Is Royal purple worth the extra $$?

[deven]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: surfstar
Originally Posted By: deven
Yes, just like that thread 2005GT dude put up with micd info and pics. Even that was disregarded. RP will never be done right here on BITOG because PDS and MSDS and used oil analysis are king and how people here choose oil rather than real life experiences.



Data vs anecdotes?

You guys are horrible at this internet arguing thing!


And I'm not one to buy an oil on used oil analysis etc - to me its price (I don't have any fancy spec requirements). PP w/ a rebate(s) is unbeatable currently. I usually buy when its $20 back on $22-27 purchase. RP will never fall into my category, no matter how it "performs". For my vehicles any oil SL or newer is just fine.


The thread deven referred too about the Mustang run on RP vs. M1 was not anecdote. It involved actual engine tear downs and measuring the cams for wear. RP won by a long shot. That is not anecdote that is cold hard data. So unless you consider actually measuring wear between 2 oils with an actual tear down and measurements to be anecdotes I think you missed the ball on that one. Also, both deven and I have done multiple engine tear downs of engines run only on RP and seen 1st hand how good it does. Deven even owns a speed shop. I would say his real world experience goes far beyond "anecdote". So does mine for that matter as I did a lot of work on engines back when I was into drag racing, muscle cars, and hot rodding.

Further you claim devens comments to be mere anecdote and not data which implies data is better( it is I agree )but then you say used oil analysis, which are significant data sources when oils are being discussed, don't matter. Now you say only price matters. Seems to me you are having a little trouble with this whole "internet arguing thing" yourself. You are contradicting yourself big time.

If price is all that matters to you that is fine. When did deven or myself say that wasn't? Neither of us has told anyone that your choices are wrong or bad. If you base your oil use of nothing but whatever you can find cheapest on sale that meets your minimum requirements that is cool with me. Not everyone does though. Many of us have preferred brands. Just because you buy whatever you can get on sale, closeout. BOGO, with big rebates, etc... it doesn't make RP overpriced.

You guys are funny.


That was a GOOD thread HEMI!! I remember that one. Imo (and from my used oil analysis) RP Synerlec is one of the best oils. So my vote is,RP is worth the $. Last time I checked,RP HPS was $9 a quart,same price (maybe a lil cheaper in some cases) as all the other high end boutiques.

I recently checked prices of RP HPS and on K series website you can get 5w20 and 5w30 HPS for $93/case or $7.75/qt and their 5w40 which is not HPS but contains Synerelec for $88/ case shipped.

 

[deven]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: deven
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: surfstar

Yes, just like that thread 2005GT dude put up with micd info and pics. Even that was disregarded. RP will never be done right here on BITOG because PDS and MSDS and used oil analysis are king and how people here choose oil rather than real life experiences.


Data vs anecdotes?

You guys are horrible at this internet arguing thing!


And I'm not one to buy an oil on UOA etc - to me its price (I don't have any fancy spec requirements). PP w/ a rebate(s) is unbeatable currently. I usually buy when its $20 back on $22-27 purchase. RP will never fall into my category, no matter how it "performs". For my vehicles any oil SL or newer is just fine.


The thread deven referred too about the Mustang run on RP vs. M1 was not anecdote. It involved actual engine tear downs and measuring the cams for wear. RP won by a long shot. That is not anecdote that is cold hard data. So unless you consider actually measuring wear between 2 oils with an actual tear down and measurements to be anecdotes I think you missed the ball on that one. Also, both deven and I have done multiple engine tear downs of engines run only on RP and seen 1st hand how good it does. Deven even owns a speed shop. I would say his real world experience goes far beyond "anecdote". So does mine for that matter as I did a lot of work on engines back when I was into drag racing, muscle cars, and hot rodding.

Further you claim devens comments to be mere anecdote and not data which implies data is better( it is I agree )but then you say used oil analysis, which are significant data sources when oils are being discussed, don't matter. Now you say only price matters. Seems to me you are having a little trouble with this whole "internet arguing thing" yourself. You are contradicting yourself big time.

If price is all that matters to you that is fine. When did deven or myself say that wasn't? Neither of us has told anyone that your choices are wrong or bad. If you base your oil use of nothing but whatever you can find cheapest on sale that meets your minimum requirements that is cool with me. Not everyone does though. Many of us have preferred brands. Just because you buy whatever you can get on sale, closeout. BOGO, with big rebates, etc... it doesn't make RP overpriced.

You guys are funny.


They even took micro measurements of the cams,etc. That has to be my all time fave BITOG thread!

Agreed. It was the most informative thread on BITOG. Real life evidence and no [censored] like CCV, MRV, VI, VII etc...and that dude raced his Stang every chance he got and still his cams had no wear!

 

[BHopkins]

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: surfstar
Hi guys, I've got this here product, its more expensive than our competitors,


This false claim will never end no matter how many times you show it to not be more expensive. After spending a few years here at BITOG and seeing how this cost myth persists, no matter how many times you show it to be false, it is no wonder that false info spreads as the truth so easy. Also no surprise that it is so hard to get people to realize it is false.

Wish people would take their RP bias glasses off and actually read the info given that shows it is actually not more expensive and can be purchased at a competitive price vs. the competition.
In most cases RP is more expensive. If I wake up on a Sunday morning and say "I wanna change my oil today" it does cost more for RP than Mobil 1 or Castrol Edge. What I'm going to do is go to Walmart and go, oh, Mobil 1 is $22 or $25 and Royal Purple is $37.79. Comparing single quarts is an Apples to Oranges comparison for prices.

I shouldn't have to go out of my way for an oil change to hunt down the cheapest price on an expensive oil just to get the best deal. It's either Walmart or an AutoZone 5 quart jug deal, which won't be cheap either way for RP. It IS more expensive. If you were to add up the top 10 sellers prices and average out the price for RP and then for Mobil 1 you'd see Mobil 1 is cheaper. End of story.


It is not end of story because many of us, myself included, can wake up and drive to any number of local sources that are as close as Wal-Mart and get it for competitive pricing. Your argument is false when applied as a blanket statement.

Maybe for you, where you live, there is no local source that has RP priced competitively. That is fine and I certainly understand that. Different areas have different suppliers.

However, with that said, your logic only applies if you are talking about needing oil right away and not havng any local source with good prices. It is not an accurate, all inclusive, statement about RP pricing in general as you have made it for everyone. Some people have good priced local sources. Also, if you pre plan you can actually have RP on hand for the same or less than that M1 you talk of getting at the local Wal-Mart.

So, yes, RP would be more if you didn't have a local source with competitive pricing and if you hadn't planned ahead and ordered it for less. But, no, it is not more expensive if you have a local source like I do and/or if you plan ahead and order it so you have it on hand.

Again, you can't say RP is overpriced, too expensive, the most expensive, etc... as a blanket statement. There are ways to get it for decent prices.


Hey, I don't have any dog in this fight. I've never used RP, but I have been curious about it. I will say that, as others have pointed out, that in every store I have shopped, I can't justify the price difference.

But if I could buy RP for the same price range as other quality synthetic oils, I'd like to try it. I can pick up PP or M1 for $23-26, depending upon what mood Walmart is in at the time. (Price changes at least twice a year, it seems.) PUP or Mobil 1 Extended Performance can be had for about $26-$28. Would you share what retailers you find RP for similar prices. Are they national retailers, that I could find in my area?

I really am not trying to be argumentative. I'd like to see where I can get it for a competitive price. So far, I haven't been able to find any of the other "exotic" synthetic oils (TGMO, Subaru Idemitsu, Mazda) for a competitive price in my area. So this intrigues me if the price is fair.

 

[billythekid]

I have no stake in the argument. I haven't used RP but would if I stumbled on the deal of a lifetime. However, there's someone I won't mention on this site who showed me some results of a used oil analysis of RP and it wa beat up pretty good in a short amount of time and he's a credible source on here. Another fact I can state is RP is not as cheap as off the shelf oils like M1, Pennzoil, etc. I say this with confidence and not talking specials, everyday price you are not going to match the Walmart jug prices when you compare say RP to M1.

Again, this is not my battle but only stating facts.

If anyone sees a crazy good deal on it, do PM me so I'm aware and will buy it. I'd love to try it in my bike or even one of my vehicles.

 

[Dallas69]

I was trying to inject some humor into this thing going on here
You guys take this way too serious
You can twist and walk all around the subject of this post-the price
Not talking about sales or rebates or buying online or having friends on the inside,the fact remains that the everyday retail price for a jug of RP is higher than most other syn oils
If you can find a shelf price for a jug of RP that is lower than other syn oils please let me know
Price is all we are talking about here-nobody said it is bad oil just higher

 

[deven]

Originally Posted By: Bhopkins
Hey, I don't have any dog in this fight. I've never used RP, but I have been curious about it. I will say that, as others have pointed out, that in every store I have shopped, I can't justify the price difference.

But if I could buy RP for the same price range as other quality synthetic oils, I'd like to try it. I can pick up PP or M1 for $23-26, depending upon what mood Walmart is in at the time. (Price changes at least twice a year, it seems.) PUP or Mobil 1 Extended Performance can be had for about $26-$28. Would you share what retailers you find RP for similar prices. Are they national retailers, that I could find in my area?

I really am not trying to be argumentative. I'd like to see where I can get it for a competitive price. So far, I haven't been able to find any of the other "exotic" synthetic oils (TGMO, Subaru Idemitsu, Mazda) for a competitive price in my area. So this intrigues me if the price is fair.

BHopkins, yes RP may cost more money but if you shop online you can get a fair price. The reason why it is a little more expensive is simple, it costs more money to produce a Grp 4&5 oil. The other oils that they are compared are predominantly Grp III oils(atleast that is what this site suggests). I drive an Audi A6 and have heard all sorts of stories of valve deposits and such. So I am running a Grp 4&5 oil because I honestly believe and seen that they burn cleaner and can withstand higher temps.

 

[MalfunctionProne]

Ya know... the purpleness of the oil DOES makd it really easy to see on a dipstick after an OC. Many new oils are near invisible, several hundred miles after turn-key. Though Redline is somewhat dark and seeable, virgin, as well.

And Royal Purple is Group 4, no? Is that good?

FWIW, it is good to see a discussion of this oil here, on its merits. To some, RP is all smoke and mirrors, and parlor tricks. To some others, it kills engines. To some others, it is amazing and quiet.

I, personally, overcame my fear, tried it, and like it so much that it and Redline are all I put in my cars now. Any car.

My 1999 Expedition with the 5.4 has a sump of Royal Purple 0W-20, SN.

And Royal Purple turns Royal Brown in a clean engine, and Royal Black in a dirty one.

 

[MalfunctionProne]

Originally Posted By: deven
Originally Posted By: Bhopkins
Hey, I don't have any dog in this fight. I've never used RP, but I have been curious about it. I will say that, as others have pointed out, that in every store I have shopped, I can't justify the price difference.

But if I could buy RP for the same price range as other quality synthetic oils, I'd like to try it. I can pick up PP or M1 for $23-26, depending upon what mood Walmart is in at the time. (Price changes at least twice a year, it seems.) PUP or Mobil 1 Extended Performance can be had for about $26-$28. Would you share what retailers you find RP for similar prices. Are they national retailers, that I could find in my area?

I really am not trying to be argumentative. I'd like to see where I can get it for a competitive price. So far, I haven't been able to find any of the other "exotic" synthetic oils (TGMO, Subaru Idemitsu, Mazda) for a competitive price in my area. So this intrigues me if the price is fair.

BHopkins, yes RP may cost more money but if you shop online you can get a fair price. The reason why it is a little more expensive is simple, it costs more money to produce a Grp 4&5 oil. The other oils that they are compared are predominantly Grp III oils(atleast that is what this site suggests). I drive an Audi A6 and have heard all sorts of stories of valve deposits and such. So I am running a Grp 4&5 oil because I honestly believe and seen that they burn cleaner and can withstand higher temps.


Nailed it, deven, IMHO. I mix RP (G4) and RL (G5) as well. Both 0W-20 grade. And RL is heavier for its grade than an SAE20 no matter what the bottle says, if using HTHS measure.

 

[Dallas69]

Why do you think you have to mix RP?

 

[GMorg]

An "anecdote" is a short account of an actual incident. Why is this word offensive?

A listing of actual measurements would be "data."

A typical pds, if actually representative, would be considered a "data summary." A Castrol pds is often not data at all but would represent limits (minimums or maximums that the data would not exceed).

If most synthetics are not "worth it" for most buyers, why couldn't RP be not "worth it" for some. The OP might as well have asked if RP was purple enough. A handful of posters would have suggested that is was just right. The rest would have found reasons for it to be too purple or not purple enough. Most would have said that they don't want to pay of the dye while not acknowledging that they always pay for dye, just not purple.

 

[TiredTrucker]

It may cost more for RP to produce a Group IV/V oil, but it still is not shown that the cost is a good value. Sure, I can buy a really well made Weatherby rifle for hunting, but it is doubtful it will cause me to cleanly kill that buck in the woods any better than my Savage rifle. Having taken engines to well beyond 1 million miles without major repairs on primarily Group II and III with an occasional sprinkling of Group IV in just to make it interesting, it is a hard sell to convince me that a higher priced Group IV/V is going to provide any appreciable benefit. Folks can buy purple oil if the choose, no skin off my back. I'll stick with much cheaper, yet effective, green oil. There is a axiom in the computer industry... you can manipulate the data to confess to anything you want. And there is a point, where the details all run together and generate nothing useful.

 

[BHopkins]

Originally Posted By: deven
Originally Posted By: Bhopkins
Hey, I don't have any dog in this fight. I've never used RP, but I have been curious about it. I will say that, as others have pointed out, that in every store I have shopped, I can't justify the price difference.

But if I could buy RP for the same price range as other quality synthetic oils, I'd like to try it. I can pick up PP or M1 for $23-26, depending upon what mood Walmart is in at the time. (Price changes at least twice a year, it seems.) PUP or Mobil 1 Extended Performance can be had for about $26-$28. Would you share what retailers you find RP for similar prices. Are they national retailers, that I could find in my area?

I really am not trying to be argumentative. I'd like to see where I can get it for a competitive price. So far, I haven't been able to find any of the other "exotic" synthetic oils (TGMO, Subaru Idemitsu, Mazda) for a competitive price in my area. So this intrigues me if the price is fair.

BHopkins, yes RP may cost more money but if you shop online you can get a fair price. The reason why it is a little more expensive is simple, it costs more money to produce a Grp 4&5 oil. The other oils that they are compared are predominantly Grp III oils(atleast that is what this site suggests). I drive an Audi A6 and have heard all sorts of stories of valve deposits and such. So I am running a Grp 4&5 oil because I honestly believe and seen that they burn cleaner and can withstand higher temps.


Yea, that's why I haven't bought TGMO or Subaru oil. From everything I have learned here, and on other websites, I don't think either are necessary to make an engine last any longer. There are plenty of accounts of people getting 300k - 400k miles out of an engine when they sell it. And they do this with typical motor oils. So, If I could buy them for about the same price as other leading synthetics, I would. But I don't perceive any value in the premium price.

That's how I feel about RP. While you are saying that it does cost more, but it's worth it, NHHemi has said that it really doesn't cost any more for RP if you know where to buy it. If I can get it in the same price range as the leading synthetics ($23-$28), I'd like to try it, and perhaps add it to my "list" of motor oils that I use and put in the stash.

 

[MalfunctionProne]

Originally Posted By: Dallas69
Why do you think you have to mix RP?


Because RL (Redline) is better than RP (Royal Purple,) however I am indecisive, and both are very good.

 

[donnyj08]

holy RP thread lol. Some here must have had an uneventful thursday because this thread has gone crazy. Some of these post are so long and repeating the same arguments... super entertaining tho! Gotta love a good old RP thread on BITOG!

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
It may cost more for RP to produce a Group IV/V oil, but it still is not shown that the cost is a good value. Sure, I can buy a really well made Weatherby rifle for hunting, but it is doubtful it will cause me to cleanly kill that buck in the woods any better than my Savage rifle. Having taken engines to well beyond 1 million miles without major repairs on primarily Group II and III with an occasional sprinkling of Group IV in just to make it interesting, it is a hard sell to convince me that a higher priced Group IV/V is going to provide any appreciable benefit. Folks can buy purple oil if the choose, no skin off my back. I'll stick with much cheaper, yet effective, green oil. There is a axiom in the computer industry... you can manipulate the data to confess to anything you want. And there is a point, where the details all run together and generate nothing useful.

I agreed.

My 20+ years old LS400 with more than 370k miles never had anything better than Mobil 1, Pennzoil Platinum ... when it had synthetic for 1 year OCI, it also had various conventional name brands for 6 months OCI.

The engine is running very well without problem, it still has original valve cover gaskets and head gaskets.

It's very clear to me that it doesn't need expensive boutique oils such as Royal Purple or Amsoil or Redline or ... to last 20+ years and 370+k miles.

If I do 7-8k/6mo OCI with RP the engine should be running the same, no better or worse, the only problem is I would spent $1-2k extra for fancy oil.

 

[FutureDoc]

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Your initial comments I responded to sure sounded like you were a conventional oil user and that is what you were talking about with the comments about cheapest oil that gets you to through the life of the vehicle. That is a conventional oil argument not a synthetic oil one. If I was mistaken fine. My error.


See Sig. I run the numbers. Sure, I am not an extended drain (mostly because my driving habits do not put the miles on the car for me to see the benefit). It is not strictly a "price-on-the-shelf" cost/benefit. If the oil cost more but you could get an extended OCI and make it cheaper per mile, that is fine. However this is an issue for RP, even discounted RP. If you can get $3 off RP and $3 off other Synthetics that might be cheaper by $0.60 on the shelf, well the cost-per-mile benefit is greater for the cheaper oil as that $3 is a greater percentage when dealing with 7,500mi+. So, in nearly every common case (without excessive snooping) RP is going to be more expensive.

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI

There is no flaw in my argument at all. People ALWAYS use the full retail( no sales and no deals )cost of RP to justify saying it is overpriced. That is fact. People don't say I can get RP for $4.99 a qt but it is too much because I can get PP on sale for $3.99. No, they say RP cost $10 a qt and I can buy M1 for $5 in 5qt jugs at Wal-Mart or I can get it for $4.50 on sale. My comments are directed specifically at what others are saying. People say RP costs $10 period. They never allow for deals or even that there are places where it can be had cheap at normal costs. I simply point out that is untrue. On the shelf qt bottle to qt bottle RP is no more expensive than the name brand oils. Fact( with the exception of QS recently for some reason ). I also point out if you shop around you can find RP at prices that match or beat Wal-Mart 5qt jugs deals( and lets be fair those are basically everyday sales not what they would sell for anywhere else )that everyone uses in these arguments to say RP is too high. Fact. The traditional argument here against the cost of RP has always been, and is still in this thread, I can buy M1 for $5 a qt in the 5qt jugs at Wal-Mart so RP at $10 a qt is too high. Where is your concern over comparing 5qt jug deals that are heavily discounted everyday to qt bottle pricing that is full retail?


Now you are generalizing about the consumer.

Walmart is an easy example because it is widely available and often Walmart does not differ to much per region. So a Walmart in Ca and one in NY might have very similar pricing structures. It makes for an easier trans-region comparison. Afterall, I am not in Raleigh NC (good guess, I lived there for a while), but my Walmart pricing might be the same but Napa is not. So applying regional availability is iffy. Menards has good sales but it is not in my region... but Walmart is. For many folks, Walmart might be the only major retailer (ok, my wife's home town has a Walmart (big deal) and an Advance Auto... that is it). So while Walmart's pricing structure definitely does not do RP any favors, it is often the only comparison on the shelf.

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
As I have said repeatedly in this thread, within the last year or so, I have paid $4.80 p/qt and $5.66 p/qt for 5W20 RP API. You know what I have paid so why are you asking again? Those prices match up or beat Wal-Mart 5qt jug prices which again is what most people on here use to justify calling RP overpriced( at it's full retail cost ). Not sure what else to say. Ok, you got Havoline syn , clearly on sale, for $3.60 a qt. Good for you. It is not in the same class(IMO) as RP. If that is what you want to run though and it meets your needs great. Use it, what do I care? If I had to use an oil that would come near that price point I would buy Kendall GT! full synthetic which would cost me $3.96 a qt shipped to my home( as I also posted earlier )which would be a much better oil just as RP is vs. Havoline.


Yeah, Havoline is not a upper-end G4-ish Syn. It is an average to maybe just above average G3 oil but it exceeds my needs. Then again, there is no requirement for a G4 and when we talk about "worth" then there is that cost-factor. No doubt, steel I-beams make for better building material than wood, but if I am building a shed? It is not worth it. Heck, even building an apartment building might not be worth it depending on the load. It is about application and while RP claims a lot, does that benefit apply to the application... likely not.

Why do you think I am running T5/QS in my beater. Yup $1.25 per quart. Spending more will not make one difference in that engine. It does not matter which brand, but you can find almost anything on a decent sale. It would be absolutely mental to add RP to that engine. It would be a waste in the MR2 (SL rating-era), and wasteful in the '14 Subaru. My Mobil 1 0w20 in the "New"baru was just under $21 on "clearance"... including tax. Still, with the New-baru, I drive maybe 7,500 miles in a year depending on how much I drive the MR2, I can't get the extended drain due to warranty and those Subies run forever (save for HG-1996-2005) on the most basic oil around. My argument about RP is that it is not readily discounted. Advantages are slim compared to other similar oils which are discounted often.

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI

Most likely the best deal on RP I could get these days, without buying 2-3 cases + at one time, would be if PepBoys offered their great RP deal again( usually happens in February each year ). That would be 5qts + an RP filter @ $39.99. To figure the oil cost I would take away the RP filter cost( $14.99 )which then leaves $25.00. I would then use one of my $10 Rewards cards lowering it to $15.00. 5 / $15.00 = $3.00 a qt. Is that low enough for you? Am I allowed to use sale pricing and deals like everyone else does? If not then regular cost best deal I can do most likely is from a speed shop source of mine where I would have to buy 2-3 cases but the final qt cost would be somewhere around $4.50 a qt. Is that low enough for you? Am I allowed to use a purchase from a wholesaler like that or not? I am never sure of the rules here when it comes to BITOG pricing. Seems like the anti's can quote close outs, BOGO pricing, rebates, sales, etc... but RP folks can't and must go with full retail qt pricing at a parts store of $9-$10.

$5.29 a qt for PP and $3.50 a qt for house brand at Napa? Um, PP hasn't been at that price point regular retail since like 2008 or 2009? Those seem awfully low unless they are on clearance or a big sale. PP for $5.29 a qt regular retail is even cheaper p/qt bottle than Wal-Mart( may even be less than 5qt jug pricing ). When I look at Napa's website( using a Raleigh, NC zip code to check pricing as you are in NC )I don't see that pricing. I see Napa synthetic 5W20 at $5.49 p/qt and Pennzoil 5W20 synthetic( didn't see PP saw the new line PPU or whatever it is )for $9.99 p/qt. FWIW RP 5W20 API shows at $9.69p/qt so it is actually LESS than the Pennzoil(

). Whatever though.

EDIT - doing a search specifically for Pennzoil Platinum I get it to come up showing $5.29 p/qt for 5W20. Have to call store though to see if they have it which seems to indicate it is on clearance of being dq'd or the like? It does show $5.29 however.


screenshot image cropped. Includes dates from local add.

Ok, first, no Pep-boys around here... and didn't they have some awesome M1 sales recently. $2 quart on black Friday? Next, who said that the RP filter is "worth" $15. You could make an argument that the filter is over/underpriced with those combos. If the filter only cost the retailer $7, then it is $32 per jug. Still Expensive. Rebate, ok fine. We can add those but we need to add rebates to other options as well. Wholesaler deals are out (I don't use my state contract pricing for personal use). Either you take the full retail or the rebate but it has to be commonly available and available to just about anyone.

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI

So comments directly from an RP employee in tech support definitively stating they only use PAO/POE base stocks in their oils( couple exceptions that don't apply to this discussion )isn't enough.


Actually, I would want you to question and start from skepticism about any claim for any company without data and third-part confirmation. I just want to see the data... it is the researcher in me. So give me the data from multiple sources and I can weight them appropriately.

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
I don't think we have anything left to say to each other. You clearly have your mind made up that RP is inferior and/or not worth any price. To you there will always be a way to find an oil that is cheaper to justify saying RP costs too much. That is fine. To each his or her own. I simply want to point out that these cost arguments used against RP are nothing but hogwash. There are some members here that should run political campaigns they are so adept at skewing reality to suit their argument.


I don't think it is inferior. I think it is a very good oil. I just think there are other very good oil available at a more competitive price-point. If RP is on sale for $4-5 and Havoline, NAPA, M1 and PP are at full retail, I am walking out with RP. However, that rarely happens (never in my case). I am not a fan/hater of Valvoline but for less than $2, I will clear the shelf. Basically any heavily discounted oil is gold. The only oil I will not buy is Castrol at any pricepoint. The cost for RP is significant. If RP was commonly discounted and available at a cheaper price, you would have folks raving about. Serious. However, considering how many people who claim it is overprice, that should tell you that their "real-world" observation at the oil section at their retailer suggests that RP is often the most expensive option. $40 for an oil change "special" even with a "premium" filter is too much (I bet a lot of BITOG-non-boutique users will agree). $30 is pushing it without an extended drain benefit. I often find it is better to get the filter independently of the "special" but that is just me. Still, at the end of the day, fruit-to-fruit comparison, RP is not "bad" just pricy.

 

[Dallas69]

Ii hope some of the more fanatical folks here are not like that about everything in their life
Eat some ice cream
Be happy

 

[RISUPERCREWMAN]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
It may cost more for RP to produce a Group IV/V oil, but it still is not shown that the cost is a good value. Sure, I can buy a really well made Weatherby rifle for hunting, but it is doubtful it will cause me to cleanly kill that buck in the woods any better than my Savage rifle. Having taken engines to well beyond 1 million miles without major repairs on primarily Group II and III with an occasional sprinkling of Group IV in just to make it interesting, it is a hard sell to convince me that a higher priced Group IV/V is going to provide any appreciable benefit. Folks can buy purple oil if the choose, no skin off my back. I'll stick with much cheaper, yet effective, green oil. There is a axiom in the computer industry... you can manipulate the data to confess to anything you want. And there is a point, where the details all run together and generate nothing useful.

I agreed.

My 20+ years old LS400 with more than 370k miles never had anything better than Mobil 1, Pennzoil Platinum ... when it had synthetic for 1 year OCI, it also had various conventional name brands for 6 months OCI.

The engine is running very well without problem, it still has original valve cover gaskets and head gaskets.

It's very clear to me that it doesn't need expensive boutique oils such as Royal Purple or Amsoil or Redline or ... to last 20+ years and 370+k miles.

If I do 7-8k/6mo OCI with RP the engine should be running the same, no better or worse, the only problem is I would spent $1-2k extra for fancy oil.


The Lexus/Toyota V8 in your LS400 would run fine on Supertech Conventional Supertech. Its one very well engineered mechanical marvel. The car around it will disintegrate long before the engine dies. Just be sure to change that timing belt or it will go bye bye quickly!

 

[deven]

I am just wondering why 90% of the people here use Mobil 1, Pennzoil Platinum, Pennzoil Platinum Pure Plus, or any group III synthetic when we all know that all their vehicles will run fine on Pennzoil conventional, Mobil 5000, or any other conventional oil that will most likely give them 300+ thousand miles of joy. Heck in most cases you could use conventional and go 7,500 miles easy so folks no need to pay more for synthetic oil!
As people here say for oil "As thin as possible and as thick as necessary" it should be the same with buying oil, "As cheap as possible and only as expensive as necessary"

 

[rockydee]

Originally Posted By: deven
I am just wondering why 90% of the people here use Mobil 1, Pennzoil Platinum, Pennzoil Platinum Pure Plus, or any group III synthetic when we all know that all their vehicles will run fine on Pennzoil conventional, Mobil 5000, or any other conventional oil that will most likely give them 300+ thousand miles of joy. Heck in most cases you could use conventional and go 7,500 miles easy so folks no need to pay more for synthetic oil!
As people here say for oil "As thin as possible and as thick as necessary" it should be the same with buying oil, "As cheap as possible and only as expensive as necessary"


You're kidding, right?

Lets compare apples to apples. Comparing syn to dino is not an apples to apples comparison. Lets compare synthetics to synthetics instead. When the RP loyalists can prove RP is better than any of the other oils you mentioned, you might swing some of us over. Otherwise its a value thing and for the typically higher price RP sells for there's no value to us. That in a nutshell is why this thread hasn't died yet. Show us the proof it's better.-RD