Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1600 Location: Le Mans
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Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 7:58 am Post subject: Oil prices |
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I've never been one to think that one oil is better than another really. To me, 20/50 is 20/50, whatever name it carries, but, probably because I grew up with the stuff, I used either Duckham's by choice or Castrol XL. I used to buy four gallon cans from Classic Oils at Aylesbury when I was in the area, or when I was at the Silverstone Classic where he had a stall. I see now that Fuzz Townsend has bought the company out, but that's by the by.
Today, I was skimming through this site and there was an advert for oil from Amazon and I was shocked to see that Castrol XL 20/50 is now at about £32 per can and Duckhams £30. The last time I bought at Silverstone he had a deal at £75 the four cans. So just why has the price nearly doubled? Petrol has dropped substantially, and it all comes out of the same barrel when all is said and done. For years the price of oil here in France has been more expensive than in the UK, cheap enough that I could recommend people to buy four cans from the UK because even with freight it was cheaper than in France, but now the equivalent of Halfords is selling their own brand 20/50 at £14 the five litres - and a Castrol can is only 4.5 litres but the same price as in the UK. Can someone enlighten me? Have taxes changed, is it Brexit, or is the price in the UK a rip-off? |
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ukdave2002
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4231 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 8:12 am Post subject: |
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For comparison; heating oil in the UK is now (May 2020) half the price that it was 6 months ago, and road fuel is the lowest its been for a few years.
Dave |
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alastairq
Joined: 14 Oct 2016 Posts: 2117 Location: East Yorkshire
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Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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I would say, a lot of the excess cost is in the packaging?
Then there's a substantial amount attached to the kudos of the name?
Morris Golden Film is more than a tenner cheaper.....cheaper still is own brand classic oils [Hairy-tage?]
So, much depends on how much credence one places in the name? Bearing in mind, the 'name' may well be owned by someone else now? _________________ Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
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Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces. |
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MVPeters

Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 822 Location: Northern MA, USA
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Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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Just for comparison - in the US
Castrol GTX 20W-50 - 4.7L is around $19 or 16GBP _________________ Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S' |
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Ray White

Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7076 Location: Derby
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Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know why Duckhams 20-50 should be expensive. It was always cheap and cheerful when I was young.
It's still green and I never have been told why? |
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alastairq
Joined: 14 Oct 2016 Posts: 2117 Location: East Yorkshire
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Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | It's still green and I never have been told why? |
Not...old stock, perchance?????  _________________ Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
----------------------------------------------
Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces. |
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Ray White

Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7076 Location: Derby
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Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 11:43 pm Post subject: |
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alastairq wrote: | Quote: | It's still green and I never have been told why? |
Not...old stock, perchance?????  |
I understood that Duckhams 20/50 oil is still green. The colour is something that goes back to the days when most oil for car engines was less refined (black) and Duckhams were amongst the first to produce a highly refined (clear) oil. To make the product more acceptable and differentiate it from anyone else's oil, it was coloured green.
Goodness knows how?
As an aside, my Dad was an enthusiast for Duckhams oil - even our telephone number was Woking 2050 !
I believe 20/50 was developed for the Mini combined engine and gearbox....that would figure considering his involvement with it. |
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Bitumen Boy
Joined: 26 Jan 2012 Posts: 1763 Location: Above the snow line in old Monmouthshire
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2020 2:52 am Post subject: |
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As regards pricing, I suspect it's just another example of the "classic tax". Going back a few years there were plenty of old bangers on the road that used 20w/50 either because it was recommended anyway (remember when you could pick up a running, MOT'd Mini for a few hundred quid?) or because owners were using the thickest grade available hoping that more of it would stay inside the engine doing its job.
Those cars are basically history now. Cheap old bangers now have perfectly acceptable oil consumption on the recommended grades until either rust kills them or the electronics die, while the Minis, Minors and the like that are still being used regularly are recognised as bona fide classics and maintained to much better standards than used to be the case. Oil manufacturers have recognised this and seized on a chance to jack their prices up, just like the last time I fitted a new battery to my Herald and the "classic tax" made a once common 038 battery more expensive than the larger but still common 063 that I ended up fitting. |
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alastairq
Joined: 14 Oct 2016 Posts: 2117 Location: East Yorkshire
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2020 8:58 am Post subject: |
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Don't forget, oil, [like petrol,] readily obtainable these days is very different to that commonly seen 50 years ago.
There is a lot of stuff in oils that has been removed [zinc, for example?] Mostly using the environment as an excuse...
The classic oils should have the same/similar components as of old....but being made in more limited quantities, the prices will be elevated.
Probably best to buy in bulk for cheapness?
As an example [there may be other sources?]
https://www.ryeoil.co.uk/shop/classic-20w50-engine-oil-2/
or
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/272057337351?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=272057337351&targetid=910943560210&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9046250&poi=9045116&campaignid=9437711009&mkgroupid=101485162971&rlsatarget=aud-629407026665:pla-910943560210&abcId=1140496&merchantid=113614464&gclid=CjwKCAjwiMj2BRBFEiwAYfTbCm8o2kyp3wPQpMxNDymhZVs3S3ezyl29gzLcqSLzkczz2rlXNEBkMBoCeHcQAvD_BwE
from
https://www.ryeoil.co.uk/product-category/vintageclassic/
Useful to know, unless one lives in a flat? _________________ Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
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Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces. |
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