Its relatively new to the market (at least i had never seen it before). Available from Napa (and im sure other retailers). I think the price was around $3.79/quart. It is apparently 50% recycled oil but Valvoline says it has the same amount of protection as conventional oil. I wouldnt pay the markup from conventional oil because im driving a prius for the gas mileage, not the environment. I also dont want to put used oil in my car. Not trying to start an argument over saving the planet, but who here would use or are using it?
Since switching to 0W-20 when it came out (and since it only comes in synthetic), it's not too likely the Prius will be receiving Valvoline's latest product. And since our Leaf doesn't use oil ... synthetic or other wise ... it won't be using it either.
I haven't noticed this item for sale. I assume that this is mineral (not synthetic) oil, and personally don't see the point in paying more for recycled oil. Usually name brand mineral oil sells for <= $3 per quart.
It's kind of interesting to me that their seems to be two primary advertising approaches to selling you Oil right now. The older being.."Buy Synthetic"....long list of why.... A new approach is "Recycled" or spinning an Oil as somehow more "Green" or enviromentally friendly... I don't know. I'd be curious as to how Valvoline "recycled" Oil sells....I kind of see motor oil as one of those area's that is very difficult to sell on the basis of being "green" or recycled. Most people, when it comes time to change oil, are thinking about protecting their investment...motor oil is a preventative, protection product. I don't know how "recycled" may or may not sell in that enviroment. I'm sure some people will think it's great. And embrace the product. But I'm afraid most people are going to think "recycled" that means it's been used before... I'm not knocking it as a product...I just don't know if it works as a way to sell motor oil. On almost all new vehicles we are quickly reaching the point where synthetics are recommended. That gives me a convienent excuse to avoid the whole issue. Until they start offering "Recycled Synthetic"...I guess...
Well, as long as it chemically is as good as "new" oil, maybe some merit there. That being said, the price should be a little better, which might encouage sales. I personally plan to stick with Synthetic Oil!
Personally I don't see any reason why they couldn't make just as good a product starting from recycled as starting from crude. I'm not sure that it will sell very well though. I guess they've seen an opportunity for a niche market or otherwise they wouldn't have gone there.
As synthetic oil that is used in both of my cars is then recycled for other uses, it is just as green as the Valvoline and I will leave the use of recycled oil for less critical lubricant applications. JeffD
Does oil really 'wear out', or does it just get dirty? Assuming thorough cleaning procedures, would it be as good as 'new'?
Odd though that Valvoline would say: But the vast majority of oil molecules do not breakdown and are fully usable. I mean, synthetics have been sold on the exact opposite premise, that regular oil molecules do break down, and that synthetics are more stable and longer lasting. So which is it? I'm guessing that either, or, both or all products are perfectly useable, and that there is just a degree of salesmenship to both presentations. I just find it interesting that I've been told for years when it was popular to promote synthetics that an overriding reason for using synthetics WAS that conventional motor oils DID break down on a molecular level, and now when they want to sell me recycled motor oil, I get told that "The Vast Majority" of molecules do not break down. Even the use of the term The Vast Majority is strange. That means there is a not so vast minority of molecules that DO break down. Sorry, in the end, I have to be self serving and the all too common Pig like consumer. I'm sticking with Brand New Synthetic. But I promise, I'll keep it in longer....
Used motor oil is not accumulating in a dump, so I do not see an environmental benefit. In fact, the product may be a net disadvantage to the environment if additional processing steps are needed to prepare it for sale. So called 'recycling' is rarely a good environmental idea. Conservation and reuse make a lot more sense.
As a side branch of this discussion about recycled oil, has anyone been sniffing around this G-oil? Its 5W-30. I have no interest in promoting this oil but I think its an interesting read. Its derived from "domestically sourced beef tallow" and supposedly biodegradable at a rapid rate...do we want this in our Prius ICE? ------------------------------------------------------------ If anybody is interested in trying this product, here is a 5 quart jug free at Wal-Mart after a $26 rebate. Again I am not promoting this product, just passing along an opportunity to maybe test this in a non-Prius vehicle. Green Earth Technologies
Yes I've also heard that conventional oil does break down and deteriorate at the molecular level, but I still think both of the above positions could be compatible. Say for example just 5% of the oil molecules had broken down to the point where they were likely to cause sludges and gums. I think 5% of your oil turning to a sludge or gum would be enough to consider that the oil had been used too long and had broken down. Yet for the recycler that's 95% of the used oil that is not broken down so both claims would be correct. This is all just guessing of course.
Currently most of the used oil that's collected is used (mixed with) heavy fuel oil like "bunker oil" for ships or power generation. I agree that recycling doesn't necessarily make sense if it takes more energy to reprocess it than it does to get it from crude. The other thing to consider is that the average car uses (or could use) less than 1% the amount of sump oil than it does gasoline. So it's pretty obvious where the greatest potential is for conserving oil. Also the fact that the price is higher does give me an uncomfortable feeling that it does cost more in energy to reprocess. I'd like to think that if the recycled oil base stock can be obtained for practically nothing (I give mine away) and if it didn't cost more in energy to re-refine compared to crude, then the final product should be cheaper. I suppose though that this could all be purely a marketing thing, like "what the consumer will pay".
I work at an oil change express. When oil gets old it breaks down and the oil pressure drops. Also the additives go in to the filter carrying the bad stuff. They just filter old oil and ad new additives, put in the thickeners they put in oil ( the oil is the lower number like 5w30 and thickeners bring it up to the upper number when heated). We used to buy recycled oil at Pep Boys for 10 cents a quart back in the 60's. Valvoline recycled looks to be about a dollar less a quart as most are up to $4.00 a quart now. The synthetics last longer as they do not break down as fast so if you run them 10,000 miles you get your value back. If you change it every 3000 miles ( Prius recomends 5000 ) just stick with regular oil. In all the tests when oil is changed regularly there is no difference in wear on the engine. Do not put synthetic in older cars or a car run on regular oil with high miles or it will start to leak if it doesn't already. I am surprised that they aren't requiring us to recycle all the oil. They pick up ours and burn it at a power plant.