[TXRonnie]

Since I have your attention this is about the price of oil instead of the oil change. Some people like POPO oil and some like Mobil 1 and some even buy AVON(amsoil). Since I ride all year I will show you one of the reasons I use Wal Mart other than talking about how good Mobil 1 is. I figure with all the riding I do per year I average 3 oil changes per unit changing it a total of 6 times on my X2 and XP. I will break down the prices for you and I have rounded it off to take in the amount for tax. I will start with POPO oil at the dealer and finish with Wal Mart.

POPO $14.00 a bottle plus tax will be about $30.00 for 2 bottles. So for 6 changes that come up to $180.00. For 6 oil filters at $10.00 that is another $60.00 for a combined total of $240.00

Wal Mart I buy the 5 quart bottles so I will need 2 of those at $24.00 and 2 of the 1 quart bottles at $7.00 each for a total of $62.00. The oil filters are 6 X $5.00 so that is a total of $30.00 for a grand total of $92.00.

For me it is a no brainer for the amount that I ride. I could spend $240.00 at POPO and get a pretty blue bottle or I could spend $92.00 at Wal Mart and get a dull gray bottle. For the $148.00 savings I will pick the dull gray bottle all day long. For someone who might only change oil once a year POPO might not be a bad choice but for someone like me who rides alot Wal Mart all the way.

Ronnie

 

[MustBeNice]

I'll agree, and I don't ride near that much. But I still change my oil with the change of the season's (Spring/Summer & Fall/Winter) for good measure and condensation reasons! So that's 2 machines 2 time a year = 4 changes. I will however stick with Polaris branded transmission and differencial lubes for my yearly (needed or not) changes on those items. Otherwise it's a 5 qrt jug of Mobil1 0W40 & a couple 3.5" Purolator filter from China-mart.... all for about $35-40, can't beat that price on for two machines each time around!!

 

[faawrenchbndr]

Next oil change I am using Mobil 1 0w-40

 

[kemblkr]

Mobil 1 all the way!

 

[x93pgtx]

Although the prices between the Polaris oil and the wal mart oil is alot closer up here in Canada, the conveniance is what did it for me.

24 hr Wal mart. And a dealer that is closed by 6 pm .

 

[5254]

I buy my Demand Drive & AGL from the dealer,but my engine oil and fi.ter come from CarQuest. Just over $31 per oil chsnge, 3 chsnges a year minimum.

CarQuest filter, QS 5W50 full syn.

 

[Boburk]

My problem is...Walmart does not have 5w-50 synthetic oil here....

Sean

 

[5254]

My problem is...Walmart does not have 5w-50 synthetic oil here....

Sean

Chinamart does not sell it here either!! Do you have a CarQuest, or the like nearby?

 

[TXRonnie]

My problem is...Walmart does not have 5w-50 synthetic oil here....

Sean

What is wrong with using 0W40?

Ronnie

 

[x93pgtx]

The walmart near me only had castrol syntec in 0-40 . So to get mobil 1 i had to buy it at canadian tire.

In reality any brand 0-40 or 5-50 , synthetic will work.

 

[Boburk]

My problem is...Walmart does not have 5w-50 synthetic oil here....

Sean

What is wrong with using 0W40?

Ronnie

there has to be a reason they went to 2w50, then 5w50. Both moves going thicker in weight. I don't know what the reason is, but I give them more credit than most. And yes, I know, at least when my 06 came out, the recommended oil was 0w40.

Sean

 

[MustBeNice]

I'd say it has to do with the world wide, vast climates they sell in. May as well have a "one size fits all" oil to rebrand and sell in all markets. Remember kids..... most every change or engineering reason these days isn't always driven by engineering, but rather marketing.... "what will sell the broduct the cheapest and the most of it"!!

I myself choose Synthetic 0W40 due to my climate..... Average summer temps 75-85°F, Highs in the 92-97°F Range, followed by average winter temps in the 0-20° Range with lows down to -10-20 range.

 

[Miker]

there has to be a reason they went to 2w50, then 5w50. Both moves going thicker in weight. I don't know what the reason is, but I give them more credit than most. And yes, I know, at least when my 06 came out, the recommended oil was 0w40.

SAE grades in increments of 5. There is no such thing as a 2W-xx anything. They had to make it up. As defined by SAE J 300, if it fails as a 0W-xx but passes as a 5W-xx it must be labeled as a 5W-xx.

 

[TIP]

I just use 5W40 Rotella 6 diesel oil and seems to work just fine. If anything it runs a little quieter and the fan seldom runs so I wonder if it also runs a bit cooler. Using the same in transmission, 80-90 in rear end and polaris lube for the front drives. Haven"t had any problems or noticed anything that would make me think that Polaris oil is any better. Easier to get and cheaper to buy. Everything is full synthetic.

 

[TXRonnie]

My buddy uses the Rotella also in his 500 and 550 and also his motorcycle. It is very good oil also.

Ronnie

 

[x93pgtx]

I used to use rotella t non synthetic in my crf450 . And it did well.

 

[MustBeNice]

there has to be a reason they went to 2w50, then 5w50. Both moves going thicker in weight. I don't know what the reason is, but I give them more credit than most. And yes, I know, at least when my 06 came out, the recommended oil was 0w40.

SAE grades in increments of 5. There is no such thing as a 2W-xx anything. They had to make it up. As defined by SAE J 300, if it fails as a 0W-xx but passes as a 5W-xx it must be labeled as a 5W-xx.

Amen.... it's all Marketing and it seems to be working, by many reads on here. "There has to be a reason for 2W-50"..... Yes, it's marketing to the people that are sheep!! "If THEY say so..... I MUST buy it!" How many times must it be covered.... Polaris DOESN'T MAKE oil. They "Private Label" another manufactures oil, aka they pay another company X dollars to put their name and any information they want (within spec range) on it and sell it at an inflated price to anyone that is gullible enough to buy it. It's called Market Strategy!! More than likely it's really a 0W40-50 or 5W50 oil in "wolfs clothing".... calling out an non-standard "2W" to get the "sheep" to buy. At least when it was labeled as 2W50.... since they've changed to the 5W50 specification.

Why was it 2W50? That is just like the age old question..... How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop? :dunno:

The world may never know?

 

[faawrenchbndr]

It's all about the bottom dollar.......5w50 is more common than 2w50, thus cheaper to manufacture. Sadly Polaris is not in business to make a superior product, they are in business to make money.

 

[Miker]

I was told by a Polaris Dealer I know very well that they are obligated to purchase a certain amount of the Polaris oil and filters to receive a parts program discount for the year. This means he has to sell this oil or else the next year his inventory would be even larger. That’s where some of the deceptive sales practices in at certain dealers such as claiming your warranty is void if you use other oils. Also, its mot merely a case here and case they, he has a meet a minimum order amount.

 

[x93pgtx]

^^ If that was true (which I doubt), I would think the dealers would try to sell the oil cheaper to try to promote it. Instead of trying to make a killing, and for the oil to sit on the shelf.

Make money in bulk sales as opposed to making lots off the few bottles sold.