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Global shortage has led to motor oil rationing at Costco

guessingheadlights.com

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Re: Global shortage has led to motor oil rationing at Costco

#171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What a great time to start a trade war with the largest oil exporter. Think there is a shortage now? Just think what happens when canada turns off the taps. Even the threat could trigger covid-style hoarding.

Our oil travels across our country via the USA. We also depend heavily on USA refining in certain provinces. This will never happen.

The trade war was claimed to be in part kicked off by a trade deficit - meaning Alberta is simultaneously a major cause of the trade war (by moving so much of their oil south for things refinement, and contributing to the trade imbalance), and a stumbling block for Canada to effectively fight back. Tariffs on Albertan oil will be looked at (by Albertans) as the Liberal PM hurting them out of malice, instead of a cudgel to fight back against Goliath

Re: Global shortage has led to motor oil rationing at Costco

#172
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lots of people haul things. The US is huge compared to what most people expect. Big trucks can be a necessity depending on what you do for a living/your way of life.

> Lots of people haul things. Not with pick-up trucks they don't: > Nearly 90 percent of truck buyers said they never use their truck for business towing, as a mobile office, or as a work site. Yet nearly 40 percent said they drive their truck strictly for pleasure at least once a week. * https://www.carscoops.com/2025/11/capability-by-numbers-what... * https://www.powernationtv.com/post/most-pickup-truck-owners-...…

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Re: Global shortage has led to motor oil rationing at Costco

#173
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lots of people haul things. The US is huge compared to what most people expect. Big trucks can be a necessity depending on what you do for a living/your way of life.

Things can be hauled just fine in an estate, saloon, or even a hatchback. European camper vans are regularly hauled by tiny Golfs or Polos with barely a litre of engine displacement and a hundred kilowatts of power. Americans just buy much bigger vehicles than necessary.

My mother has rheumatics and she was looking at an SUV for her back. It gets more difficult for old people to climb into a tiny car- and for old people a car is a lifeline. Lots of big cars are driven by small old ladies and it has nothing to do with vanity.

Re: Global shortage has led to motor oil rationing at Costco

#174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I saw this tweet[1] the day after. I go every week and saw shelves were full, but bought a years supply for our cars just in case... https://x.com/GeorgeRoush/status/2054364409812918502

I remember some panic and thinking I’ll just hope for the best. With modern synthetics and my driving patterns, that is 1 jug for one of my cars, and 2 jugs for the other. Maybe now wouldn’t be the worst time. It isn’t a lot of space wasted if I didn’t need it.

Wouldn't panic buying increase the problem for everyone else? Just like toilet paper in 2020?

Re: Global shortage has led to motor oil rationing at Costco

#175
post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Brake fluid isn’t oil (generally speaking). EVs have electrical motor-driven power steering, not hydraulic. You scored correctly on the reduction box, which will need changing well after most people sell the car (>100K miles).

It’s hydraulic fluid, which is oil. It’s not formulated the same as engine oil, but it’s not far off gear oil.

It’s hydraulic fluid, which is oil.

Nope, glycol-based and synthetic. Not the best article, but best I could find at the moment:

https://engineerfix.com/what-is-brake-fluid-made-of/

Re: Global shortage has led to motor oil rationing at Costco

#176
post #16

Not having to deal with oil changes is one of the many benefits of driving an EV

Is there really nothing that has oil in it that at some point needs changing?

Nothing that matters on "people who drive new cars" timelines.

Like yeah there's probably some box with gear oil might get a little nasty after 100-200k but gears are pretty hardy and don't demand all that much.

Re: Global shortage has led to motor oil rationing at Costco

#177
post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not op, but brake fluid comes to mind, power steering fluid, transfer/reduction box. All depends on which ev you are talking about. Things like cv joints, axels and other rotating parts also require greases, again depending on make and model. Not that those need yearly replacement but they do need maintenance.

Brake fluid isn’t oil (generally speaking). EVs have electrical motor-driven power steering, not hydraulic. You scored correctly on the reduction box, which will need changing well after most people sell the car (>100K miles).

I find it hard to believe that someone somewhere isn't making an EV with a electric pump to supply a traditional hydraulic steering system. If I had to guess it would be Europe because they love electric over hydraulic steering.

Re: Global shortage has led to motor oil rationing at Costco

#178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Brake fluid isn’t oil (generally speaking). EVs have electrical motor-driven power steering, not hydraulic. You scored correctly on the reduction box, which will need changing well after most people sell the car (>100K miles).

I find it hard to believe that someone somewhere isn't making an EV with a electric pump to supply a traditional hydraulic steering system. If I had to guess it would be Europe because they love electric over hydraulic steering.

Now you have me wondering if our OG Leaf didn’t work that way, as I have this vague memory that maybe it did.

EDIT: nope, that is definitely an electric motor on the top of that 2011 Leaf steering rack:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254589825844

Re: Global shortage has led to motor oil rationing at Costco

#179
post #159
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's 11.3L for the civilised audience. For reference, my 3.6L 6-cyl boxer needs about 6.5L according to my service notes.

Umm, no? A liter is slightly larger than a quart, so 10 quarts is about 9.5L. For reference, did you mess this up yourself or did it require AI?

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Re: Global shortage has led to motor oil rationing at Costco

#180
post #159
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's 11.3L for the civilised audience. For reference, my 3.6L 6-cyl boxer needs about 6.5L according to my service notes.

Umm, no? A liter is slightly larger than a quart, so 10 quarts is about 9.5L. For reference, did you mess this up yourself or did it require AI?

Great, to make Imperial even better there's the British Imperial units, but the colonies came up with their own version of it.

So, same as with pints, the British quarts are not the same as the American ones.

https://noai.duckduckgo.com/?q=10quarts+to+liters defaults to "Quart (Imperial)" to me.

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