AmazonBasics 5W/40 revealed

[kschachn]

Originally Posted by Navi
The fact is they are all the same and what really matters at the end of the day is used oil analysis. It could be literally any brand...Mobil, Amsoil, Redline...what matters most is used oil analysis.

You keep saying this but the reality is that at the end of the day the used oil analysis is relatively worthless. What matters is the certifications or approvals that the vehicle requires and that the oil meets or carries. It has been shown by the analysis companies that oil quality is not detectable via used oil analysis.

 

[Navi]

A. I looked into it many years ago by calling and emailing the company. Warren is the maker of many off or generic branded oil like Supertech and many others. They do not have different lines because its a budget operation. Their phone number is on the website.

B. This is a general discussion of the oil.

C. Please do not include sexual inuendos in my threads like "hard on". If you dont want to discuss the oil then dont discuss it, but leave my threads clear of any offensive content. Thanks.

 

[TiGeo]

Originally Posted by dishdude
A 6 pack of M1 is frequently on sale at Costco for $26.99, not sure I see the value here.


This - why would you go with a generic vs. M1 for $3 less? I see those cases of M1 at Costco now (didn't realize they carried 0W40). I just don't get the obsession with cheap/off-brand motor oil here. I'll just sit over here and use Liquimoly..hahahaha.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

No two machines and their operating conditions are the same.. it's entirely possible Lube X can be a rockstar in one engine and a dog with fleas in another. The best you can do (with a sufficient amount of) data/used oil analysis on a lube, is draw some broad conclusions.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
No two machines and their operating conditions are the same.. it's entirely possible Lube X can be a rockstar in one engine and a dog with fleas in another. The best you can do (with a sufficient amount of) data/used oil analysis on a lube, is draw some broad conclusions.

True, and why following blanket statements can cause problems for some.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

So basically Warren has told the OP that the product is the same and the only difference is the label?

I can't say I'm surprised because it wouldn't make business sense to use a unique blend for every product if you didn't have to.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by Navi
A. I looked into it many years ago by calling and emailing the company. Warren is the maker of many off or generic branded oil like Supertech and many others. They do not have different lines because its a budget operation. Their phone number is on the website. - oils a daily traded commodity, as such the price and availability of it's refined products (base stocks) will fluctuate. As a blender, Warren is at the whim's of these market fluctuations and will source it's base stocks accordingly. Having said that, it's not only naive but very presumptuous of you to think Warren doesn't have differing formulas for finished product from time to time, based on it's ability to source.

B. This is a general discussion of the oil.

C. Please do not include sexual inuendos in my threads like "hard on". If you dont want to discuss the oil then dont discuss it, but leave my threads clear of any offensive content. Thanks. - fair point. To me it's not an offensive saying, but point taken none the less. I apologise..

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
So basically Warren has told the OP that the product is the same and the only difference is the label?

I can't say I'm surprised because it wouldn't make business sense to use a unique blend for every product if you didn't have to.


Because raw materials of a lube are subject to supply and cost, both statements can be true. At any given time Warren may use the same raw ingredients across multiple brands but may also change things up at any given time based upon it's ability to competitively source those ingredients. Their API license permits them to do this with some restriction.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by Navi
The fact is they are all the same and what really matters at the end of the day is used oil analysis. It could be literally any brand...Mobil, Amsoil, Redline...what matters most is used oil analysis.

You keep saying this but the reality is that at the end of the day the used oil analysis is relatively worthless. What matters is the certifications or approvals that the vehicle requires and that the oil meets or carries. It has been shown by the analysis companies that oil quality is not detectable via used oil analysis.


This. A used oil analysis will give you a general idea about the health of the equipment, contamination levels, and about the continued serviceability of the lubricant, that's about it.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by Navi
The fact is they are all the same and what really matters at the end of the day is used oil analysis. It could be literally any brand...Mobil, Amsoil, Redline...what matters most is used oil analysis.

You keep saying this but the reality is that at the end of the day the used oil analysis is relatively worthless. What matters is the certifications or approvals that the vehicle requires and that the oil meets or carries. It has been shown by the analysis companies that oil quality is not detectable via used oil analysis.


This. A used oil analysis will give you a general idea about the health of the equipment, contamination levels, and about the continued serviceability of the lubricant, that's about it.


Playing devils advocate here. Wouldn't "serviceability of the lubricant" be a deciding factor? For example, if you had two lubes with the same relative price and one was no longer serviceable at half the mileage then the other lube could be considered "better".

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by Navi
A. I looked into it many years ago by calling and emailing the company. Warren is the maker of many off or generic branded oil like Supertech and many others. They do not have different lines because its a budget operation. Their phone number is on the website.

B. This is a general discussion of the oil.

C. Please do not include sexual inuendos in my threads like "hard on". If you dont want to discuss the oil then dont discuss it, but leave my threads clear of any offensive content. Thanks.





You've been here before, right? Different names, different times?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Now there just needs to be a Supertech variant that I can pick up at my local Walmart!

 

[ka9mnx]

Originally Posted by Navi
Just call them up. They will tell you Mag1, Supertech and AmazonBasics are all the same oil.

No they are not and no they won't. We only "think" SuperTech and Amazon Basics are the same oil. I contacted Warren Distribution and they told me SuperTech and Mag1 are not the same oil.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by Navi
The fact is they are all the same and what really matters at the end of the day is used oil analysis. It could be literally any brand...Mobil, Amsoil, Redline...what matters most is used oil analysis.

You keep saying this but the reality is that at the end of the day the used oil analysis is relatively worthless. What matters is the certifications or approvals that the vehicle requires and that the oil meets or carries. It has been shown by the analysis companies that oil quality is not detectable via used oil analysis.


This. A used oil analysis will give you a general idea about the health of the equipment, contamination levels, and about the continued serviceability of the lubricant, that's about it.


Playing devils advocate here. Wouldn't "serviceability of the lubricant" be a deciding factor? For example, if you had two lubes with the same relative price and one was no longer serviceable at half the mileage then the other lube could be considered "better".


That's typically not going to be the case if both oils have the same approvals and have been tested to be suitable for the same service intervals however. Typical "serviceability" of the lubricant is far longer than most care to run it.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
No two machines and their operating conditions are the same.. it's entirely possible Lube X can be a rockstar in one engine and a dog with fleas in another. The best you can do (with a sufficient amount of) data/used oil analysis on a lube, is draw some broad conclusions.

According to Blackstone Labs you can't even draw those broad conclusions:
Quote
Well, we're no closer to saying that one type of oil is better than another, that's for sure. We see much more variation in wear levels from the type of engine, the time on the oil, the viscosity, the use the engine sees, etc. Whatever differences exist from oil brand to oil brand, we don't see a lot of difference in terms of wear for most types of engines.


https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Aug-17-ENG.pdf

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
No two machines and their operating conditions are the same.. it's entirely possible Lube X can be a rockstar in one engine and a dog with fleas in another. The best you can do (with a sufficient amount of) data/used oil analysis on a lube, is draw some broad conclusions.

According to Blackstone Labs you can't even draw those broad conclusions:
Quote
Well, we're no closer to saying that one type of oil is better than another, that's for sure. We see much more variation in wear levels from the type of engine, the time on the oil, the viscosity, the use the engine sees, etc. Whatever differences exist from oil brand to oil brand, we don't see a lot of difference in terms of wear for most types of engines.


https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Aug-17-ENG.pdf

The "broad" conclusions should not be used for comparison purposes, as Blackstone correctly stated.

You can however make broad conclusions about just that one lube... that is of course if you have a volume of data to work from, as previously stated. I would never (at least I hope I haven't) make a over reaching statement like "X lube is best based on used oil analysis"..I can and will say something like, "It appears X lube holds up well in fuel diluted engines" etc.

"Best" in this context is a subjective term best reserved for use by those in the marketing dept....

 

[1978elcamino]

So what is the verdict, is ST the same as amazon basics in all flavors or what?

 

[PimTac]

We may never know. It's all a guessing game.

These oils come from the same blender but are blended to spec and price point per the company requesting them.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Originally Posted by Navi
It does not matter what they put in it as long as it brings back a good used oil analysis.


You DO realize that the only things that a used oil analysis reliably tells you about an oil are TBN, viscosity, and flashpoint, correct? Wear metals (other than a condemnation point for Fe @ 150ppm per Doug Hillary's tests) are more a reflection of the oil itself rather than the "wear" of the engine. Spend some more time in the used oil analysis section in the posts older than three years old for more info.

If an oil stays in grade, has sufficient TBN reserves and flashpoint numbers, and returns an Fe number lower than 150, there will be no statistically different numbers returned on used oil analysis. Emotions and histrionics cannot replace data.