Thanks, but is there a difference between the cheap PVA primers like
Glidden and the more expensive ones as far ad adhesion etc.?

I have no idea how the various primers compare. We used the Glidden PVA
because it was cheaper than buying the equivalent amount of paint.
Otherwise we would have just put on an extra coat of the matching paint.

The main advantage of primers like Kilz is they'll cover problem surfaces
nicely. For example, we painted my in-laws house several years ago, and
despite scrubbing the walls and ceiling with TSP, there was still an oil
film covering everything. It bled right through multiple coats of standard
primer and paint. But, Kilz covered it nicely, and we could then paint over
that.

Anthony