GM's New Dexos is Ready For 2011MY Vehicles

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“It’s just a money grab by GM,” said one oil company representative. “It penalizes consumers, and it penalizes small businesses that serve them. If it leads to product proliferation in the motor oil category, that could be very damaging to the industry. Lube shops just can’t stock an OEM fluid for every brand. We could see a fracturing of the category, leading to licensed versus non-licensed motor oil. You already see that in ATF, and consumers are less resistant to using a non-licensed product now as long as the manufacturer is willing to warranty it.


Will be interesting to see how this plays out with the Quick Lube places.
 
Originally Posted By: buster
Quote:

“It’s just a money grab by GM,” said one oil company representative. “It penalizes consumers, and it penalizes small businesses that serve them. If it leads to product proliferation in the motor oil category, that could be very damaging to the industry. Lube shops just can’t stock an OEM fluid for every brand. We could see a fracturing of the category, leading to licensed versus non-licensed motor oil. You already see that in ATF, and consumers are less resistant to using a non-licensed product now as long as the manufacturer is willing to warranty it.


Will be interesting to see how this plays out with the Quick Lube places.



My guess is that the Quickie-Lube suppliers will have enough time to get the Dexos into inventory and that the quickie lube price for an oil change will just go up by 30% or more.
I wonder if GM's competitors will be advertising that their cars DON'T use Dexos.
 
GM does seem to lead the field in producing proprietary fluids of late. While I'm sure Dex VI was an improvement of merit, was it worth the evolution? Maybe so, but how much revenue will be derived from licensing and whatnot? There's no reason that I I can think of for a domestic auto manufacturer to produce a new fluid if it didn't pay off in revenue or avoided costs. It can't provide them a marketing advantage against the competition ..since it cannot go head to head with them (in the case of Dex VI). I would only expect Audi to seek out the most obscure aviation grade fluid for its centralized hydraulic fluid of choice out of technological advantage in performance motivations.

That is, what motivated the creation? If it wasn't $$$ ..it doesn't exist, imo.
 
Thanks Critic, I haven't read that interesting of a story in awhile, as least as far as motor oil goes.

It 9 cents a quart, I feel really negative about this needless spec.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
http://www.noln.net/features.php?f=feature2_0709.html

In summary:

- Dexos will bring a 30% (or more) premium over current conventional oils.

- Longer oil life, better fuel economy and lower emissions

- Is likely to require Group III basestocks

- Will create major headaches for quick lubes and independent service centers.


If GM's OLMs are state of the art, and CAN be trusted, then how much does the 30% cost increase (i.e. a $4 group III syn vs. a $3 bottle of conventional... not seeming like a big deal given that most other group III syn oils cost $5) get offset by the longer oil life?

Is going to a group III basestock bad in anybody's book, especially if the oil lasts longer and helps fuel economy?

I don't buy the major headache bit. Quick lubes need to stock M1 0w-40 or PP euro or similar to be able to service euro cars. Every oil filter is different these days... does that create a headache logistically for quick lubes? Independents tend to have a parts truck come by every few hours anyway... getting some oil should be perfectly simple.
 
Wow. Great for people with new GM OLM's I guess. The problem I see is that top tier oils, PP/M1/SynPower will be expected to meet this spec and pay the royalty. So every time I change my oil I pay GM 45 cents for something I don't want or need.

I guess that's less than I'm paying them via my income taxes.

GM, buy a car from us... or not... we'll take your money either way.
 
They just had to use "Dex" in the name.
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Originally Posted By: JHZR2
If GM's OLMs are state of the art, and CAN be trusted, then how much does the 30% cost increase (i.e. a $4 group III syn vs. a $3 bottle of conventional... not seeming like a big deal given that most other group III syn oils cost $5) get offset by the longer oil life?

Is going to a group III basestock bad in anybody's book, especially if the oil lasts longer and helps fuel economy?

I don't buy the major headache bit. Quick lubes need to stock M1 0w-40 or PP euro or similar to be able to service euro cars. Every oil filter is different these days... does that create a headache logistically for quick lubes? Independents tend to have a parts truck come by every few hours anyway... getting some oil should be perfectly simple.


The truth is, most Euro car owners who visit quick lubes do NOT service their vehicles with the correct oil. They request 5w-30 conventional oil and would rather sign a waiver than install the correct oil. At least that's what the guy at the local Jiffy Lube told me.

While GM has a great idea, what they have failed to realize is that the majority of American car owners have no intentions of doing more than the bare minimum when it comes to vehicle maintenance. Their owners are not going to use the correct premium oil for their vehicles. With the extended GM OLM intervals, GM is going to have another sludge disaster on their hands when owners follow the super-long OLM intervals with conventional oil.
 
And if that is the case, then why even gripe about it at all? If it is going to be ignored, one can likely view API SN and ILSAC GF-5 as the 85% solution, and good enough for these and any engines... The rest is risk the engine owners take upon themselves.

If the quick lubes cater only one way, then it is irrelevant anyhow. If they werent going to stock it, they arent going to stock it.
 
Originally Posted By: bepperb
Wow. Great for people with new GM OLM's I guess. The problem I see is that top tier oils, PP/M1/SynPower will be expected to meet this spec and pay the royalty. So every time I change my oil I pay GM 45 cents for something I don't want or need.

I guess that's less than I'm paying them via my income taxes.



So do you gripe about the honda, ford, BMW, MB, Porsche, VW and other specs that have to paid for? How about API testing? Folks love to gripe about the fact that Amsoil DOESNT pay the API royalty, but yet here paying these to ensure that one has the best oil that meets the top specs is an issue.

Can't please all the people all the time...
 
So do you gripe about the honda, ford, BMW, MB, Porsche, VW...

I shure would. But I don't because they don't charge such a ridiculous amount. If they did, that would be 7*9=63cents a quart plus whatever Toyota, Chrysler, Suzuki, Subaru.... It would never end.

This is nothing more than a money grab. And the article is right, if this snowballs to other manufacturers it's going to be just like ATF where everyone needs to have their little standard and prices skyrocket and it's 10 minute search on the internet just to find what motor oil will work in your car.

The best quote from the article I thought, was weather this passed the "consumer laugh test"... if a jiffy lube guy tells you your 12-thousand-dollar Cobalt/Cruise needs the most expensive oil they stock and customers don't just drive away.

It's a great idea, and forward thinking, and it's cool that GM is putting in the effort. But the price is ridiculous.
 
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maybe they'll make it a proprietary forumulation with "blue" dye just to make sure customer doens't pay for Dexos and get Warren, or any other bulk generic motor oil. That would be the real crime


Steve
 
API fee to be rated "SM" is $0.0015 per gallon. GM fee to be rated "dexos" is $0.36 per gallon.

The API cost is quite a bit more upfront ~$300,000, but a additive manufacturer can pay this then market an additive package to multiple oil producers. Also, that cost can cover multiple weights of oils. So I'm not certain that the difference in upfront cost is really significant.

The per-gallon costs, however, are wildly different.
 
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The truth is, most Euro car owners who visit quick lubes do NOT service their vehicles with the correct oil. They request 5w-30 conventional oil and would rather sign a waiver than install the correct oil. At least that's what the guy at the local Jiffy Lube told me.


"The truth" is probably a composite of both numb consumer and uncaring vendor. I really doubt that all the quick lube personnel take the time to explain why it's a bad idea. They probably don't even know why it's a bad idea. I'd like to see the physician that continued to do procedures that resulted in death/harm just because the patient signed a waiver (they do).

Best defense is no be there - Damyouson
 
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