My Rant on Motor Oil and Filters...

[Apoptosis]

Why in the past year or so did they change the 5 quart oil jugs to 5+ quarts... Now every time I do an oil change I have about half a quart of extra oil that I throw away. It's a waste and they happened to increase prices thanks to this extra 1/2 quart being in the bottle. All my families cars use 4 quarts 5 quarts or 6 quarts... Be it a Saturn, Dodge, Jeep, Chevy...

Also, why is the paper oil filter on cars like the Chevy Cavalier like $8-9? They have no casing, no bypass valve, no steel tapping plate or spiral shaped center tube... It's a paper filter with some rubber clips on both ends and a couple o-rings... All my other cars use normal 'can' style filters and cost $3 and have all the aforementioned parts.

Sorry just wanted to rant and just for giggles I e-mailed FRAM and asked why they cost nearly triple.

[Sporg]

I have been annoyed at the jugs ever since they came out, so I'm totally with you on this one.

[stev]

With a global market and shrinking manufacturing across the globe, your filter might be made in a far off country that would carry a higher retail price. Also, that third party selling under the Fram brand may only make a several thousand a month vs. a quarter million for the aftermarket.

My dad had worked for Honeywell and has since retired. Back then, Bendix, Fram, Autolite, Mirrorex, and the like were under Allied-Signal Automotive division. Much of the products were made in the USA or Mexico. Now, places like Romania, Vietnam, Korea, China, Brazil are small players supplying the aftermarket big names.

It's not the cost of manufacturing and materials, it's all about logistics and the cost of shipping.

[skier]

we only buy boxes of 12 qts, of 1 qt containers. actually just changed the oil in my car today, getting it inspected early next week after not being able to drive it since late july. god i hate Maine laws.

[GI-JOE]

For me it's just the opposite. I wish the oil I get (Pennzoil synthetic) came with 5.5 qts. I use it in my car (2006 stratus) which takes 5 qts exactly. All fine and dandy, but like any 4 cylinder, uses about 1/2 qt of oil for every 5,000 miles(when I usually change it.) Therefore, I have to buy ANOTHER 1 qt. of oil for $6-7 instead of a jug(5 qt) for $20.

[Apoptosis]

Hey! My 4 cylinder doesn't use hardly any oil between changes, but I only go 3,000 miles before i drain it.

[GI-JOE]

Hey! My 4 cylinder doesn't use hardly any oil between changes, but I only go 3,000 miles before i drain it.

Strange... Everyone I know that has one uses a little bit of oil between changes. Heck, even my owners manual states that the engine uses a little bit of oil.

[Keean]

Hey! My 4 cylinder doesn't use hardly any oil between changes, but I only go 3,000 miles before i drain it.

Strange... Everyone I know that has one uses a little bit of oil between changes. Heck, even my owners manual states that the engine uses a little bit of oil.

I've got an 01' Frontier and it doesn't use any oil between changes. Of course, it mainly drives about 6km per day back and forth to work. Wish I could get my fan belts a little tighter though, they are squeaky as all hell!! No matter what I do I can't get it to go away, only quite down a little.

[stev]

Strange... Everyone I know that has one uses a little bit of oil between changes. Heck, even my owners manual states that the engine uses a little bit of oil.

Do you drive a Ford then? Every Ford I've owned did that.

[skier]

our fords dont burn oil....unless it drips onto the headers

our trucks get a crazy amount of highway miles tho('00 F150 has 245k, used to have an '81 F250, after three motors, had about 900k) for my dads work, doesnt explain the mercury sable tho, only has 210k after 16yrs belt's as squeaky as possible and the radio died on the way to New Hampshire this summer

[bubba]

I drive 800 miles a week (thats if I don't do any running on the weekend) my Gran Prix doesn't use any oil and it has over 212K miles. Now my old Plymouth van on the other hand, I just changed the filter now and then, it when through a quart a week of oil and quart of tranny fluid a month. That thing bled all over the place. My carbon foot print went WAY down when I got the Gran Prix

[Apoptosis]

we all thank you for that... lol

[bubba]

I know you were happy about it. At least I never parked in your driveway, and tried to hit the same spot on the street

[GI-JOE]

Strange... Everyone I know that has one uses a little bit of oil between changes. Heck, even my owners manual states that the engine uses a little bit of oil.

Do you drive a Ford then? Every Ford I've owned did that.

Nope, dodge stratus and also my bro's mitsibushi eclipse. My ford explorer doesn't leak any oil at all(although it's a V6 instead.) Like I said, most everyone I know who drives a 4 cyclinder says they use oil. Maybe it's the location?

[vicaphit]

My 4 cyl Civic doesn't use any oil, but my old one did.