“Please don’t get fired.”
You may have been overpaying for motor oil. According to one AutoZone employee, the nationwide auto supply store sells it for $3—if you know what to ask for.
In a TikTok with over 129,900 views as of this writing, Cleo (@cleoclan1) shares the secret code to get $3 motor oil at AutoZone. “Told me not to tell anybody, but I’m telling everybody,” Cleo begins.
Cleo says that the next time you go to AutoZone, you should ask the clerk if there’s any motor oil in the back.He films shelves of oil in the back of the AutoZone where he works.
“This oil is $3 apiece. Three dollars for oil,” he says.
The shelf contains a variety of conventional and synthetic oils. There are both quart-sized and five-quart bottles. “Look at this 5W-30, five quarts for $3,” he adds.
According to AutoZone, enough motor oil to change it in your vehicle typically costs $20 to $40. If Cleo’s right, you could be saving $5-$25.
The discount made some viewers suspicious. Many wondered if the oil was the same quality as retail oil. “Why is it so cheap? And in the back? Is there a reason why they’re in the back? But thank you,” one person wrote. “Why is it in the back??? Did it leak or expired? Why isn’t anyone asking that lol,” another added.
At least one person was concerned that Cleo was revealing a company secret.
“Please don’t get fired,” they said. Not everyone believed that the $3 oil is a real deal at AutoZone. “I work for AutoZone, not all of the stores have $3 oil,” one said.
“That’s why you gotta ask,” Cleo replied.
“Ours is still at full price,” one commented.
“He lying. I managed AutoZone and that is overstock,” a third agreed.
One commenter offered a possible explanation. “It’s all the oil they took off the shelves to bring in the new design,” they said.
One person said they tried buying $3 at their AutoZone but had no luck.
“I went and they told me ain’t no [expletive] oil here that cost $3,” they complained.
Knowing when a retailer is putting items on clearance is difficult to predict, perhaps especially for automotive retailers. Demand for oil remains consistent throughout the year, so you can’t necessarily count on seasonal price fluctuations.
Consumer Reports says that big box stores such as Walmart, Costco, and Home Depot often have the best prices on motor oil. They may not have all types of oil available.
Specialty stores like AutoZone, O’Reilly Auto Parts, and NAPA Auto Parts are more likely to carry all the various types.
As Cleo says, these retailers do sometimes run sales on motor oil. One AutoZone customer posted on a forum that they saw a clearance motor oil table at their local AutoZone: “I walked into AutoZone today, saw a table and sign that read ‘5 quart jugs $5 each. All quarts $1 each’ I grabbed 14 quarts of 5w20… all of the 5 quart jugs were already gone.”
Typically, the best way to save money on motor oil is by buying in bulk. Consumer Reports recommends buying oil in a one-gallon jug or a 12-bottle case.
Motor1 has contacted Cleo via TikTok direct message and commented on the post. This post will be updated if he responds.
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