PQIA Tests Five More Oils (7/11), Two get Alerts

[Tom NJ]

PQIA tested more five oils, two 5W-30s and three 10W-30s. One receives an Advisory for labeling issues, and two get Consumer Alerts for poor quality.

Petroleum Quality Institute of America

Tom NJ

 

[DirtRacer53]

Looks like Xtreme 2000 is made by MG lube, same company that makes maxi guard.

 

[Loobed]

How much money do these oil sellers save by skimping on the ad pack?

 

[Thax]

I see that Golden Stallion [censored] all over the DC area, always wondered if it was up to spec. Sad thing is many gas stations use it as their cheap oil deal in this area.

 

[TC]

I just took a quick glance at the link, and if I'm not mistaken, NONE of these would be what I'd consider a "name brand." (Although I did see a bottle of O'Reilly's oil lower on the page, whatever that was about.) If you buy a oil that meets a certain spec as indicated by the label, you're basically covered, barring rare defective batches of product (I'm looking at you, recalled Havoline oil and Texaco antifreeze from maybe 10 or 15 years ago). But certification claims are only as good as the brand backing those claims. So "API SM" means everything if it's on a bottle of Quaker State, but it means nothing if it's on a bottle of "Billy Bob's High Performance Oil." Shorter version: Why would anyone consider buying Billy Bob's oil and think he's getting anything worthy of being poured into an engine?

 

[SXE10]

MaxiGuard isn't made in China by any chance? Re-bottling used oil sounds like something they'd do.

 

[tommygunn]

Originally Posted By: SXE10
MaxiGuard isn't made in China by any chance? Re-bottling used oil sounds like something they'd do.


Yeah, because all Chinese are crooks? "Its what those people would do". Sheesh. Racist or what. A lot of these really bad oils actually come from America, because recycling used oil locally is profitable, and reselling it is profitable, its impossible to undercut sleazy operations like this if they fly at night and get away with it.

 

[Doug Hillary]

Hi,
tommygun - I agree. However we waste a very valuable resource by NOT recycling used lubricants. There is much data to support this!

About 1985 or so MB did a supply deal with the Auckland Council (New Zealand) to supply city bus chassis. The deal included using recycled oil that met MB specifications.

This was but one success story. There are many from around the World

It is true that China has largely depended on Grp 1 lubricants but this has changed and Grp 2 is now leader and with Grp 3-4 supplies now more regularised. We should not decry China and its movements into the Global economy!

 

[tommygunn]

Originally Posted By: Doug Hillary
However we waste a very valuable resource by NOT recycling used lubricants.


Hah; and then some. But lately its been a business slowly gaining some real momentum with oil prices going up. There's money in (properly) reprocessing used oil

 

[Tom NJ]

It appears some companies don't bother to reprocess used oil, just bottle it. At 35 cents per quart there is a lot of profit potential.

Used oil for sale

Tom NJ

While I am an unpaid Advisor to PQIA, the opinions I post here are my own and do not necessarily represent the positions of PQIA.

 

[cptbarkey]

is it just fair to say, dont ever buy non name brand oil at a convenience store?

 

[Tom NJ]

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
is it just fair to say, dont ever buy non name brand oil at a convenience store?


There are a lot of high quality private label oils that bring value to the market. The key is to look for the API certification marks, as very few will cheat on that or they will have API lawyers all over them. It is unfortunate that a few real bad actors hurt the reputation of hundreds of fine independent oil companies, which is why they need to be exposed.

Tom NJ

 

[Jim Allen]

Originally Posted By: Doug Hillary

We should not decry China and its movements into the Global economy!


I disagree... at least until their government has evolved past malignant communism.

I'm all for recycled lubricants and hope the trend continues.

 

[WMSmotorhead]

Golden Stallion is made by the same guys as US Economy.

I was hoping by reading their website that they would actually be up to par. I love bargains, but not when they can damage your engine.

 

[zerosoma]

I use MaxiGuard all the time and I love it!

 

[WMSmotorhead]

I see they did SureGuard again. One of our part stores around here caries that... along with their House brand, Val, and WH... I never thought much of it, but if it was selling extra cheap, it'd be a good buy, other than the boring bottle.

I have some SureGuard 2-cycle in my lawn equipment... no reported issues. Looks like SureGuard is at least TRYING to make quality product.

Hmm. SureGuard is Smitty's brand. Usually Smitty's is up to par, but a few stinkers they've put out were not marked with API certs.

Smitty's SuperS transmission fluid is in our Dodge truck, since it was the only one that met the truck requirements on the shelf that day. Nothing bad to report.

 

[SXE10]

I didn't mean it as a racist comment, but there are some shocking cases of the Chinese making some very bad products over the years. Let me remind you of the 2008 milk scandal which was probably the worst so far.
We've had lots of smaller incidences locally like fire extinguishers filled with talcum power etc etc. Lots of quality product comes out of there also but it's all designed in other countries like my LED TV etc