[NXS]

My buddy works at Napa and he tells me the Napa brand oil is really Valvoline. Is there any truth to this? Their synthetic oil is slightly less than $4 a quart and he tells me it is exactly the same as the $5 a quart Valvoline sitting on the shelf beside it.
Any inside info or is he trying to push his stores oil? I don't live close enough to his strore to by from him but I do live close enough to another Napa that I can buy there very easily. So ya' heard anything about this?

[66GMC]

Yup it's true.
Even the part numbers are the same (almost)

Valvoline 10W30 = #129 (or VC129)
NAPA 10W30 = #1290

I'm pretty sure that we use the same P/N's as US. Our bottles are usually labeled as 946ml (1 US qt.)

Canadian "product Line code" is "VAL" for both.

Don

Edit: Ooops ... just noticed the "synthetic" in your post. The P/N's above are for ordinary multi-grade. Regardless ... they're both Valvoline.

[fitzwell]

yep....true dat.
only sad thing is Valvolines synthetic formula is "out of date" ....still good for a driver, just not the top o' the heap as far as a synthetic

[347mustang]

i heard the o;rilleys oil is also valoline

[NXS]

It's good to know that Napa filters are wix and their oil is Valvoline. I like castrol better...but at $3.50 or so a quart for full syn, I'll buy Napa/Valvoline! Thanks fellars.

[Mustangsaly]

this is true, Napa filters are wix and napa oil is Valvoline ? i would run it in my daily beater, i run quaker state in most everything, and mobil 1 synthetic in my mustang and run Valvoline straight 30 in my mowers and sons briggs Raptor 3 mini bike engine.


Mustangsaly

[BarryK]

I have a question for you guys?

Why would you think because the oil is made by a certain company it would be the same formula as that companies brand?

Why would the company discount the oil cost wise so that private labeler can sell it for less than they sell there own brand?

Would you not think the formula is different?

What if that big company, say IBM wanted oil, could they go to a major and say I need to pay $1.75 a quart, will the company do it? Sure they will!
How about the saying- what would you like to pay a quart and we will tell you what we can make for that amount?

In five minutes I could take any oil formula and cheapen it a bunch and you would never know the difference unless you did an oil analysis.

Most of all don't you find it suspicious that company wants you to know who makes it?? Nothing like assumed name recognition!

Just a thought!

[NAIRB]

I have been running my service station for nigh on 8 years now, and I have used the generic "house" oil in alot of cars. I have also torn some of them down and I can say that the cheap stuff is every bit as good as any name-brand oil.

I just tore down a 350 Chevy with 250,000 miles on it , and the bearings and crank were like brand new. It has had nothing but "parts master" oil sold by a local parts house here.

Napa oil is Ashland oil company, which is Valvoline. It's the same stuff.

Walmart "Super Tech" oils are actually either Quaker State, Tropic Arctic or Pennzoil, depending upon which part of the country you buy it in. The stuff here is the same as Quaker State.

The stuff comes from the same place. You pay extra for the fancier bottle and the advertising. We are programmed to believe it's better when it's not.

[BarryK]

Thats exactly what they want you to think!

You answered my questions, thanks.

[Mustangsaly]

it all comes from the same ground / well, it's the additives added latter that make the formulas of each brands different.


Mustangsaly

[sam83k10]

It does all come from the ground but its not exacally the same. I know the oil from Wester PA is high in parafin, I think this is what causes the milky substance under the oil cap. If your going to spend $5 a quart on Valvoline why not pay $5.25 a quart for Royal Purple.

[NXS]

Because a penny saved is a penny earned?
I'm looking at oil being $2.50 a bottle that I usually buy or upgrading to a full synthetic at less than a syn blend price....and it's not coming from a company regarded as having poor quality control.

I admit that refining oil can leave a person with different qualities of oil, and I'm sure this formula is not of the same quality as some of the oils out there, or even main label Valvoline....but it's really the ability to handle heat that I'm after. And at $3.67 or whatever per quart of full syn it's probably the best bang for the buck out there.

[66GMC]

Originally Posted by BarryK

I have a question for you guys?

Why would you think because the oil is made by a certain company it would be the same formula as that companies brand?

Why would the company discount the oil cost wise so that private labeler can sell it for less than they sell there own brand?

Would you not think the formula is different?

What if that big company, say IBM wanted oil, could they go to a major and say I need to pay $1.75 a quart, will the company do it? Sure they will!
How about the saying- what would you like to pay a quart and we will tell you what we can make for that amount?

In five minutes I could take any oil formula and cheapen it a bunch and you would never know the difference unless you did an oil analysis.

Most of all don't you find it suspicious that company wants you to know who makes it?? Nothing like assumed name recognition!

Just a thought!

Here is my theory:
1.) Of course it's the same formula! I'd suggest that you should have the analysis done to prove otherwise.
2.) Valvoline probably doesn't sell oil to end users ... have you ever been in a Valvoline store? They're in the business of selling to distribution chains, and NAPA is one of the largest!
3.) NAPA goes to Valvoline and says "We sell 17 gazillion quarts of 10w30 motor oil per year through our distribution chain of (quote) 6,000 NAPA AUTO PARTS stores, 69 Distribution Centers, over 12,000 affiliated NAPA AutoCare repair facilities (end quote) in the US. I want a quote for you to package your oil in a container with OUR name brand on it ... we'll also commit to stocking another 1 gazillion quarts of "Valvoline" brand for those consumers that don't trust us when we say "NAPA = Valvoline" ... "

OK ... obviously Valvoline thinks this would be a wise move, and supplies NAPA with both "brands" of 10w30 (at a really good price!)

4.) From NAPA's viewpoint, they can now promote "NAPA" oil at a reduced price, knowing that the consumer (or repair shop) will likely want to buy associated products (i.e. NAPA branded WIX filters ... see a pattern developing here?) along with perhaps a new serpentine belt while its "in the shop". Selling the oil (as we do in our store) at a very small profit (or even loss) entices the consumer to make the original purchase ... and we hope that our service keeps them coming back.
------------------------------------------
In fact, NAPA (at least here in Canada) has been really pushing their suppliers for "NAPA-Branded" packaging, and "exclusivity". Echlin Ignition for example, is now ONLY available from NAPA in NAPA packaging.

Most consumers (myself included) are driven by convenience, doing what "comes easy". If they see a NAPA brand and part number on the part that they are removing (ie. oil filter, air filter) they will likely return to NAPA to replace it, rather than fooling around with waiting for someone else to cross-reference it. Have a look at the new "NAPA GOLD" oil filter, with it's fancy paint job and graphics ... hell, it's so pretty that you hate to get it dirty!

"One-stop-shopping" will continue to gain importance in the marketplace as well, as consumers have learned to value their time and travel costs. We're seeing signs of that now in rural Alberta. Folks used to drive 1/2 hour or an hour to the nearest city in order to save that "buck and a half" on an air filter at the big box store. After standing in line for another half-hour while some pimply-faced kid struggles to be a "partsman" ... it starts to sink in.

One more point... Fram (Allied Signal) has John Force as their official figure-head. They've also added a layer of textured rubber to the bottom of their oil filters to make them less slippery to remove and install. That's a lot of money to invest in order to sell a very low cost oil filter. Fram is quite likely the best-selling filter in North America, mostly due to better marketing. Cut a Fram and Wix filter apart some time and compare... I think you'll see the value of marketing.

Don

[Rob Keller]

used to be Quaker state had a real high amount of wax in it that is what would cause all that nasty stuff you would have to scrape off all the internal parts


sam the white milky stuff is sometimes a small amount of condensation that builds up from the weather like the steam that burns off from the exhuast on a moist morning


SR66

[BarryK]

Here is my theory:
1.) Of course it's the same formula! I'd suggest that you should have the analysis done to prove otherwise.
************************************************** ***

I don't need to as I worked for an oil company I know all about it and all those aftermarkets oil additives and injector cleaners, know who makes them.

If I know anything at all is up for grabs but I will say this I have never in my life bought a private label oil for lawn mower, go kart or anything Else.
I guess I just like to waste money.