IMO, Amsoil sacrificed its credibility when it started using totally inappropriate test procedures to "prove" that its oil was better. Mobil says that "nothing protects better than Mobil 1". OK. That's expected marketing talk, doesn't mention Amsoil specifically, and is a claim that is probably supportable using a judicious selection of *relavant* tests.
So what does Amsoil do? They pull out totally irrelevant test procedures, like the four-ball wear test, intended for *gear oil*, to "prove" that they are better, specifially, than Mobil 1. Were they unable to come up with relevant test, for *engine* oils, to make their point?
Their multi-tier "Amway" marketing structure, and the resulting plethora of really tacky, poorly though out marketing deceptions doesn't help.
Now, *maybe* Amsoil is a decent oil. But a decent oil has to do a heck of a lot more than protect the engine, these days. It also has to protect the catalytic converter, and the O2 sensor, among other things. And the Amsoil folks are oddly silent on those issues. They seem to prey upon people's tunnel-vision regarding how their oil might protect this or that particular part of the engine. Or in the case of "four-ball wear", parts which would have been protected if they *were* in your engine, which they aren't.
I give Amsoil the pass because their marking pegs them as a shady company run by people I don't trust. (A step above SynLube, though.) Even if their oil were better, which I rather doubt (except perhaps along very specific vectors), I would not be inclined to reward them with money.
BTW, I despise Exxon-Mobil, for different reasons. But I suspect that their M1 products are, on the balance, better than anything Amsoil is hawking, when all factors are considered.
-Steve
So what does Amsoil do? They pull out totally irrelevant test procedures, like the four-ball wear test, intended for *gear oil*, to "prove" that they are better, specifially, than Mobil 1. Were they unable to come up with relevant test, for *engine* oils, to make their point?
Their multi-tier "Amway" marketing structure, and the resulting plethora of really tacky, poorly though out marketing deceptions doesn't help.
Now, *maybe* Amsoil is a decent oil. But a decent oil has to do a heck of a lot more than protect the engine, these days. It also has to protect the catalytic converter, and the O2 sensor, among other things. And the Amsoil folks are oddly silent on those issues. They seem to prey upon people's tunnel-vision regarding how their oil might protect this or that particular part of the engine. Or in the case of "four-ball wear", parts which would have been protected if they *were* in your engine, which they aren't.
I give Amsoil the pass because their marking pegs them as a shady company run by people I don't trust. (A step above SynLube, though.) Even if their oil were better, which I rather doubt (except perhaps along very specific vectors), I would not be inclined to reward them with money.
BTW, I despise Exxon-Mobil, for different reasons. But I suspect that their M1 products are, on the balance, better than anything Amsoil is hawking, when all factors are considered.
-Steve
Last edited:
