Dollar General Motor Oil Lawsuit

[Raizinman]

Across the United States there are stores called Dollar General that sell products for $1 or less. Their automotive shelf comprises of a few different weights of in house brand (DG) motor oil among other automotive products. A Houston Texas man just filed a lawsuit that his vehicle was damaged due to using the brand of motor oil sold by Dollar General, which he claims is unsuitable for today's cars.

Dollar General (DG) sells three types of motor oils being: SAE 10W30, SAE 10W40 and SAE30.

Granted that very few cars on the road today can utilize any of these oils, but there is a disclaimer on the back of every bottle and shouldn’t people be expected to know what oil they are supposed to put in their vehicle. It’s in your owner’s manual and even printed on the oil cap of your car. If you put in the wrong oil, of course you could damage your car. Both the Dollar General SAE 10W30 and SAE 10W40 are detergent motor oils of the API service grade SF. SF according to API; grade SF is for vehicles 1979 thru 1988 and older. There have been six upgrades in oil since SF. The current API service grade is SN.

The Dollar General SAE30 is a non-detergent oil that has not been recommended in cars since the 1930 or 40s. There are some specialty uses for this non-detergent oil such as air compressors, power washers, and it is still used as break in oil for new engine rebuilds among other 3in1 type uses.

Keep in mind that almost every auto parts store sells an SAE30 non-detergent oil too. Valvoline SAE30 non-detergent oil at Walmart sells for $7.89. NAPA sells its private label (manufactured by Valvoline) SAE30 non-detergent for $4.29 and even claims on their website that it meets OE Warranty Requirements (which is incorrect).

Is it wrong for Dollar General to sell similar oil products as Auto Zone, Advance Auto, NAPA, and even Walmart that could also harm your engine should you decide to use it? What does Walmart state about their SAE30 non-detergent oil? “Non-detergent Oil SAE30 motor oil is for older automotive engines.” Basically identical to what Dollar General stated about their $1 oil and what is printed on each bottle.

In this litigious society, people are always looking for someone to pay for their ignorance or lack of vehicle maintenance. My vote goes with Dollar General in this case.

 

[mvbighead]

I guess we'd have to know more about his particular application. If he used the wrong type for his application, he's in the wrong. If he used the right type for his application, in the correct usage parameters (for 3000-5000 miles, less than 6 months, or whatever is required) and it still damaged his engine... yeah, that'd be on DG.

By and large, I suspect he used the wrong type and damaged his vehicle.

Also, DG does not sell items strictly for a dollar or less. A great number of items are well over one dollar. I've stopped in once or twice to check their price on bleach and other common items, and for the most part, their deals are usually less than stellar, in my opinion. People just go in there thinking they'll save some money, but may end up spending as much or more for some goods, and may even get lesser quality at the same price.

 

[bruceb]

The buyer is responsible for checking both the SAE Weight required by his car owner manual and also the SAE classification SF / SG / etc ... Failure to do so, is not a fault of the store doing the selling of the product. There are uses for the older types, but in most cases, the better the SAE classification is, it will work in all new cars and in the old ones. The weight is somewhat critical, especially in new vehicles with very tight clearances.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Leeme see if I got this straight. A bunch of idiots can't read 4 numbers printed on their own oil cap and compare it to the 4 numbers printed on the bottle they are getting ready to dump in their car engine. I hope they get laughed out of court.

Honestly I thought the thread title was going to lead to the revelation that dollar general was putting some cheap substitute like vegetable or mineral oil in place of actual motor oil. The reality is much worse.

 

[Jimzz]

Keep in mind that almost every auto parts store sells an SAE30 non-detergent oil too. Valvoline SAE30 non-detergent oil at Walmart sells for $7.89. NAPA sells its private label (manufactured by Valvoline) SAE30 non-detergent for $4.29 and even claims on their website that it meets OE Warranty Requirements (which is incorrect).

Is it wrong for Dollar General to sell similar oil products as Auto Zone, Advance Auto, NAPA, and even Walmart that could also harm your engine should you decide to use it? What does Walmart state about their SAE30 non-detergent oil? “Non-detergent Oil SAE30 motor oil is for older automotive engines.” Basically identical to what Dollar General stated about their $1 oil and what is printed on each bottle.

In this litigious society, people are always looking for someone to pay for their ignorance or lack of vehicle maintenance. My vote goes with Dollar General in this case.

How is that incorrect? If something calls for straight Non-det oil then it would met the warranty requirements. Many smaller motors still allow 30 weight non-det oil, even though most call for 10w30 now.

Also stores have their straight 30 Non-Det usually in the lawn/small motor section or to the side of regular motor oil. Most of the these dollar stores stored these junk oils right beside regular good oil and most have very small print only on the rear telling you its older oil.

 

[LTC8K6]

It's not as simple as the OP claims.

The lawsuit alleges that DG is deliberately obscuring the fact that the oil is unsuitable for modern engines.

That is, that the disclaimer is only in fine print on the back of the bottle, etc.

While the front label of the 10W-30 and 10W-40 motor oil containers states that the product "Lubricates and protects your engine," the back label carries the "small print" statement, "not suitable for use in most gasoline powered automotive engines built after 1988."

The label on the back of the DG SAE container states that it is "not suitable for use in most gasoline powered automotive engines built after 1930," the complaint states.

Moreover, the suit states, Dollar General "further disguises the obsolete and harmful nature" of its motor oils by placing them on shelves next to various other motor oils, such as PEAK, Pennzoil and Castrol, that are suitable for modern vehicles.

 

[Torn Mind]

The guy bought the 10W-30 oil. He must have eventually noticed it was service grade SF and filed the lawsuit.

http://www.law360.com/articles/739756/dollar-general-motor-oil-not-safe-for-most-vehicles-suit-says

 

[LTC8K6]

The guy bought the 10W-30 oil. He must have eventually noticed it was service grade SF and filed the lawsuit.

http://www.law360.com/articles/739756/dollar-general-motor-oil-not-safe-for-most-vehicles-suit-says

Yeah, I don't think too many people overall would realize that there are different oils marked 10W-30 and 10W-40, some of which will hurt your engine, some of which are fine to use.

http://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/42/71/72/9150104/3/920x920.jpg

How many people would know that the ones on the left are not the current SN grade?

 

[steppinthrax]

I don't see why anyone would want to put some oil from Dollar Gen in their car. Unless you're driving a junk car that you just don't care about. Also I did some research and it clearly has a warning label on the bottle indicating that it can cause damage. I can only see this being using in maybe a lawnmower or some very specific situation.

 

[dud]

I don't see why anyone would want to put some oil from Dollar Gen in their car. Unless you're driving a junk car that you just don't care about. Also I did some research and it clearly has a warning label on the bottle indicating that it can cause damage. I can only see this being using in maybe a lawnmower or some very specific situation.

Do you have any idea how many people are living on the edge? This might very well be the best they can afford.

About the lawsuit ... IMHO a courtroom is the last place I would want to settle a CAL. The only "winners" are the lawyers.

 

[dainthomas]

Do you have any idea how many people are living on the edge? This might very well be the best they can afford.

If you can afford a car you can afford an extra $5 or so every few months.

Hell, after paying for oil and a filter and disposing of the old oil it's usually just a few bucks more to go to Jiffy lube or something.

 

[Jimzz]

If you can afford a car you can afford an extra $5 or so every few months.

Hell, after paying for oil and a filter and disposing of the old oil it's usually just a few bucks more to go to Jiffy lube or something.

Where are you buying oil and filter from? Jiffy lube charge $45 plus tax for a basic oil change. I can get oil and filter for $15 or less. So 3 oil changes myself for 1 at JL, let alone the quality of work difference.

http://www.carserviceprices.com/jiffy-lube-prices-cost/

 

[C1]

Straight weight non-deterget motor oils have their use/place.

They are called for as mixes in vintage 2-cycle engines, lawn mowers (4-cycle) and also for use in oils cans for manually oiling things like lawn mower wheel shafts.

So what's the issue?

If you want to do your own oil, then just go ahead & do it.

 

[Torn Mind]

Do you have any idea how many people are living on the edge? This might very well be the best they can afford.

About the lawsuit ... IMHO a courtroom is the last place I would want to settle a CAL. The only "winners" are the lawyers.

20 bucks for 5 quarts of Carquest oil at Advance. Five 1qt bottles with 20% off comes out to $16. $14 or so for a jug at Walmart if one does not have issues shopping from there. This is in Maryland.

Or bite the bullet and go to a lube shop for a special and get everything, including a filter.

 

[dainthomas]

Where are you buying oil and filter from? Jiffy lube charge $45 plus tax for a basic oil change. I can get oil and filter for $15 or less. So 3 oil changes myself for 1 at JL, let alone the quality of work difference.

http://www.carserviceprices.com/jiffy-lube-prices-cost/

Really? In Portland they do them for around $25.

 

[Jimzz]

Really? In Portland they do them for around $25.

Only way I see that price is with a coupon, but its expired and was limited.

They would not survive doing oil changes for $25 a car, no real profit.

 

[Herr Kutz]

Only way I see that price is with a coupon, but its expired and was limited.

They would not survive doing oil changes for $25 a car, no real profit.

I can go to the local NTB and get an oil change and tire rotation for $19.99 +fees/taxes all day long with no coupon. That price also includes filling up your windshield washer fluid reservoir which they must actually be doing because I use some almost every day that I drive and have never had to fill it myself. The price has been the same for years and they are still in business. Only once have they suggested I needed any other work done and asked if I wanted them to change my cabin filter for $20.

 

[Raizinman]

I can go to the local NTB and get an oil change and tire rotation for $19.99 +fees/taxes all day long with no coupon. That price also includes filling up your windshield washer fluid reservoir which they must actually be doing because I use some almost every day that I drive and have never had to fill it myself. The price has been the same for years and they are still in business. Only once have they suggested I needed any other work done and asked if I wanted them to change my cabin filter for $20.

The rent, electricity, shop equipment, tech pay, service advisor, parts department, invoicing, and actual parts for an oil change will come out to about $20 cost (no profit) for an oil change. It will vary with different shops, but rarely will it be under $20. Why do they do this and how do they stay in business? It's called upsell. Any trained technician can find numerous things that need to be done for real profit. Transmission fluid change, brake flush, tire rotation, wiper blades, air filter, cabin filter, gas filter, and the list goes on. The average price for a cabin filter at a quick change oil change shop is $50, when their cost is about $10. This is how they stay in business. Places like NTB rely on high profit brake jobs to make up their profit.

 

[bryanl]

The buyer is responsible for checking both the SAE Weight required by his car owner manual and also the SAE classification SF / SG / etc ... Failure to do so, is not a fault of the store doing the selling of the product.

Even most auto parts store employees don't know what SF / SG / ... / SM mean, and more than one employee said the quality rating was SAE. So the average consumer is likely to be even more ignorant.