Castrol Start Up: Snake oil?
- Thread starter Islandvic
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It's already down to $2.49 at my local Advance. Started out at $2.99. The store clerk said it's one of the biggest losers ever as far as new oil marketing BS.
If it goes to $1.99, I'll grab some. It'll get there eventually, cause no one seems to be buying the stuff.
I dunno why there is such a difference in percieved engine noise between users of this oil? JHZR2 has had reductions in noise and easier starting and I believe someone else posted this as well.
It was sometime ago, Kragen had it on sale for 2/qt, $5 rebate (6qt) + $7 Mcdonald Giftcard + Fram Oilfiter to boost!
Patman
Staff member
The problem with this oil is that it doesn't really have a target buyer. Castrol already has all the bases covered with GTX, Syntec Blend, Syntec full synthetic and High Mileage. So what type of car is supposed to use the start up oil? Sports car owners will use Syntec, higher mileage owners will use the HM, and all others will use either GTX or the blend, depending on how much they want to spend. So this leaves nobody left to buy Start Up. It's an oil without an audience.
Patman, it was developed for two markets 1) For couch potatos like me that are too afraid to get up and go start my car for fear of start-up wear, and then knowing I'll have to change it.2) Its their psycological oil for the guy that has to use something different from the rest of the crowd.
Sorry to dredge up a year old thread but I got interested after seeing a dust collecting bottle at Walmart. Anyone ever find this cheap. It was still pretty pricey at wal-mart and advance last time I checked. It's certainly not snake oil. Perhaps they could have increased sales by calling it syntec semisynth startup... Anyway, I picked up a little to blend w/ my tection extra hdeo.
Let me through my 2 cents in! Castrol Start-up? I'm in Love with the silver/green shaded bottle with its bright red cap. Really trips my trigger!
DISCLAIMER: yeah I know I'm a weirdo who craves motor oil and oil bottles.
DISCLAIMER: yeah I know I'm a weirdo who craves motor oil and oil bottles.
I picked up 19 quarts of 10w40 StartUp for $1.40 a quart at Meijers back around November. They closed it out. I called Castrol and it is not a discontinued oil. Typically sells in the $2.50 range most places. Runs thicker like a high mileae oil.
It's a "Pretty Boy" oil. lol. Anyway, on Castrol UK site, the equivalent product to StartUp carries A3. I'd use it if it was free, but for my money, I'd pass. Castrol has too many products/viscs as it is. I still don't know what's the need for a 10w-40 Syntec when you have 5w-40 Syntec, same for 10w30/5w30. 20w-50 Syntec??? Who buys that? Best idea for oil makers is to put a thick 30 in the 10w30 bottle for for higher miles and hotter temps, or even jusy make the 10w30 the HM product. Not that I don't like the 5w30 HM, heck it's almost a 5w-40 for cheap....but there are too many darn products.
ok, let's enumerate the.
GTX
5w-20
5w30
10w-30
10w-40
20w-50
GTX HM
5w30
10w-30
10w-40
20w-50
Syntec Blend
5w-20?
5w30
10w-30
10w-40
Start-Up
5w30
10w-30
10w-40
???
Syntec
0w-30
5w-20
5w30
10w-30
5w-40
10w-40
5w-50
20w-50
Did I miss any?
24 different oil products???
I know consuming shelf space is part of marketing, but COME ON!!!
ok, let's enumerate the.
GTX
5w-20
5w30
10w-30
10w-40
20w-50
GTX HM
5w30
10w-30
10w-40
20w-50
Syntec Blend
5w-20?
5w30
10w-30
10w-40
Start-Up
5w30
10w-30
10w-40
???
Syntec
0w-30
5w-20
5w30
10w-30
5w-40
10w-40
5w-50
20w-50
Did I miss any?
24 different oil products???
I know consuming shelf space is part of marketing, but COME ON!!!
The problem with the marketing is that all the other oils are used in engines that experience startup. Should someone that uses Syntec worry that if they start their engine they might be missing something if they don't switch to Startup. If Castrol wants to continue confusing potential customers they should keep calling Syntec synthetic and adding products like Startup oil. They are doing a good job of covering up a quality oil. The bigger market place out there must be consumers that know little or nothing about what they pour in their engines. So the answer is, if you start you engine you must need Castrol Startup oil, otherwise forget it.
It's a marketing ploy.
Yes.
Is it illegal?
The most companies do the same thing.
Castrol has a lot of great oils in its product lineup.
How does it affect you, the "oil gurus" anyway?
How come I haven't seen any of you bashing your beloved Mobil 1 when it was running the 25K mi oil marketing gimmick.
Castrol Bashers Unite!!!
[ February 12, 2006, 04:43 PM: Message edited by: vad ]
Yes.
Is it illegal?
The most companies do the same thing.
Castrol has a lot of great oils in its product lineup.
How does it affect you, the "oil gurus" anyway?
How come I haven't seen any of you bashing your beloved Mobil 1 when it was running the 25K mi oil marketing gimmick.
Castrol Bashers Unite!!!
[ February 12, 2006, 04:43 PM: Message edited by: vad ]
I think Castrol is ONLY making snake-oil, not only their Start Up. They changed the content(PAO) in their oils without informing their customers. They still prised it like "true" synthetic. The only thing Castrol is godd at, is marketing. By the way; when you see racing teams at racetracks, having Castrol-logos, you can be rather sure that they use another oil. Castrol simply is not a good oil for tough use. Just my experience.
Quote:
"By the way; when you see racing teams at racetracks, having Castrol-logos, you can be rather sure that they use another oil."
Doubtful. Kawasaki has partnered with Castrol, for years and has had several very successful seasons on both TTS, and A747, depending on whether Supercross, or MX. They are still partnered with Castrol for 06.
Now, I do agree that John Force probably doesn't use GTX, although he could, considering that the OCI on a funny car is just about 1/4 mile.
"By the way; when you see racing teams at racetracks, having Castrol-logos, you can be rather sure that they use another oil."
Doubtful. Kawasaki has partnered with Castrol, for years and has had several very successful seasons on both TTS, and A747, depending on whether Supercross, or MX. They are still partnered with Castrol for 06.
Now, I do agree that John Force probably doesn't use GTX, although he could, considering that the OCI on a funny car is just about 1/4 mile.
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