Amsoil worth the price?

[kschachn]

All of which is true for Mobil 1 as well, except the tech line part. Plus the price is lower.

Originally Posted By: Flareside302
its totally worth it when running extended drain intervals and the amount of R&D they do. as well as the tech line available through your dealer.

also price ain't much higher than other oils.

cost is much lower in the end when you do a per mile comparison.

also nothing is close to Sig Series in lots of specs.

 

[Bud_One]

For me it is... that's why I use it.

 

[ARB1977]

I used to use it. I still have a stash of gear and universal ATF. I would never go by their intervals without a uoa. Even then 25K if they still use that interval is too much for me.

 

[raytseng]

within amsoil's own 5w-30 promotional paper, the only way they make their oil stand out in the cost analysis is by doubling their OCI compared to the competitors.

I think there's something along the lines of "she doth protest too much" in this.

Because they felt they needed to use this OCI trick, I actually think that amsoil themselves feels they aren't worth the cost unless they play unfairly with the OCI parameters.

It's like a politician saying, "I never ever beat my wife" even if he's asked about the economy.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: raytseng

Because they felt they needed to use this OCI trick


From day one Amsoil has been about extended OCI's. So I'm not sure you can call it a trick.

Sure Amsoil is expensive. An oil change costs about the same as a tank of gas for most people. And many people fill their fuel tank every week or two. So it isn't a huge part of the cost of owning a car. If you only want to go the OEM OCI recommendation, then use the OE products, they are priced very competitively. Even something like the 5W-40 EFM Full SAPS oil is really an excellent price for a GREAT product.

We get this question regularly here. As the others have said, form your own opinions. Don't be swayed heavily by either side of the discussion, neither the lovers or the haters.

 

[garlicbreadman]

Not for engine oil but for other oil such as MTF, yes.

 

[fdcg27]

Well, if you run their oils to their full potential, they are probably worth the money.
It's not all hype and MLM.
Amsoil SSO oils really do seem to have significantly better performance on long drain intervals than M1, PP, QSUD and the like.
Check the UOA forum.
I've got sixteen quarts of the 0W-20 which will find their way into something at some point.
Of course, I bought them from a family in Columbus who were moving to a place about as far from Columbus as you can get in the contiguous forty eight states and I paid them forty five dollars for the lot.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
From day one Amsoil has been about extended OCI's. So I'm not sure you can call it a trick.

Agreed. I'd call what many other oil companies do a "trick," when they insist that their top end synthetics be changed an normal OCIs for basic SN/GF-5 applications.

 

[RedOakRanch]

You can get cheaper oil per mile like M1 at Walmart but I've never felt like I wasted money when I looked at my UOA at 15k with Amsoil. Its the only oil I trust for really long OCI's. The rest I only like to run 10k for half the cost(cheaper per mile than Amsoil). Really love Amsoil for gear, tranny and ATV's.

 

[TiredTrucker]

I get a couple of things from Amsoil, mostly their ATF, Severe Gear 75w90 for the pickup, and some grease. My motor oil comes from Schaeffer. I like the Mobil 1 75w90 for my commercial heavy truck diffs and Mobil 1 50w for the transmissions. Asking someone which oil they like best is almost like asking what music group is best. That is really pigeon holing them too much.

On my pickup, I just go with the OLM for oil changes using a Schaeffer synthetic, which seems to be around 7500-8000 miles. On my commercial stuff, I go about 22,500 on a Schaeffer syn blend. That is about 50% longer than the OEM recommended OCI. UOA's look very good.

 

[raytseng]

yea, I understand that. But they include other boutique oils like Redline in their paper, who also promote an extended oci, perhaps not as far as amsoil. Yet they didn't use that in that section of the paper.

So it's like they're trying too hard in that section of their paper to point out that amsoil is the only one that they feel is qualified to do an extended pci ; so of course it'll be cheaper.

I don't doubt it's good oil and has long OCIs, but it's just the fact they felt they needed to use 1 oci criteria for themselves, but flatly took the manufacturer's minimum oci for all the other comparison oils, rather then applying the same criteria they used for themselves.
So give Redline like 1.5 ocis a year, instead of flatly saying everyone else gets 2.37 no matter what kind of oil they are.

So I'm just saying it casts a shadow when they feel they need spin the paper so that it best suits their needs at least in this section.
Hey, I do give them credit that at least they didn't just put themselves as best in every single test.

 

[slalom44]

As mentioned earlier, value can be very different for each person. My OCIs are 40,000 miles with a bypass filter setup and although i add a fair amount of makeup oil between changes I am not willing to risk using oils with lesser add packs than Amsoil Signature Series 0W-30.

Sure, other oils might make it that long, but some shear down quickly and none retain their TBN as well. Besides - when I started using this oil with extended OCIs over ten years ago it was the only oil on the market that could last that long. I have 317,000 miles on my car, and it still runs like new.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: slalom44
As mentioned earlier, value can be very different for each person. My OCIs are 40,000 miles with a bypass filter setup and although i add a fair amount of makeup oil between changes I am not willing to risk using oils with lesser add packs than Amsoil Signature Series 0W-30.

Sure, other oils might make it that long, but some shear down quickly and none retain their TBN as well. Besides - when I started using this oil with extended OCIs over ten years ago it was the only oil on the market that could last that long. I have 317,000 miles on my car, and it still runs like new.

 

[virginoil]

Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: slalom44
As mentioned earlier, value can be very different for each person. My OCIs are 40,000 miles with a bypass filter setup and although i add a fair amount of makeup oil between changes I am not willing to risk using oils with lesser add packs than Amsoil Signature Series 0W-30.

Sure, other oils might make it that long, but some shear down quickly and none retain their TBN as well. Besides - when I started using this oil with extended OCIs over ten years ago it was the only oil on the market that could last that long. I have 317,000 miles on my car, and it still runs like new.

Hi Kuato

Looks like like long drain is working for you. Are you able to provide brief details of the savings made compared to the usual OEM OCIs for your vehicle since you started.

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
I see no good coming from this thread.


Correct. ^^^


Its a bad question, with no way to get a personal answer from the public. "Worth the price" is 100% subjective.

My bank account and yours may have vastly different sums in them.
My OCI and yours may vary greatly.
My filter and yours may vary greatly.
My driving style and yours may vary greatly.
My vehicle and yours may vary greatly.
My intentions to keep or trade vs. yours may vary greatly.
My care for my vehicle and yours for yours may vary greatly.
My climate and yours may vary greatly.

Most importantly, my PRICE paid and yours may vary greatly.

All things considered, conventionals and syns (with extended OCI and less filters to buy) end up being priced nearly equal. Don't ask others to decide for you. YOU decide, and don't condemn others who don't share your choice.



Yes, the OP does not even say the application, how old, new or nothing!!

 

[Mike_dup1]

AMSOIL is a niche product. It is not mass marketed, because that market is driven by price. OE and XL have lower price points (with less benefits) for that reason. They were introduced to address a large market not served by the Signature Series.

People change their oil more often with other brands because those manufacturers design their products that way. They simply sell you an inferior product. It is really that simple. They use cheaper synthetic base stocks and put in less additives or less costly additives because they are selling to a price, not quality. Most of them could produce better products. They do not need to as long as folks WANT to change their oil often. I prefer to use the best product possible because it pays for itself, protects better, lasts longer, better for the environment, conserves resources etc.

AMSOIL user since 1976ish

 

[wemay]

Some don't choose to change early, manufacturer's warranty limitations constrain them. Thus, if using M1 5w30 (for example) throughout the warranty period without issue emboldens your trust in the brand, M1 EP would be the likely choice once out of warranty, for extended oci.

 

[Spector]

When I lived near a warehouse I used it almost exclusively, then as more so called synthetics came on the market (and my driving miles decreased) I moved over to the off the shelf brands. Their Fluids are the best IMO and their signature series as well. Myself, with the UOA I could never come close to the 25,000 mark, 15,000 was about it. Now, if comparing Amsoil, RP and Redline I think Amsoil Signature may be the best price. Shipping really is a killer in all of this though! Now Mobil 1 EP, or PUP may be the best price out there at Walmart. Further, most people are deathly fearful of exceeding the owner's manual for warranty issues so the extended drains are not practical and I don't care what Magnuson-Moss says, fighting a dealer to replace an engine using extended drains with Amsoil is a long hassle and i would not bank on he Amsoil warranty to help you out. Sure use the OE or XL but again, shipping, cost, for 7,500 and under why bother, use the off the shelf.

 

[SteveSRT8]

While I used Amsoil exclusively for decades I would challenge any fan to PROVE that a quality name brand oil like M1 or many others are truly inferior.

They may differ, but inferior? Nonsense. The reason they are cheaper is simply economy of scale, they sell far more so of course it is cheaper. They also compete directly on a shelf for your purchase...

 

[Clevy]

I used amsoil products exclusively for many years,ran 10k intervals on everything which at the time was 3 times longer than other brands and the engines were spotless.
I really liked the synchromesh in my t-45.
However I just cannot justify 15 dollars a quart for engine oil anymore.
Is amsoil too quality,absolutely. Do I need that kind of oil quality,or will rollback qsud/pp for 25 a jug run a 10000 mile interval,at less per mile.

I'll never trash amsoil quality,I just can't justify the cost anymore. Not when Walmart has products almost as good for 1/4 the price.
If it was free I'd be using it right now