Valvoline Premium Blue / NAPA

[AndyMan]

At my last oil/filter change, I decided to switch back to Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme (full synthetic). The local cummins place is the only location I knew of to buy PBE. I quit using it in the first place cause it was $22/gal and 40 miles out of my way. I called valvoline (big mistake... evidently they are idiots just like everyone else), they said any NAPA store could get it. Well, I was pleased. I've always loved NAPA (until now), so I go to two different NAPA's before I find one that will order the oil for me. I said up front I wanted three gallons of Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme. The ordered four gallons of Valvoline Premium Blue (not synthetic), and tried to force me to buy all four... Long story short, I am no longer allowed in the NAPA in Ashland City, TN 37015.

Sorry for all that... here's the question:

When I stormed out with this oil, I thought it was at least a synthetic blend. Only to find out that it's just plain ol dino oil. For $12/Gallon ! Why would anyone in their right mind (obviously I wasn't at the time) pay DOUBLE what Rotella-T costs? Is there a reason, or did Valvoline just get another sucker?

 

[SCClockDr]

I get my Valv. Extreme from Cummins Atlantic, Inc. , Columbia SC. They ship, my price is $14. 62/gal pickup at the counter. They give me wholesale price, I'm just a consumer. I'd call the Cummins place and try to arrange a better deal and buy more to get it if I had to. I generally get a Geno's kit with oil & sample jars each time.

 

[SCClockDr]

Advanced Autoparts here in Union, SC carries premium blue 2000 $9. 56/gal. I can get Extreme at NAPA and will provide the NAPA No. if you would like. Here it is more than $22/gal.

 

[AndyMan]

I would appreciate the NAPA part number. I'll have to try a different NAPA store though. I'm banned from the one (no biggie to me), and the other NAPA said they didn't sell Valvoline and couldn't get it. (shrug)...

I'll try a different one. Those two were just real close.

I'm still furious that I spent twice as much on oil only to have to drain it in 3k miles... . I was hoping to at least get 7500.

I called Valvoline and asked what the difference was between Valvoline Premium Blue and Rotella-T that caused it to cost twice as much. All I got was silence. I asked if there was an extended drain interval, and she said "follow your owners manual recomendations"... Gee, thanks for reading your website FAQ back to me. Not sure why I ever switched from Rotella-T. It's readily available, cheap, and trucks run millions of miles on it.

 

[67guzzler]

AndyMan,



This is slightly off topic but related. I saw this past weekend that Walmart has Shell Rotella 5w-40 FULL synthetic for $13. 99 a gallon... ... .



Do you have to have the Premium Blue Extreme???



-Jay

 

[KNeeley]

The 5w-40 Rotella syn. is not a true syn. oil.

It is a blend of group III and PAO.

 

[67guzzler]

Huh?



http://www.rotella.com/products/index.php



See the dark blue bottle.



#ad




They say:



"Shell ROTELLA® T Synthetic 5W-40

Shell ROTELLA® T Synthetic is a fully synthetic heavy-duty diesel and gasoline engine oil developed especially to meet the requirements of North American driving. The exclusive Shell formulation offers users exceptional performance and protection in combination with enhanced fuel economy potential over conventional 15W-40 motor oils. This synthetic multigrade engine oil meets the service requirements of virtually all four-stroke cycle diesel and gasoline engine manufacturers. "



What am I missing? What's a Group III and a PAO?

 

[HeavyHauler]

So they booted you out of the store but you still ended up buying the oil? Hmmm, anyway, I wish I could have been there to witness all that!



On another note, Advance Auto Parts had Premium Blue for around $8/gallon. You might want to check there to see if they can order you PBE. It just doesn't pay to do business with NAPA, they will gouge you every chance they get. I banned <U>myself</U> from going into my local store.



I'd just stick with Rotella T. But I understand the obsession with that little blue "C" on the Valvoline bottle.

 

[OHale]

If I were to EVER be banned from a store I would make sure that my hard-earned money was banned as well. They ordered the wrong product, took your money and then banned you?



You are a lot more patient than I am with that sort of thing.....

 

[jwilliamson]

I'm still furious that I spent twice as much on oil only to have to drain it in 3k miles... . I was hoping to at least get 7500

regular oil change intervals per the owners manual using dino oil are 7500 for severe duty and 15000 for light duty, why would have at change at 3000?

 

[AndyMan]

Hey Hans... It all kind of happened at once... I won the "I ordered three gallons / We ordered 4 gallons for you" argument, and I paid... While paying, I was trying to explain that if they had ordered what I requested, that I would have gladly gone ahead and purchased the 4th gallon. That's where the breakdown/yelling/spitting/cursing/Banning broke out. It was a proud and classy moment in my life.

 

[AndyMan]

AndyMan,

This is slightly off topic but related. I saw this past weekend that Walmart has Shell Rotella 5w-40 FULL synthetic for $13. 99 a gallon... ... .

Do you have to have the Premium Blue Extreme???

-Jay

Jay,

It doesn't HAVE to be PBE... I like the comfort of the little cummins symbol on the bottle. Basically, I want a full synthetic that I can pick up on my way home.

Take care,
Andy

 

[AndyMan]

regular oil change intervals per the owners manual using dino oil are 7500 for severe duty and 15000 for light duty, why would have at change at 3000?

J,

Best I remember (without getting off my butt and looking), there are two schedules. Each with a sev duty and a light duty recomendation. I think the one you are referring to is Schedule B. I've been adhering to Schedule A. That said, I did run my last Rotella about 6k miles. I took a sample, and am awaiting the results... .

 

[Subby]

Can you please post those results? I've been running Delo 1540 for 3 years now changing every 5K using NAPA Gold filter. Never have taken a sample. Thanks.

 

[67guzzler]

Jay,



It doesn't HAVE to be PBE... I like the comfort of the little cummins symbol on the bottle. Basically, I want a full synthetic that I can pick up on my way home.



Take care,

Andy

AndyMan,



Me too. I'm just waiting for a little more break-in before I slide over to Synthetic. I was all set to go with the Rotella T Full Synthetic until KNeeley said it wasn't a true synthetic. But the propaganda at Rotella claims it is so I'm a little confused... . It's premature as I want to get up to 10,000 miles before converting over.



-J

 

[nickleinonen]

in north america, you can legally call a base 3 lube oil a synthetic. in the europe you can not. mobil and some others took castrol to court long ago i believe about them calling their syntec [base 3] a synthetic and they lost. now most "synthetics" are base 3 except for a handfull [mobil1/delvac1, amsoil, redline, royal purple... ] the base 3 is very highly refined regular oil. base 4 which gets into the true synthetic catagory are polyolesters [sp?] or PAO base stock. you can get oil which is pure ester based [base 5?] but it retails for like $30 a liter...

 

[AndyMan]

Well, I got my numbers back yesterday from my last oil sample. Ran Rotella-T 5500 miles. Numbers were WAY better than my last sample of Valvoline PBE. Cummins endorsed or not, PBE is out. I think it's gonna be Rosemella from now on...

 

[67guzzler]

in north america, you can legally call a base 3 lube oil a synthetic. in the europe you can not. mobil and some others took castrol to court long ago i believe about them calling their syntec [base 3] a synthetic and they lost. now most "synthetics" are base 3 except for a handfull [mobil1/delvac1, amsoil, redline, royal purple... ] the base 3 is very highly refined regular oil. base 4 which gets into the true synthetic catagory are polyolesters [sp?] or PAO base stock. you can get oil which is pure ester based [base 5?] but it retails for like $30 a liter...

Nick -- I had no idea! I thought if it said "Full Synthetic" it was fully synthetic. I'm shocked that regular oil, no matter how refined, can be called synthetic. That's total bologna. I think that the majority of folks like me wouldn't know about that so I believe the authorities should somehow clamp down on this... .



Just read this confirming what you say:



http://www.performanceoiltechnology.com/baseoilcategories.htm



I think this is nutz. Get rid of the "Synthetic" label totally then. Just call them Base # and be done with it. If the label says it's something, it should be that something.



Thanks for straightening me out.

 

[AndyMan]

Here's the results. Enjoy.


Product Rotella Miles on Oil 5500mi
----------------------------------
iron 21
chromium 1
lead 1
copper 5
tin 0
aluminum 6
nickel 0
silver 2
silicon 6
boron 21
sodium 6
magnesium 17
calcium 3444
barium 0
phosphorus 1277
zinc 1478
molybdenum 18
titanium 0
vanadium 0
potassium 0
fuel (%vol) <1
VIS @100*c 14. 46
water (%vol) 0
soot/solids . 1
glycol neg
TBN 10. 31
f-soot . 01
SAE 40