r-mm

Argh I hate thinking about oil which is why I love buying two 5qt jugs of M1 15w50 from Walmart, delivered free. Seems to be sold out everywhere. Only single quarts at higher price and more mess/waste from ten packages.

I drive year round in CT and like that the M1 has me covered in the depths of winter (~15-25deg outside now).

I am really not in the market to over think this, anyone got a good mail order not crazy expensive idea for me, in 5-qt jugs? I use conventional VR-1 on the flat-tappet Alfa. 20w okay in this temp?
https://www.autozone.com/motor-oil-a...uart/81590_0_0

Noah930

My indy shop likes Brad Penn. I normally go the Walmart/Mobil 1 route when doing oil changes at home. I'm in California so not the same climate as you. I've used the VR-1 in the past, when it was still easily available from my FLAPS. But I share your concern about using dino oil in super low temps.

edit: Weird. Maybe it's a regional thing, because I can still find (or at least so says the website) M1 15w-50 here in L.A.

r-mm

Boy did I try to purchase M1 15w-50 - decided I'd accept the annoyance and cost of buying ten individual quarts but every time I 'added to cart' it turned out the product was not in stock even if listed so. Compromised to Penngrade 10w40, which I found a dozen quarts ~$100 delivered.

Pandemic related or Mobil phasing out the ole 15w-50 ? who's to say....

964Lovac

I haven't driven the car A LOT but I have driven it quite a bit with these cold temps down here in DC. I've been just fine with the VR1 - but then again, I'm not an expert.

Noah930

I'm no expert, either. But I seem to recall reading that in colder temps, synthetics seem to coat surfaces better. Better cling to the metals. So they seem to offer more protection upon initial start-up.

I also have a turbo in one of my cars, so synthetics are better for those super high temps.

So those were a couple of the reasons I stopped using the VR-1, as the stuff that was available locally was the non-synthetic flavor. Now my FLAPS doesn't even stock that, so I switched to M1--but only the 15w-50 viscosity, for the zinc.

rsabeebe

i haven't been able to find M1 15W-50 locally either.

r-mm

Penngrade is a semi synthetic, whatever that may mean.

jjeffries

As Rus knows, I work for an OEM in aftersales (Parts & Service) and the past few months this motor oil scarcity has been a real issue, as the big oil companies and their distributors run with minimal stock and can only do partial-tank deliveries at our dealers. “We’re about to run out of oil!!” is a call guys like me have had a lot since last Fall. It seems to be evening-out now but there are still challenges and Mobil 1 is one of them; it contains a very specific (and excellent) set of additives and they’re in short supply. When Walmart runs low/out, you know the issue is real because they’re a massive account for Mobil.

Best, John

rsabeebe

in case anyone needs it, i just ordered M1 15W-50 from www.thelubricantstore.com

$51.30 for case of 6 qts.

964Lovac

Ah this is good to know. I may need to change. I've eyed changing over to Penngrade, maybe it is now the time.

Mike Hollinger

Yikes! I hope Mobil doesn’t drop this product. I use it in my 964 (10 qts.) and two Alfas (14 qts.). I’m not looking forward to finding an alternative here in the sticks.

r-mm

VR1 Dino has served me well in the alfa and I used it to break the 964 after I did the motor but the M1 is good stuff, cheap and comes to my door. I wish it a speedy return.

Tom Sweeney

Just picked it up at AutoZone for $9 a quart. They had case I brought a case

r-mm

Rejoice - 15w50 looks to be back in stock!

At least I ordered some at Wmart...

JohnK964

just bought a case of Penngrade 12qts 20w50 from a local speed $88.00