Since in the bay movies, transformers don't have a frequent supply of energon on earth. What do you think they use as a replacement? I know oil or gasoline is a obvious answer, but I remember hearing somewhere that it can only sustain them for a little while and energon is what they actually need to survive.
So I agree with this. I think that they can survive just fine on oil, but not as good.
What I imagine it's like, is putting normal oil in a car that needs synthetic oil. The car will still run but not at full capacity and it will wear over time.
In TFA they drank oil. TFP they only used Energon. It changes depending on the show/movie.
In ROTB Mirage made the joke about 'oh that's just engine oil'. So obviously he used oil.
Another theory of mine (specifically just for bayverse) is that they don't eat/drink all the time. Like they have one bit of fuel and it lasts them for a long LONG time. Maybe hundreds of years before they have to eat again. And if they do need something, they can use oil to top them up before needing Energon in another few hundred or however many years.
I also want to know, really how car like are they? Do they need to replace their spark plugs? Do they need to top off their coolant? Do they have to get a transmission flush? Does their suspension go bad and they have to replace it? Can they use Earth suspensions or would that inhibit their transforming?
Because the answers to these could be yes. In that case they use everything Earth cars use. But if the answer is no, then maybe they just deal with missing or damaged pieces?
I put a dark theory under read more. So be warned. Do not read if you don't like darker ideas.
