Considering switching to Amsoil

[DinoLover]

I have a fleet of vehicles that do a lot of mileage and change the oil at manufacturer's recommended intervals.

I am wondering whether to save a lot of money and switch to Amsoil.

Other long life oils still recommend following manufacturer's recommendations. But if I am correct, Amsoil warranty any engine defect for 25k / 1 year.

Do they really stand behind that? It could save me a lot of cost if they did.

How about the filter situation? Would I need to go with Amsoil to match the mileage change interval or would other manufacturer's filters do just as well?

 

[INDYMAC]

It would be a great idea if you are willing to put your fleet of vehicles on an oil analysis program. But you probably have already. The oil analysis should include TBN, TAN and oxidation values to determine when the oil is no longer serviceable.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd check with someone like Doug Hillary for oil recommendations for fleet service. I'd take his suggestions over anything I read or hear from Amsoil. Doug has the experience and is not looking to sell product JMO

 

[BobsArmory]

TO go with Amsoil extended drain you would have to use their filters as well.

 

[Donald]

Amsoil says 25K miles only for engines run in a non severe manner. They list out many things that would cause the use to be considered severe. Mileage over 100K being one.

I think Amsoil is an excellent oil. And I think you could go to 10K to 15K without a routine used oil analysis, but to push it to 25K you would need a used oil analysis.

A routine used oil analysis makes sense on truck engines, but maybe not on auto engines.

 

[carwreck]

Originally Posted By: DinoLover

I am wondering whether to save a lot of money and switch to Amsoil...
But if I am correct, Amsoil warranty any engine defect for 25k / 1 year...
Do they really stand behind that?

Per Amsoil, AMSOIL top-tier motor oils carry a drain interval of 25,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first...
"providing, of course the oil is kept free of contaminants by changing the oil filter according to the manufacturer's recommendation" if specific AMSOIL filter is not used.
http://www.amsoil.com/lit/g1490.pdf

Amsoil has specific exclusions in their oil warranty, and excludes specific cars from using extended oil changes.

Regarding your question about warranty coverage... (I am not advising to use Amsoil or not use Amsoil, just be aware of warranty limitations)

This is a quote from an Amsoil dealer website:

"THIS WARRANTY IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING LIMITATIONS:...
The liability of AMSOIL INC. shall be limited to:
a. Replacement of the defective lubricant..."

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: carwreck
Originally Posted By: DinoLover

I am wondering whether to save a lot of money and switch to Amsoil...
But if I am correct, Amsoil warranty any engine defect for 25k / 1 year...
Do they really stand behind that?

Per Amsoil, AMSOIL top-tier motor oils carry a drain interval of 25,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first...
"providing, of course the oil is kept free of contaminants by changing the oil filter according to the manufacturer's recommendation" if specific AMSOIL filter is not used.
http://www.amsoil.com/lit/g1490.pdf

Amsoil has specific exclusions in their oil warranty, and excludes specific cars from using extended oil changes.

Regarding your question about warranty coverage... (I am not advising to use Amsoil or not use Amsoil, just be aware of warranty limitations)

This is a quote from an Amsoil dealer website:

"THIS WARRANTY IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING LIMITATIONS:...
The liability of AMSOIL INC. shall be limited to:
a. Replacement of the defective lubricant..."


Well then something has changed. They use to warranty the engine if it failed due to the engine oil and use their oil and filter and the engine was in good shape to begin with.

 

[Shannow]

If you go beyond the engine manufacturer's recommended oil change intervals while still in the warranty period, it's a decision that you are taking/making, and you own the consequences.

If your extended drains cause a failure, you own the failure. If you have a failure not due to the extended drains,you will have to argue from that perspective.

The Amsoil "warranty" requires you to prove that the lubricant caused the failure...never going to happen.

If you are out of warranty, you can play all angles of the game within your comfort limit.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
If you go beyond the engine manufacturer's recommended oil change intervals while still in the warranty period, it's a decision that you are taking/making, and you own the consequences.

If your extended drains cause a failure, you own the failure. If you have a failure not due to the extended drains,you will have to argue from that perspective.

The Amsoil "warranty" requires you to prove that the lubricant caused the failure...never going to happen.

If you are out of warranty, you can play all angles of the game within your comfort limit.


So "if" you prove the oil was at fault you'll get some free oil? LOL

 

[Shannow]

No, they also offer to repair/replace the damaged equipment at their choice in the next dot point on their warranty...but throw in weasel words about not warranting things that are done against either their, or the OEM's written recommendations.

If OEM recommends 3months, 3,000 miles, extended drains are expressly against OEM written instructions.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
No, they also offer to repair/replace the damaged equipment at their choice in the next dot point on their warranty...but throw in weasel words about not warranting things that are done against either their, or the OEM's written recommendations.

If OEM recommends 3months, 3,000 miles, extended drains are expressly against OEM written instructions.


Just checking, I read it, but like your explanation.

 

[simple_gifts]

I've always wondered how this would actually play out. "The extended change caused the failure" would be the mfg's standpoint and exhibit #1 would be a spotless drivetrain showing the obvious abuse... 8)

This site has done crazy things to me; I wouldn't recommended extending the OCI with an unapproved oil to anyone under warranty, but I had no problems taking that advice and running with it with my own vehicle....

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: DinoLover
I have a fleet of vehicles that do a lot of mileage and change the oil at manufacturer's recommended intervals.

I am wondering whether to save a lot of money and switch to Amsoil.

Other long life oils still recommend following manufacturer's recommendations. But if I am correct, Amsoil warranty any engine defect for 25k / 1 year.

Do they really stand behind that? It could save me a lot of cost if they did.

How about the filter situation? Would I need to go with Amsoil to match the mileage change interval or would other manufacturer's filters do just as well?


I will answer your questions to the best of my ability, but you should be aware there is already some very misleading information in this thread. Hey - it's the internet, no surprise there!

1) Fleet maintenance with extended oil change intervals (OCI) typically does make sense. It's not a huge instant dollar saver, but say if you can double or triple the OCI, and do less oil changes in a given period of time, this will free up your time to do important stuff - like running your business.

2) "Amsoil warranty any engine defect for 25k / 1 year." I think this is what the guys are having a field day with. Of course no company will not replace your engine if it has some pre-existing defect. Here's Amsoil's warranty: http://www.amsoil.com/lit/g1363.pdf

3) You do need to realize that an extended OCI is not just a dump the oil in and forget it proposition. You need, up front, to examine the details and use of the vehicle - along with all the other variable from the total miles on the vehicle, current MPG, current tune, previous oils and history. All these characteristics need to be spelled out, just to get your first estimate on an OCI. Maybe it's 1X or 1.5 or 2X maybe longer - then do a baseline UOA and go from there. I warned you, there won't be any instant savings. But in the long run there should be a payoff - ESPECIALLY when you can skip those oil changes. But it doesn't mean you shouldn't check the oil and do the other maintenance.

4) Also, don't forget the driveline lubes. These can be a bit easier to extend.

 

[Shannow]

re Pablo, excellent point...the reason that my brother's company buys Mitsubishi Triton diesels is for their 15,000km service intervals.

A service means that the vehicle is off the road for a day, and not earning.

Mitsubishi offer 5 year, 100,000km warranty with 15,000km services (and o15W-40 non synthetics), so companies get them and have them off the road 60% less frequently than the Toyotas. It counts.

But doing the testing that you will need to do in a fleet to find where you are best suited doesn't automatically mean Amsoil.

I've had Mobil (once they got through the "manufacturer's recommended interval" mantra that they have to use, and finally realising my vehicle was out of warranty, and my responsibility) admitted that 12 months, whether 3,000 or 25,000 miles, was OK with acheck at the end of the 12 months to see where it worked/not worked.

 

[Rob_Roy]

Originally Posted By: DinoLover
I have a fleet of vehicles that do a lot of mileage and change the oil at manufacturer's recommended intervals.

I am wondering whether to save a lot of money and switch to Amsoil.

Other long life oils still recommend following manufacturer's recommendations. But if I am correct, Amsoil warranty any engine defect for 25k / 1 year.

Do they really stand behind that? It could save me a lot of cost if they did.

How about the filter situation? Would I need to go with Amsoil to match the mileage change interval or would other manufacturer's filters do just as well?


Please give us a list of your equipment, and the expected mileage/hrs on each over one year. Also provide some info on your current lubricants (brand, viscosity, price). We can then weigh the cost of your current maintenace program vs. the proposed AMSOIL schedule. As for the filters, AMSOIL requires use of their filters for their extended intervals.

 

[Trex101]

I would think it would be cheaper for you if you switch it all to HDEO 10w30 or 5w40, why choose Amsoil?