Just thought the Backroomers might like to know that Halfords have started their seasonal offers on oils. This year it's just on oils (previous years have included other service parts too). They have knocked 20% off the price of all semi-synthetic and fully synthetic oils in 4, 4.5 & 5 litre tubs. Here is a sample of prices:
Synthetics:
Mobil 1 0W40 (petrol & diesel versions) 4l was £33.99 now £27.19
Castrol RS 0W40 4l was £31.99 now £25.59
Halfords FS 5W40 5l was £25.99 now £20.79
Semi synthetics:
Castrol GTX Magnatec 10W40 4.5l was £21.99 now £17.59
Castrol GTX Magnatec 5W30 4.5l was £24.99 now £19.99
Castrol SLX longlife II (for VW/Audi) 0W30 4l was £34.99 now £27.99
Halfords own semis for petrol and diesel are also reduced by 20%
These offers usually seem to run for about 6 weeks.
Hope you find this useful.
Regards
Cyd
BTW - If you can find a copy of Halfords parts catalogue instore and enter the compo, next year they'll send you a new catalogue and a 10% off voucher. Then you wait for next years offers to come round and get a further 10% off the prices above. Last year I got 16 litres Castrol RS for £72 and 10% off the rest of this years parts requirement by doing this and I'll be doing it again in a couple of weeks.
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Instead of giving money off, it's a pity they don't invest in decent staff over the age of 16 and decent levels of stock on parts for cars other than Fords and Vauxhalls.
If you want to save money on oil, go to any of the mototr factors and by 25 litres at a time, then you'll save 50% on Halfords prices.
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Cyd,
I had the same experience with Halfords - they sent out a very expensive mailshot with teasers about having 'many more parts than we can list', but basically don't know anything about cars other than VX/Ford.
BTW, Dave N, do you know what the shelf life is of oil? If I bought 25 litres it would last me about 18 months, so I only buy 5 litres of VW Syntra semi-synth at £12.00 a time (enough for an oil change on each of our two cars, and average four oil changes per year...).
El Dingo (Martin).
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I think the shelf life is something like 5 years, as long as it's kept out of sunlight, frost etc.
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Really? Mobil 1 at £17 a tub? I don't think so. My local A1 Motor Factors sell Mobil 1 for £32 - just £2 cheaper than Halfords. Andy managed to get it at Kwik Fit for £4.30 a litre, but had to supply his own container - last year I got Castrol RS from Halfords at £4.50 a litre. Like LeZebre says, you have to play their offers game, that way you get excellent value without having to go out of your way. I'm just providing you with the info to help you play the game - if you want to.
As for them not knowing about anything other than Ford or Vauxhall - I don't care. I do not go to Halfords for advice - they're a parts store. Frankly afer 19 years as an Automotive Engineer and 12 yrs building & competing in rally cars I've forgotten more about cars than any Halfords opo will ever know.
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Touchy eh Cyd???
Well I agree with you too - I don't really care what Halfords knows if the oil is cheap. But 'parts store'? Yes, if it's VX or Ford.....
El Dingo (Martin).
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Halfords a [snip] 'parts store'? Yes, if it's VX or Ford.....
Halfords fan that I am, you've got a point there Dingo.
The first time I asked for a Primera cabin filter they said they didn't have them because the car was too recent. Well it's five years old now and they still can't order them.
BTW, Dave N, if you have come back to this oil thread (not your favourite topic, I think) could there be any disadvantages to still running with the original pollen filter - 55,000mls - less filtration? less airflow?
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Halfords offer good value if you manage to 'play' their special offers right. Thanks for the info, Cyd.
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You can buy Mobil 1 0-40 fully synthetic loose from Kwikfit. I bought 7 litres the other day for £30 a £20 plus saving on the Halfords price! Take your own containers.
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Thank you for the helpful information Cyd,excellent.
Its a brave man that buys quality loose oil from Kwikfit.
Simon T.
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Simon's comment about the danger of buying loose oil prompts yet another of my sad little tales ...
When I passed my driving test at 17 years & 3 months (yes, it surprised me as well!) I used to drive my Morris 8 down to Suffolk each weekend to help out at my uncle's garage, doing things like private hire driving, looking after the self-drive cars, serving petrol and attending breakdowns. That was over 40 years ago.
We sold Castrol oil (Castrolite, Castrol XL and Castrol XXL - anyone remember them?) pumped from a large container by turning a handle. The oil was pumped into metal jugs of 1/2 pint and pint sizes and these jugs were left exposed to the air and dust when not in use. One of my jobs was to fill screw-top Castrol bottles with oil from the container because some customers would not accept oil from those dirty cans - little did they know that the oil they were buying came via the cans anyway, not direct from Castrol.
Only one customer was wise to the possibility of dirty oil, a Rolls-Royce driver who would carefully filter the bottled oil through what looked like a lady's stocking!
The use of dirty oil cans was not considered a serious matter, as it would be today of course. Those were the days when Ford didn't even fit an air filter to some of their cars and anything more than 25,000 miles before the engine wore out was a bonus!
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"Its a brave man that buys quality loose oil from Kwikfit".
Can't see any problem with buying oil from Kwikfit. I've checked with the Mobil technical helpline and they confirm that Kwikfit is a large Mobil 1 customer and the Mobil 1 0-40 is to the latest Mobil 1 specification!
So if you wanna pay over the odds, buy it at Halfords, I frankly couldn't care less!!
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Best deal I have seen lately was at the Northwich Peugeot dealer (and maybe others) during the World Cup (why?) - litre of semi-synth AND filter for a tenner (DIY). Beat that?
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Best deal I have seen lately was at the Northwich Peugeot dealer (and maybe others) during the World Cup (why?)
Obviously a ploy by the French company to tempt you out there doing an oil & filter and reduce the viewing figures for the World Cup they'd rather forget!
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If you aren't worried about brand, but more on cost savings, get your mechanic/yourself if you're crafty, down to a Vauxhall dealer.
The parts 'Trade Club' gets you 5ltr containers 4 for price 3!
Fully synthetic 5W 40 SJ/CF A3/B3 £1.76/ltr
Semi synthetic 10W 40 SJ/CF A3/B3 90p/ltr
Mineral 15W40 SJ/CF A2/B2 75p/ltr
prices +vat at discounted equivelent prices.
Think somebody said it was Comma ie Esso that actually made it for them.
Mark
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If you aren't worried about brand, but more on cost savings, get your mechanic/yourself if you're crafty, down to a Vauxhall dealer. The parts 'Trade Club' gets you 5ltr containers 4 for price 3! Fully synthetic 5W 40 SJ/CF A3/B3 £1.76/ltr Semi synthetic 10W 40 SJ/CF A3/B3 90p/ltr Mineral 15W40 SJ/CF A2/B2 75p/ltr prices +vat at discounted equivelent prices.
Semi Synth 10W40 at 90p/litre?
Under a fiver for a five litres?
What's the catch?
--
Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
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If you aren't worried about brand, but more on cost savings, get your mechanic/yourself if you're crafty, down to a Vauxhall dealer.
This was the point I was trying to make about buying larger qtys from motor factors. But I didn't realise you had to kiss the ground before mentioning Mobil 1. There are other brands, equally as good, out there.
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Question,
Why is oil described as being sold by the tub?
I aways associate a tub as something margarine or butter comes in.
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I know, I've had to sit on my hands ever since that term started appearing a few weeks ago.
Margarine is probably formulated by failed lubrication engineers.
Had a look at a Mercedes specific forum - now those guys are really hung up on choice of oil - and some of them are using the phrase 'a pail of Mobil 1' (aargh!)
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Now would seem an appropriate time to ask a question that I have been wondering about for a little while now. This may well get moved to a new thread!
Since I am coming up to my next service on my 1991 Audi Coupe, I am starting to think about choice of oil. As I've had the car for a year, I obviously don't know what oil was used before I bought it. In my last service (a 20000 mile rather than a 10000 mile) I had a semi-synthetic (brand unknown) oil put in by the mechanic. Since then, I have topped up with Magantec 1040.
So, my questions are
1) What, if any benefit would I get from switching to Mobil 1?
2) If I shouldn't bother with Mobil 1, am I using the best choice of oil at the moment?
3) Should I insist that the mechanic uses a specific oil in the change?
Thanks in advance...
Stuart
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Stuart, guess your car has a few miles under its bonnet, so if you check previous Mobil 1 threads, you would probably not be getting full benifit.
Check out the Vauxhall semi-sythetic prices locally to you.
Mark
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Too Late! I went into my local Halfords yesterday and noticed all the offers on oil have finished!
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Having waded through all this what a blessed relief to know that all my 2001 Harley and the 1997 Vulcan need is a good old 20/50 SF oil. Mustn't be any later spec because the friction modifiers in these new-fangled oils mess up the clutch on the bikes..
Both Mustangs will be happy with the same since they're coming up for 36 years old apiece.
Cost, oh, I didn't look...here it is: 1 pound 98 pence equiv/liter.
That just leaves the big truck and madam's Lynx: both new-ish.
When the former was recently serviced, Ford Philippines mechanic recommended against synthetic, said it was too early in the engine's life and too expensive. Back to the regular stuff then.
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Does anyone know how long the current oil offer is on for?
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I buy Morris's semi synthetic from Trago Mills for around £10 for 5 litres. Have been using their oil for years I have one car that's done nearly 300,00 miles.
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Isn't there a connection with B&Q? All the DIY sheds seem to be closing and prices are going up. Oh well, have to make do and mend.
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Just bought 10 litres of 10w40 semi-synthetic for £40. That'll last me years.
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Buy oil from morrisons petrol sattions. £22 for 5 litres of fully synthetic.
Halfords overcharge on oil- about 100% I would estimate.... Anyone who buys Castrol Edge there has more money than sense.
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I bought a load of Castol from Asda. Not bad at all!
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