Any thoughts on the "looming" motor oil shortage?

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by Stevewoods, May 19, 2026 at 12:03 PM.

  1. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    Toying with idea of buying enough now to get through two oil changes -- 10 quarts

    But that makes me feel like one of "those" people and no did not hoard toilet paper during the pandemic.
     
  2. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    I, always, keep a few extra jugs of oil in the garage but, so far, haven't seen anywhere with empty oil shelves. I am sad my local Walmart has torn apart all of the displays with their oil filters...I was going to pick up a few spare YZZN1's and YZZA4's for my Toyota's. (Hopefully they are just replacing the shelves and not getting rid of the filters.)

    Just ignore those peddling their "fear p@rn"

    "Don't sweat the small stuff....and everything is small stuff"
     
  3. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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  4. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    Sorry.

    Better to keep this all on the post mentioned above
     
  5. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Buy it as a bag in a box with spigot... Way less waste that way... Stupid quart oil bottles are lame!
     
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  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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  7. futurist

    futurist Member

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    Shortage? Nah. Jacking the price into lunar orbit? Oh yeah, just watch :rolleyes:

    Good thing hybrids don't use oil like ICE-onlies do. Oh wait -- no difference, esp if you want oil and not water lubricating your plain bearing surfaces :confused:
     
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  8. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Gee....I'm old enough to remember when "shutting down the oil industry" was a campaign promise.
    Now?
    We're presently "suffering" through a 20% distribution shortfall and suddenly we cannot get enough of the stuff.
    If you're physically able or smart enough to DIY maintenance, and you're more than Covid years old you probably already have 1 or two oil changes in your garage.
    I personally lean towards 2 changes worth of oil and filters in the garage, but (thanks to the climate industrial complex) I also have full sized truck with an eensy-weensie little four banger that puts 310BHP and 430ft/lbs of torque into the rear wheels........so oil changes come more frequently for me that they do for those who maintain a 'closed hood' maintenance philosophy.
    My oil changes are half the price but they happen twice as often - so it's a wash for me.
     
  9. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I'll bet none of the folks who ever used that as a campaign promise said they were going to do it all at once with some bombs and no consultation because they could and without thinking through the sequelae.
     
  10. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Walmart here no longer had Supertech in a box. Had Mobil1 that way though.
     
  11. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    Not shortage here just yet...just picked up two 5-qt jugs of Valvoline Extra Protection Synthetic 5W-30 for my daughter's Palisade....$28.97 a jug. The oil racks were pretty full of oil....only thing I didn't see were the Valvoline Restore and Protect but those always sell out fast.

    It does look like my Walmart got rid of their Toyota OEM which is a huge letdown...will have to check out the other Walmart near work.
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    trade for a Bev, problems solved
     
  13. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Yep... SuperTech's 12 quart bag in a box was only $50 whereas Mobil 1 is $65ish. And I bet they're the exact same synthetic oil from the exact same refinery. Also what's great about the plastic bag beyond not having to have oil in individual quarts is that you can pull the plastic bag and let remaining oil settle in a corner and poke a hole to drain out every last drop.
     
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  14. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    Problem not solved.

    BEV's. have other costs like increased insurance rates, expense battery degradation and replacement cost, charging cost from increasing electricity and charging cost, expensive specialty tire cost with shorter tire life and high depreciation,

    This is explained in the following video.




    Easier us to just stock up on a few jugs of oil and filters.
     
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  15. Probity

    Probity Junior Member

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    My daughter in Socal with a 2026 LE HEV will find out soon if her dealer (Wondries in Alhambra) is in "0w-16 for 0w-8" substitution mode. When I saw a couple weeks ago about Toyota doing that, I suggested she book an appointment and get it changed (it's due). They have what they call a "Happy Hour $48.88 Oil Change Special" (M-F between 1400-1730 hrs). I drove the LE from Louisiana to Socal back in February, got the oil/filter changed then, expected the 0w-8 they used to be "extra" cost above the $48.88 but surprisingly it wasn't then.
     
  16. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    The old plastic oil 5qt jugs are great for returning oil for recycling. The 1qt, not so much (pour spout too small).
     
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sorry Georgina, but that's all FUD. same insurance rate as our hycam, no battery degradation or replacement, charging cost is much cheaper than gas in many areas of the country, and even here, it's now cheaper than the national gas average.
    depreciation is no higher than most gassers, toyota possibly excepted because of their reputation.

    but my point was based on the thread title, haven't used any motor oil yet, so I'm not concerned about a shortage.
    don't believe everything you watch in a video, that's maga's job :)
     
  18. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    Still, for me who drives less than 2k miles a year, a BEV makes no sense.

    An HEV is the best option.

    My Prius v is close to 14 years old and the HV battery is still in good health.

    When I will need to replace it, it will be about $4k of an OE at the dealership,

    Will a BEV battery last 14 years plus? What is the replacement cost for the battery?

    My Prius v still is worth about $8k. How much will a 14 year old BEV with its original battery, if It lasts that long, be worth?