November 11, 2008
MOBIL 1 OIL AVAILABILITY RESTRICTED
Members, Your Corvette maintenance intervals could be affected by this news!

 On October 1, 2008, the Big Three Automakers were notified that due to Hurricane Ike and its effects on the Texas Gulf Coast, a negative impact on the production capacity of Mobil 1 has occurred.

Effective October 1, 2008, until further notice, the supply of Mobil 1 products will be on a restrictive allocation.

Below is an excerpt from the ExxonMobil communication:

“On September 15, 2008, ExxonMobil Lubricants and Specialties (EMLS) was notified by our primary Poly Alpha Olefin (PAO) supplier, ExxonMobil Chemical (EMC), that Hurricane Ike had caused significant disruption to production capabilities at their Beaumont, TX plant, and to the ability of their suppliers to make deliveries of critical raw materials and services to the site.

The EMLS Beaumont Lube Blending & Packaging Facility has now resumed operation, but EMC Beaumont Plant continues to be shutdown. As a consequence, EMC has implemented an allocation on sales of PAO base stocks to their customers, including EMLS. This allocation is expected to last several months.

With the reduced supply of PAO available due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, EMLS will be implementing an allocation on sales of select product types to our distributors and direct customers effective October 1, 2008.

We appreciate the confidence you have placed in us with your business and are working diligently to mitigate the current situation. In the meantime, we would appreciate your patience and understanding.”

Many General Motors’ vehicles are factory filled with Mobil 1 5W30 (GM4718M). Please refer to the owner’s manual when determining which Oil Specification to use in your vehicle.

GM4718M - General Motors Synthetic Motor Oil Specification

• Mobil 1 5W30 and Mobil 1 10W30

• Below is a list of products that meet the GM4718M Specification.

• Saab: Specification GM4718M (Mobil 1 5W30 and 0W30) will also work as a substitute for the Saab Oil Spec. (Mobil 1 0W40)

 Further, GM4718M (Mobil 1) engine oil should be reserved for vehicles that need it. Most GM vehicles only need GM6094M engine oil (Goodwrench); customers with those vehicles should be encouraged to use the oil that their vehicle calls for.  Dealerships can also encourage customers to follow their Oil Life System to reduce the number of unnecessary oil changes.

We anticipate these restrictions will be in effect for a short-term basis. This situation will be evaluated on a week-by-week basis. Allocation will be implemented by Exxon Mobil to its Distributors on a percentage basis of YTD Mobil 1 purchases. This allocation will vary by Distributor and you should contact your Distributor or Exxon Mobil representative for further information.

Members, a quick check in our area of Central Florida has shown the purchase of Mobil 1 is already being restricted at Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target and various auto parts stores.