Originally Posted By: kschachn
Little guys who can't afford to demonstrate that the product they wish to sell meets the standards they say it meets don't have any business being in business. A standard is a standard whether you happen to like it or not. I for one do not wish to live in motor oil anarchy land where I really have no clue whether the oil I'm buying is suitable for my application or not.
I think in years gone by it was part of the mystique or secret club to sell oils that didn't demonstrate they carried a standard. It played into the marketing strategy of those companies to say in whispered tones, "no, we don't test it because it's better than the standard" or "we prefer to put our money into R&D rather than spending money on unnecessary standards testing". They would rather you be wowed by watching the state fair apparatus smoke and screech on different oils since that is more viscerally appealing than numbers on a bottle.
Sure it sounds good to claim The Man is just forcing standards and specs down our throat but the reality is that modern engines require modern oils and obtaining approvals and specs is the only way anyone is ever going to know which oils actually are appropriate for an engine.
Standards are not necessarily providing for the best oil. I detest standards in my work. It limits creativity. The people creating the standards aren't the best and brightest. Small companies live on word of mouth and one can argue that's the best criteria.
In the power world, the relay made by the smallest company reigns supreme because of real world experience observed by utility companies, not laboratory testing or standards. These are extremely important smart devices that assure the grid works properly, avoiding widespread blackouts.
Little guys who can't afford to demonstrate that the product they wish to sell meets the standards they say it meets don't have any business being in business. A standard is a standard whether you happen to like it or not. I for one do not wish to live in motor oil anarchy land where I really have no clue whether the oil I'm buying is suitable for my application or not.
I think in years gone by it was part of the mystique or secret club to sell oils that didn't demonstrate they carried a standard. It played into the marketing strategy of those companies to say in whispered tones, "no, we don't test it because it's better than the standard" or "we prefer to put our money into R&D rather than spending money on unnecessary standards testing". They would rather you be wowed by watching the state fair apparatus smoke and screech on different oils since that is more viscerally appealing than numbers on a bottle.
Sure it sounds good to claim The Man is just forcing standards and specs down our throat but the reality is that modern engines require modern oils and obtaining approvals and specs is the only way anyone is ever going to know which oils actually are appropriate for an engine.
Standards are not necessarily providing for the best oil. I detest standards in my work. It limits creativity. The people creating the standards aren't the best and brightest. Small companies live on word of mouth and one can argue that's the best criteria.
In the power world, the relay made by the smallest company reigns supreme because of real world experience observed by utility companies, not laboratory testing or standards. These are extremely important smart devices that assure the grid works properly, avoiding widespread blackouts.
