Dealership Service Surprise

[Cherokee]

Op,
You are correct on why they are using it.

When I need my next oil change and can’t get Motorcraft full synthetic I’ll simply use the Motorcraft blend.
No big deal.

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[icegradner]

Read your first post again and really did not seem clear to me they were overcharging for it but can understand the being pissed part if they did.

Do not know how Canadian consumer laws work, but most place in the States, they usually have one sign a service ticket up front before services are done disclosing what is to be done and estimate of charges.

Sure they are not over charging, in the sense that is the price they charge for that particular product. I am not complaining about that, if that isn’t clear. I expect to pay more at a dealership or independent shop, I know that going in. I was simply surprised they were using non-Motorcraft oil (which was not disclosed), which as I said in my first post they have never done before. That’s it, nothing more. As I also said before, I don’t care what brand they use, as long as it’s meeting the required specs it‘s fine with me.

Now if they switched brands just so they can charge customers more, that would be something else. In this case, as most of us here have guessed, it’s likely due to synthetic oil shortages. I was just curious to see if anyone else had seen something similar at their dealership service centres.

 

[dbaker9128]

Op,
You are correct on why they are using it.

When I need my next oil change and can’t get Motorcraft full synthetic I’ll simply use the Motorcraft blend.
No big deal.

You're running a turbo that cooks oil and you're downgrading to a semi-syn to save a few $? I trust the Ford service department knows enough to check the API performance standards first and shortstops your request.

They should tell you the Motorcraft semi-syn no longer meets API standards for your 2026 2.0L EcoBoost engine. If you go to a 3rd party and get some other semi-syn or even full synthetic oil it better meet those 2026 API standards or your powertrain warranty will then be at stake.

Are you also running regular grade non "Top-Tier" gas also? Bad if you are.

 

[Cherokee]

You're running a turbo that cooks oil and you're downgrading to a semi-syn to save a few $? I trust the Ford service department knows enough to check the API performance standards first and shortstops your request.

They should tell you the Motorcraft semi-syn no longer meets API standards for your 2026 2.0L EcoBoost engine. If you go to a 3rd party and get some other semi-syn or even full synthetic oil it better meet those 2026 API standards or your powertrain warranty will then be at stake.

Are you also running regular grade non "Top-Tier" gas also? Bad if you are.

I always follow Fords oil spec’s my 2026 came with the Motorcraft blend.
If I had to run it once for 3,000 miles I’m confident I won’t hurt Thor. It will live its life on Motorcraft Full Synthetic.

Top tier premium only. I got 93 octane and ethanol free here.

I know how to take care of a turbo, proper cool down before cutting oil pressure. I never ever use auto stop/start, EVER !
I will change the twin turbo oil filters at 50,000 miles.
They are not listed in any service schedule,
About $300 labor and all to change out.
Turbo’s cost a bit more and yes I’ve got the extended warranty. I’m doing this to give some hard working dude a good used vehicle after I trade it in.

It’s a matter of respect for the Maverick.

Running premium gas in a Ford truck maximizes power and improves towing performance. While standard engines run fine on 87-octane, Ford's turbocharged EcoBoost engines automatically adapt their timing to higher octane (91+), delivering up to 30 extra horsepower and better fuel efficiency under heavy loads.

 

[dbaker9128]

I'm glad to hear about your knowledge base. I have the 2026 2.0L Ecoboost also. Here in Washington State I run Chevron Supreme, 10% ethanol. The OP should be very happy with the Liqui Moly as long as it meets (probably exceeds) the Ford API. Canucks, at least the BC ones I know, are famously penny pinchers though.

 

[icegradner]

.Canucks, at least the BC ones I know, are famously penny pinchers though.

If you lived here you’d have to penny pinch too, one of the most expensive places on this stinking planet to live.

 

[dbaker9128]

I grew up in Bellingham, living farther south now in Tumwater. I still enjoy driving north and visiting you guys. The best neighbors we could ever hope for.

 

[Cherokee]

Actually this is not presented correctly.

‘ Ford's turbocharged EcoBoost engines automatically adapt their timing to higher octane (91+),’

Our Ecoboost have to adapt to the cheap shit,
The lower octane regular.

You run premium and your Ecoboost gets to,
‘Be All It Can Be’ without having to adapt, compensate, re tune itself.
It does not have to try as hard, It simply gets what it needs instantly in more situations.

Screw the fuel up charge, My Ecoboost is running like it was meant to at all times.

In the dense winter air, when I’m driving unloaded I’ll likely run mid grade 89 octane.

 

[dbaker9128]

For me I'll still run the premium to get the extra additive concentration that Chevron provides. That makes even more of a difference since (thankfully) our newer 2025+ ecoboost engines now have port injection.

 

[zen_]

This is my suspicion as well, they were already charging $40 more for a full synthetic Motocraft oil over the standard Synth blend motocraft as it was. We all know that's a joke, since a bottle of fully synth oil is $5-10 more than conventional, and likely even less so in bulk.

I don't think there is any discount for dino oil these days. Walmart had the SuperTech dino for $12-15 for years, but that's gone, and the name brand dino oil is the same as synthetic these days. Price of the basic SuperTech synthetic also jumped up from $17.90 or something, to $24.88, or 40%. I also noticed that the store I stopped at yesterday was cleaned out of the basic oil filters, and most of the others too.

So yeah, getting a little off topic, but if you are a DIY oil change, stock up on filters and deal price oil if you're price sensitive, and expect prices at quick change / regular shops to increase even more.

 

[Hootbro]

I also noticed that the store I stopped at yesterday was cleaned out of the basic oil filters, and most of the others too.

First Brands that owned FRAM and Champion Labs that made most of the SuperTech filters went into liquidation bankruptcy back around February of this year. It caught Wal-Mart and few other retailers off guard by the sudden demise of First Brands.

 

[Hot Runr Guy]

First Brands that owned FRAM and Champion Labs that made most of the SuperTech filters went into liquidation bankruptcy back around February of this year. It caught Wal-Mart and few other retailers off guard by the sudden demise of First Brands.

PGI bought most of those brands & assets, and looks like they are trying to revive them

https://premiumguard.com/premium-gu...g-rd-distribution-and-workforce-capabilities/

HRG

 

[icegradner]

I don't think there is any discount for dino oil these days. Walmart had the SuperTech dino for $12-15 for years, but that's gone, and the name brand dino oil is the same as synthetic these days. Price of the basic SuperTech synthetic also jumped up from $17.90 or something, to $24.88, or 40%. I also noticed that the store I stopped at yesterday was cleaned out of the basic oil filters, and most of the others too.

Not familiar with any of those brands, and I never shop at Walmart. Yes, oil filters can be hard to get as well and come in to the stores in small batches 5-8 at a time. Why? Because a lot of modern filters, wait for it you'll love this, use synthetic oil based plastics in the filter material (the ones that promise 99% filtration).

Oil bottle prices here in Canada haven't gone up much, a 4.73L bottle (4.1 Quarts), maybe $4-5 Cdn, so less than those brands in the US. Of course sales are less frequent, so yeah no discounts. I had a wait a while to get a filter, but I won't need it until fall/winter and got it for $11 Cdn.

 

[zen_]

First Brands that owned FRAM and Champion Labs that made most of the SuperTech filters went into liquidation bankruptcy back around February of this year. It caught Wal-Mart and few other retailers off guard by the sudden demise of First Brands.

That makes sense. There must have been a longer period where the SuperTech filters were basic Wix in a white can than AI claims, because I used a ton of those when I was driving 30-40K miles a year not a decade ago. Been a long time since I bought them though, and wasn't aware they were made by Champion Labs in a blue can for some time.

Pretty sure most of the parts stores switched their filters to Premium Guard (made in Asia) because Wix / Mann Hummel could not supply enough, or so they said, so I wonder who will pick up the slack with another American company being ran out of business by the finance bro wonders.

 

[zen_]

PGI bought most of those brands & assets, and looks like they are trying to revive them

https://premiumguard.com/premium-gu...g-rd-distribution-and-workforce-capabilities/

HRG

That's actually good news. Premium Guard filters are top notch, but were made in China, then Vietnam. If they can keep the quality at the same level with a similar price in American factories, that would be great.

Sorry icegradner for derailing your thread with bobistheoilguy type chatter.

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