Between all my trucks, tractors, equipment, etc I go through about 10-20 gallons of oil a month. I have just been buying gallon jugs where ever I find it the cheapest. Is this enough volume to justify buying in bulk? I imagine there are savings to be had if you buy a 55 gallon drum but I am wondering if the savings are enough to offset the hassle of handling the drum.
Buying bulk oil
- Thread starter bdog
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Cpjlube
Silver Member
The answer to your question is yes, in some cases you can save money buying in bulk. Depending in what brand and type of oil you require. In some cases the answer is definitely no. I can tell you that if you watch for sales and promotions you can buy bottled oil cheaper than bulk. Walmart can usually sell you oil in a bottle cheaper than I can buy it in a tanker. Especially in the 4 and 5 qt jugs. Bulk oil does reduce waste and allows you to use dispensing equipment which may save you time. And the local oil distributor for your brand will probably deliver. Give em a call see what the price is. Also check places like Costco or the Andersons They can source drums occasionally at a discount.
Chuck
Chuck
Dr Dave
Platinum Member
The only way I would go with bulk oil, is with an air opperated pump, hose reel and metered dispensing handle. Those metal cans, with flex spout leak and are expensive. Storing oil containers and funnels, makes a mess and atracts dirt.
The savings on bulk, is not that much to ofset the hassel. The pumps always leave 1 to 2 gallons in bottom of drum.
The savings on bulk, is not that much to ofset the hassel. The pumps always leave 1 to 2 gallons in bottom of drum.
DJ54
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You might check a Sam's Club if you have one near by. I can buy a 55 gal. drum of Shell Rotella 15-40 For $599.00 locally. That's $269.00 less than at my local O'Reilly's. Back in the mid 90's, I bought that same drum for $265.00.
We have cabinet at the farm to keep the spouted oil dispensing cans in. Alawys draped one of those red mechanics rags over the top. Seemed to keep them pretty clean. Now a days, I just use one of the 5 qt. jugs, and fill with a funnel. Jug stays clean inside, and inside a cabinet, the outside does too. Just wipe it down good, before putting away.
Anything left in the bottom was drained into a 2 gallon can, to fill the long spouted oil cans we have to oil cutter bars, etc.
We have cabinet at the farm to keep the spouted oil dispensing cans in. Alawys draped one of those red mechanics rags over the top. Seemed to keep them pretty clean. Now a days, I just use one of the 5 qt. jugs, and fill with a funnel. Jug stays clean inside, and inside a cabinet, the outside does too. Just wipe it down good, before putting away.
Anything left in the bottom was drained into a 2 gallon can, to fill the long spouted oil cans we have to oil cutter bars, etc.
Diamondpilot
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The answer is no. I dated a girl for a number of years who's father sells oil. He could never beat the WalMart price or auto parts stores when on sale.
For example, the last time I checked a 55 gallon drum of Rotella 15W40 was priced at about $675 or about $12.30 per gallon. I can buy it any day of the week for around $12 per gallon. I just bought 5 6 gallon cases of Valvoline Blue 15W40 for $8 per gallon at the Farm and Fleet store. Its not worth the hassle, you are just paying for convenience of having it delivered but then you have to pump it. To me its hard to beat 1 gallon jugs.
By the way I take care of about 75 engines. Most boats but some trucks, tractors, dozers, dump trucks, generators, ect. I use a lot of oil also doing about 125 oil changes a year. I do buy my filters online in bulk and average about $1.25 for oil filters and $6 for air filters, fuel filters, and hydraulic filters.
Chris
schoolsout
Veteran Member
And you still have time to fly?
Diamondpilot
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I have it down to a science. I could change oil in church clothes. I made tags for all the equipment I maintain that tells the oil type and quantity, the filter number, and wrench sizes.
June I worked 6 days and so far this month only 1. Life of a Corporate Pilot is pretty good until they want to go on a 7 day trip. This summer has been pretty slow, about 1/2 the flying as normal.
Last year I flew 385 hours. It averaged out to 12 days a month and 3 night per month in a hotel.
Chris
2950johndeere
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some times you can get a better price if you buy so many cases through a dealer or a farm supply store thats how i get mine i buy 20 cases at a time and it saves about a dollar a gallon to do it that way just ask lots of them can get you set up to buy like this plus you dont have 55gal drums to mess with
clemsonfor
Super Member
I only have dealt with a few loggers that use bulk oil in a big tank on a service truck. ALL others buy hydro oil in 5 gallon pails and oil in gallon jugs. Some buy whats on sale, some stick with thier "brand or choice" every time. But they add oil to most stuff and change oil once a month in each piece of equiptment in the field. As for what they do to big trucks at the shops, i dunno, im never there or asked. But in the woods its just oil from where ever they get parts. Few even source the cheapest place ie walmart or autozone or whatever. They buy it where they normally get parts and filters as there there and ususally have an account. Most times its in line with other places. The NAPA round here had their house brand onsale a month or so ago for $8-9/gallon i think one guy told me. 2 of the local loggers had it riding around in thier trucks for the next several weeks as they stocked up.
