Engine oils and car chemicals: how to buy well
The oil that suits, not “whatever is there”
With oils, a mistake costs more than the saving: the wrong viscosity or approval speeds up wear of the engine or gearbox. So first find out what the car maker requires. It is in the owner's manual.
Then choose by type of fluid. For the engine, see engine oils, for the gearbox and axles transmission oils, for power steering and hydraulics hydraulic oils. The cooling system needs coolants and technical fluids, and for caring for the body and interior there are car care products and car chemicals.
What to put in the request
- Type of fluid: engine oil, ATF, gear oil, brake fluid, coolant, screenwash.
- Viscosity: for example 5W-30 or 75W-90.
- Approvals and specifications: ACEA, API, VW 504 00, MB 229.51, Dexron VI: take them from the manual.
- Base: synthetic, semi-synthetic or mineral.
- Car and engine: make, model, year, capacity, diesel or petrol, whether it has a particulate filter.
- Volume and pack size: a can of 1, 4 or 5 litres, or a barrel, and how many.
- Brand: a specific one or “equivalent by approval”.
- Delivery: city, pickup or courier, and a budget if you like.
How to compare offers
Sellers reply in the chat with the price, pack size and delivery terms. BlaBlaPrice shows the best offer first, and reviews of the seller are visible beside each. Because sellers see where their offer stands, they compete for your request, and this can give a better price than at the shop you know.
To keep the comparison fair, make sure everyone has the same viscosity, approval and volume. A litre in a 5-litre can and a litre in a 1-litre can cost differently, so count per litre, not per pack. Ask the seller to send a photo of the label and the batch code.
Fakes and storage tips
Oils are among the most counterfeited goods. Warning signs: a price well below the market, a sloppy label, a poorly sealed cap, no barcode or date. Buy from sellers with reviews and ask for a document or proof of where the batch came from.
- Don't mix oils of different types or top up with “anything”: it is better to buy an exact equivalent by approval.
- Change oil on schedule, and more often in hard conditions (city, traffic jams, short trips).
- Keep an opened can tightly closed, in a dry place without big temperature swings.
How much to buy and how to count
An oil change in a car usually needs from 3 to 6 litres: the exact amount is in the manual, plus a little extra for topping up. For the gearbox, reducer or hydraulics the amounts are different, so state them in the request. Two 4-litre cans are sometimes better value than one 20-litre drum, if you don't need such a stock, because opened oil keeps worse.
Season and related purchases
Before the summer heat and before winter in the hills and the north, check the coolant and screenwash, and choose an oil of the right viscosity. Filters are usually bought together with oil, so you can list them in the request too. If you are also looking for car parts, see car parts.
Describe what you need on BlaBlaPrice, and sellers will write to you themselves. Only the one you choose gets your contacts.
