Gotta love the marketing guys

[Wampahoofus]

A team of Pennzoil marketing guys stopped by work the other day to enlighten us lowly peons to Shell's range of magical wonder juice. Some select points they made... If a 0W-xx is available in the hot-temp grade you need, there's no reason to use a 5W-xx or 10W-xx (or, God forbid, a 15W-xx). They are all equally shear stable over the life of the oil. Conventional oils have a service life exactly the same as any synthetic, in all applications. Synthetic oil will increase your fuel economy by an average of 4.1% over conventional. Not talking a clean vs. dirty engine...just by switching to synthetic. All oil, synthetic or conventional, comes from crude oil (unless it's GTL, of course). PAOs/esters too. Synthetic oils are the best choice for any vehicle. Extremely high mileage ones with leaks too. This one really tickled me because they mentioned it right after saying synthetics won't cause leaks, but will uncover them. (Hey everyone, let's find a problem and make it worse!) I can't necessarily speak for the validity of the 'they all come from crude' remark, but the rest made me wince. At least they bought lunch.

 

[WiskyBadger]

It's the same schpeel we get.

 

[route66mike]

Originally Posted By: Wampahoofus

If a 0W-xx is available in the hot-temp grade you need, there's no reason to use a 5W-xx or 10W-xx (or, God forbid, a 15W-xx). They are all equally shear stable over the life of the oil.

Thats a true statement. They are right. Whats odd is that Pennzoil doesn't have a 0w-30, so they shouldn't diss their 5w-30 synthetics like that.

Originally Posted By: Wampahoofus

Conventional oils have a service life exactly the same as any synthetic, in all applications.

This is the official Pennzoil line. They don't have an 'Extended Life' synthetic like M1, Castrol Edge Extended, and Amsoil, so Pennz says always change according to the engine's owner's manual.

Originally Posted By: Wampahoofus

Synthetic oil will increase your fuel economy by an average of 4.1% over conventional. Not talking a clean vs. dirty engine...just by switching to synthetic.

Synthetics increase MPG by nothing. Fuel economy from oil choices are mostly to do with viscosity, not base stock choice.

Originally Posted By: Wampahoofus

All oil, synthetic or conventional, comes from crude oil (unless it's GTL, of course). PAOs/esters too.

They are right. Gotta start somewhere. Even if you include recycled oil, they started from crude way back.

Originally Posted By: Wampahoofus

Synthetic oils are the best choice for any vehicle. Extremely high mileage ones with leaks too. This one really tickled me because they mentioned it right after saying synthetics won't cause leaks, but will uncover them. (Hey everyone, let's find a problem and make it worse!)

Seal swell is not a function of synthetic vs. conventional with modern formulations designed to provide seal compatibility.

 

[route66mike]

Wampahoofus and ChevyBadger, what kinds of businesses are attracting Pennz marketing people?

 

[jrustles]

Originally Posted By: Wampahoofus

ere's no reason to use a 5W-xx or 10W-xx (or, God forbid, a 15W-xx). They are all equally shear stable over the life of the oil.

I bet! Oh yes, shear stability among viscosity spread, both temporary and permanent, is totally and unequivocally equal. Ahhhh, some people are blinded by straight up idealism and simplicity (and their sales pitch) There's a reason these guys are cold-selling, hocking it from shop to shop, and not in the lab....

 

[WiskyBadger]

I work for a contractor that has full time mechanics for our fleet. Oil salesmen come every so often. Our guy that handles it hates Pennzoil though, because it's waxy and causes sludge! Or so he says, along with Quaker State. He got mad at me when he saw me put Quaker State in my wife's car. Haha