quote:1986 SAAB Turbo Convt, 250K miles nothing but Valvoline 10w-30 "Turbo Approved" dino oil every 7500 miles and not a single turbo or engine problem and this is an oil-cooled turbo not water like now. Just had it out last weekend with the top down and boost up. "Turbo Approved" was what Valvoline had on their oil bottle back in the 80's and early 90's now it is just 10w-30.
Originally posted by G-Man II: Valvoline is the only name-brand oil I can think of that I would never consider using.
quote:OK, I'm going to chase you all over this board when you badmouth Castrol.
Originally posted by ekpolk:quote:Not trying to re-ignite another round the Castrol blaze, but with all due respect, I'll get off that soap box as soon as Castrol starts demonstrating the sort honesty and integrity their customers deserve. Sure, it appears that G-III can be fine oil. That's not the issue. Castrol is advertising and pricing Syntec as if it's still the costly-to-make PAO it once was. Say what you will about Wal-Mart, but they price their good G-III oil at a fair level (which I define as reflective of production costs with a competitive profit margin added). It's up to Castrol to put this soapbox away if they care about their reputation and want to silence folks like me.
As far as the Castrol comment...we need to get off the soap box. Synthetic oils in N.A. include Group III, IV and V oils. All are very good.
quote:Ahhhh, the chase continues. Sure, market force should have a role too. If Brand-X came up with an oil that cost twenty-five cents per quart to make, never needed to be changed, and preserved engines up to a million miles, I'd agree that a market-driven performance premium would be justified. In this instance, Castrol quietly replaced an expensive PAO with a relatively cheap G-III, continued to represent it as the same thing ("full synthetic oil"), and continued to charge the PAO price. As to market support, I think if the majority of customers who make up this market really knew what Castrol had done, demand for the product at its present price would evaporate faster than a cheap Group-I in an overheated Porsche. Castrol knows this, hence the deceptive marketing strategy. BTW, in the stores where I lurk, the G-III versions of Syntec (all but GC; I've never seen the Belgian 5w-40) are marked at the same price as Mobil-1, except in a store or two where it goes for a dime or so more than the PAO Mobil. [ May 14, 2004, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: ekpolk ]
Originally posted by joatmon: I think your definition of a fair price is flawed. It's really about the price the market will support. Selling price is not normally linked directly to the production costs. Now if someone denies or hampers access to the market, that's another discussion. Since there are lots of oil choices, consumers can pick the Wal*Mart oil, Castrol, or whatever. Your choice. Another fact you must have that I don't is how much does Castrol (BP) charge for its Syntec product? Now I know what AutoZone charges, but what does Castrol (BP) charge? You see, your old friend Wal*Mart doesn't price solely based on product costs either. Jack
quote:Wanna bet? I'm using SuperTech synthetic blend (made by Warren Dist) in my van right now. Seems to be doing fine. And unlike every "big name" oil I've tried (including Mobil 1), this SuperTech oil had absolutely no sediment in the bottom of the bottle. I'm not sure that means anything, but the only other oil I've ever seen that was this clean is the Quaker State synthetics and syn blends that are in the clear bottles.
Originally posted by Dr. T: If you are a self-proclaimed "oil guru", you would never use any no-name, off-name, store-name brand of oil, or .99 cent convenience store oil.
quote:That dog won't hunt. There is nothing "cheap" about Shell's XHVI base oil, which is what Castrol initially went to in place of Mobil's PAO. The difference in cost to produce a wax isomerate like XHVI and PAO is only pennies. And it was rumored at the time that one of the motivating factors behind Castrol's decision to switch was a price increase by Mobil for the neat PAO. (That puts Mobil's "complaint" to the NAD about Castrol's use of the term "synthetic" in a little different light doesn't it? Mobil loses one of its biggest clients for PAO because of a price increase, so they decide to make things difficult for Castrol with a complaint to the NAD. They no doubt thought that had the NAD ruled in their favor, Castrol would have come back with hat in hand to purchase PAO since they wouldn't be able to sell a Group III based Syntec as "full synthetic.")
Originally posted by ekpolk: In this instance, Castrol quietly replaced an expensive PAO with a relatively cheap G-III ...
quote:I use it because it's BMW LongLife certified and Mobil 1 isn't. You see a lot of difference between BP and ExxonMobil and I don't. Jack
Originally posted by mracer: Why would I use any version of Castrol Syntec when there is Mobil 1? I'm not saying Syntec is a bad product, what I am saying is that I think Castrol is a bad company.
quote:
Originally posted by joatmon:quote:I use it because it's BMW LongLife certified and Mobil 1 isn't. You see a lot of difference between BP and ExxonMobil and I don't. Jack
Originally posted by mracer: Why would I use any version of Castrol Syntec when there is Mobil 1? I'm not saying Syntec is a bad product, what I am saying is that I think Castrol is a bad company.