many miles do you have on that Verano? We also have one.

Salsa De Piña · January 19, 2022

22 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

How many miles do you have on that Verano? We also have one.

She just rolled over 125,000 km this past weekend.

elcamino · January 19, 2022

You get what you pay for.

These new engines use technology that is hard on engines and especially oil. Active Fuel Management, Dynamic Fuel Management, start stop, variable vavle timings, turbo charging etc. All these new technologies put a lot of stress on the oil. Not all oils are up to the task and that's why GM and other oem's have been pushing for better oil specifications to be developed. Yet there are a lot of oil companies who market "good enough" products and customers who refuse to spend the money continue to buy these "good enough" products for their expensive vehicles/engines. They think frequent oil changes are cheap insurance but in reality, cheap oil is the problem.

Why do you think some oils are cheaper? Where do you think they cut the corners? Did they use cheaper oil base stocks and additive packages? Did they cut back on quality control? How can they afford to spends millions of $$ on advertising and sell their oil so cheap and still make money if they claim their oil is best?

KARNUT · January 19, 2022

I’ve had costumers order 6 land clearing tractors. They got a discount vs a customer who buys one. That probably has to do with the cheaper oil prices. Generic drugs vs name brands. Same concept. I buy store brand gas here locally. I got 10-20 year old vehicles pretty much their only gas. Top tier, who knows. I’ve saved a ton of money sometimes 50 cents a gallon with shopping their. Sometimes 1$ per gallon. If I didn’t go extended I’d use it. I make the difference up by going extended. It’s not a one size fits all.

Grumpy Bear · January 19, 2022

Kirkland has a DEXOS license which means? It passed all test required for that license. THAT license is tougher to meet than the API SN+ license. Which means? It's a bit better than 'minimum spec'. Reason is funny like that.

Are there 'better' oils. Certainly. They also cost multiples more. Gasoline is a 'federally controlled and defined' product. Top Tier means? It has an additive package that rates in the......top tier. COSTCO Kirkland gas is a top tier fuel and fresh as a daisy. Why? Because the turn over in HUGE. Why? Because Kirkland Signature products are sold at a flat 15% over cost....period. Same reason their oil is so cheap. It isn't cheap because it's "cheap oil" and somehow inferior. It's cheap because COSTCO isn't price GOUGING. Watch their gas pricing during holidays vs the station down the street and get a gouging lesson. Use Gas Buddy and do it from home. Don't waste fuel going to look. :thumbs:

"You get what you pay for"????? Yea...sometimes. Sometimes you just get pork.

Kirkland oil will do an oils job. It will even do it just as well in any 'real world' application. It's just won't do it as LONG.

Think about that before you spout your long OCI drivel as to WHY that oil can go that long. Really think on it.

Grumpy Bear · January 19, 2022

https://www.cpchem.com/what-we-do/solutions/polyalphaolefins/faq

Today’s lubricants demand better oxidative stability. What advantages do Synfluid® PAOs have?

Oxidative stability is a critical property enabling oils to resist sludge formation and degradation while in service. PAO-based lubricants offer a significant advantage in oxidative stability. The rotary bomb bench test is a strong predictor of how base oils will perform in many automotive and industrial applications. The chart below shows rotary bomb (ASTM D2272) results between Synfluid^® PAOs and some mineral oils.

Synfluid^® PAOs have been carefully designed to yield oxidative induction times greater than 2,500 minutes with 0.5 percent antioxidant. This is a far greater benefit than can be achieved from other base oils.

PAOs also resist viscosity increases upon oxidation, which is important in sequence IIIE and VW T4 engine tests. These combined benefits provide the properties required for severe service applications and extended drain intervals.

The advantages offered in oxidative stability, coupled with superior volatility and low-temperature viscometrics, clearly demonstrate that Synfluid^® PAOs are the highest-quality base oils available in the industry.

THIS is the basis for longer OCI's and the basis for my saying that matching the right OCI to the base oil type yields the SAME result. Eyeballing the value the PAO base oil has about a 30% longer service life. NOT 3 or 4 or 5 or....times longer.

Yes yes there are a hundred other things to consider but consider that once it's 'stick a fork in it' done no other advantage it holds matters. Burnt toast is burnt toast.

Grumpy Bear · January 19, 2022

I just heard that Trump uses Kirkland in his golf cart!!

Okay pretend you just had your second drink and you are up next.

Edited January 20, 2022 by Grumpy Bear

16LT4 · January 20, 2022

23 hours ago, KARNUT said:

I buy store brand gas here locally. I got 10-20 year old vehicles pretty much their only gas. Top tier, who knows. I’ve saved a ton of money sometimes 50 cents a gallon with shopping their. Sometimes 1$ per gallon.

Is cheap gas actually cheaper? On one of my vehicles, premium fuel at BJs wholesale club is 16-18% cheaper... but fuel economy on that vehicle drops by as much as 24% when using that fuel. BJs has a much greater price delta on their premium than their 87, so I suspect their 91 (or 93?) is actually 89, which results in lowered fuel economy and ultimate cost/mile. I've noticed similar data, though, on our Pacifica which uses 87.

KARNUT · January 20, 2022

6 minutes ago, 16LT4 said:

Is cheap gas actually cheaper? On one of my vehicles, premium fuel at BJs wholesale club is 16-18% cheaper... but fuel economy on that vehicle drops by as much as 24% when using that fuel. BJs has a much greater price delta on their premium than their 87, so I suspect their 91 (or 93?) is actually 89, which results in lowered fuel economy and ultimate cost/mile. I've noticed similar data, though, on our Pacifica which uses 87.

I would imagine they would have to sell what they advertised. From what’s said here the difference is the additives, gas is gas. When I’ve used other brands the fuel mileage is the same. Lately the store brands have sometimes been a few cents higher. Gas prices have been fluctuating so much sometimes the name brands have been cheaper. I pass the stations I buy from going for my morning walk at the rec center track. On the way home stop at the cheapest when gas is needed. It’s a mix bag these days. Sometimes a 10 cent difference.

14burrito · January 20, 2022

4 minutes ago, KARNUT said:

I would imagine they would have to sell what they advertised. From what’s said here the difference is the additives, gas is gas. When I’ve used other brands the fuel mileage is the same. Lately the store brands have sometimes been a few cents higher. Gas prices have been fluctuating so much sometimes the name brands have been cheaper. I pass the stations I buy from going for my morning walk at the rec center track. On the way home stop at the cheapest when gas is needed. It’s a mix bag these days. Sometimes a 10 cent difference.

Youd be surprised. I have come across fuel samples where the 91 octane actually had a lower rating than the 87.