Cheap Car Engine oil

eilz

tomstickland wrote:

Using cheap oil and replacing it regularly is probably the best method for long engine life. By regularly I mean every 1000-2000 miles or so.

Personally I'm happy with the £4.50 semi synthetic from the motor factors.

Where can you get semi synth for £4.50?, what is its rating 10w/40 etc.. and is it ACEA B3,A3 or above (standards). Want something for my turbo diesel cav

tomstickland

Local motor factors, box of 4 x 5L for £20, they have a range of oil grades available.

eilz

tomstickland wrote:

Local motor factors, box of 4 x 5L for £20, they have a range of oil grades available.

Excuse me for being thick!, but where/what are "local motor factors", I take it there some kind of large scale supplies, so how do I find out where my nearest one is, are they all the same? me confused.

tomstickland

Yellow pages, look under "motor parts suppliers" or "motor factors". Most towns will have several of them hidden away in industrial estates. They are primarily trade, but they will serve public for cash/debit cards etc and it's worth asking for trade discount.

For example, round Gloucester we have "A.P.D. Motor Factors", "Partco", "EuroCaParts", and also "G.S.F. (German, French, Swedish)".

Fenris

fatbelly wrote:

That's an excellent price, but not free. Maybe better on the grabbit board. But thanks anyway. Sounds ideal for a 16 year-old VW Polo!

I've got a couple of MK3 Polo's and am a member of a Polo club. My friend replaced the engine in my Coupe last year and added top grade engine oil and it's run fantasticly ever since. I'd recommend you not to put cheep oil in any car. It's likey to do more harm than good. 49p might sound a bargain until you have to replace bits and pieces due to wear! I guess it just depends on how much you like your car!

tomstickland

Depends on how often you change the oil really.

dazco

Cheap (but not too cheap ) oil will not do any harm unless you are screaming around or your car manufacturer recommends synthetic/semi synthetic.

In fact with older , more worn engines it is sometimes better to shy away from synthetic because it finds its way out of the engine easier than normal oil (leaks). Ask any old saab owner

shown73

Watch out also for Halfords auto transmission oil, double the price of independant outlets, motor factors etc. How do they get away with it?

tomstickland

They're not called Halfrauds for nothing. They aim to catch the casual "recreational2 shopper with no idea of what is a good price on something. I used to shop there before I knew better.

Ferris

shown73 wrote:

Watch out also for Halfords auto transmission oil, double the price of independant outlets, motor factors etc. How do they get away with it?

eeeeeek... i very nearly bought some power steering fluid from halfords the other day, which i think is the same as auto transmission fluid? anyone have any idea what is a good price for power steering fluid? a little off-topic, but still...