Why is Engine oil still expencive?

[battered]

Because synthetic oil, like lots of synthetic manufactured items like paint, plastic toys, nylon fabric, and so on, is made from petroleum products using human labour in highly sophisticated factories and the total cost of manufacturing, distribution and retailing doesn't come down very much simply because the basic feedstock comes down. Everything else still needs paying for.

After all, animal feed is cheap enough but I paid a fair bit for a steak in a pub the other week.

[fivepointnine]

Sheepshanks said:

They charge what people will pay. I was amazed to find Mobil 1 oil cheaper in France (where most things are a lot more expensive) than here.

I was shocked at the price of a liter of oil at the petrol station when I moved here from the US. More than double the price here.

[Leptons]

You're kidding right? Just done an oil change on my van (fully synthetic ford Spec) for £15:97 including the filter.

[basherX]

Unlike petrol, for example, lubricants contracts aren't (usually) priced off market price so prices don't fluctuate in line with prevailing oil prices and refining margins, at least in the short term. Same applies commercially and in retail. You'll notice that engine oil prices don't rise as soon as the oil price goes up.

[itz_baseline]

fatboy18 said:

craigjm said:

fatboy18 said:

craigjm said:

fatboy18 said:

Synthetic Engine oil is still expensive, are we likely to see a price drop?

Seriously?

Yes, energy prices are dropping so why is it so expensive?

The word synthetic should give you a clue

I know that but the production costs should have dropped a lot?

I like cooking and I want to know why my vegetable oil hasn't dropped in price as well. What aren't they telling us

[vikingaero]

fatboy18 said:

know that but the production costs should have dropped a lot?

Production costs normally stay static or increase. The base oil forms only a part of overall costs. As others have said look at retail cost of oil - £12 for 5 litre fully syn 5w30 in Halfords, ECP had BOGOF on QX brand for around £17.99, Asda had an offer on oil not long ago, Tesco seem to be clearing Castrol lately....

[robinessex]

Y=MX+C Simple

[mcford]

You can get a decent quality 5W30 for around £2 a litre or even the VW 507.00 long life for £4 a litre if you buy it in 200 litre drums. It's only expensive if you buy small quantities from retail outlets.

[Audidodat]

The local BMW dealer managed to charge me £17 per litre yesterday for my service. Thought that was a healthy margin.