Royal Purple...how does it compare?

[pbm]

The founder and his son both died within a year of each other, and the brand was sold down the river to the highest bidder. Calumet acquired them, fired 95% of their staff, and gutted everything that was unique about the brand. Performance became secondary to profit margins.

Isn't that the 'American way'.....just look at Fram Ultra oil filters and so many other products....gotta give those CEOs their multi million dollar salaries some way.

 

[tired]

Isn't that the 'American way'

Indeed. Private equity ruins everything. Squeeze every ounce of profit out, wherever and however possible. That's capitalism baby.

I try to support non-publicly traded companies whenever possible. They aren't beholden to a legal, fiduciary responsibility to maximize profit, at any cost, like those that are publicly traded. Only so much you can do though.

 

[D1dad]

Private equity or not. Their tech folks are quick to respond to questions and provide quality detail. I emailed on their XPR and running the full OLM and had a response in an hour with more info than I had requested.

 

[DCDG]

I hear good things about Royal Purple some Indy shops even use it in bulk.

 

[JeepJKU85]

Royal Purple HPS and XPR are top shelf oils end of discussion. People who say differently have no clue and likely never used it. It gets hate because its purple the end. The API version is a good oil but nothing special for the money. Valvoline Restore and Protect much better offering for an API oil if thats what you are after.

 

[kschachn]

Royal Purple HPS and XPR are top shelf oils end of discussion. People who say differently have no clue and likely never used it. It gets hate because its purple the end. The API version is a good oil but nothing special for the money. Valvoline Restore and Protect much better offering for an API oil if thats what you are after.

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So according to your interpretation of that UOA is it a better oil (for example) than Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30?

 

[JeepJKU85]

Absolutely. Mobil while not a bad oil its nothing special. I'd put Valvoline Restore and Protect against it all day long. Amsoil and Mobil have marketed enough to where people assume its gotta be the best.

 

[kschachn]

Absolutely. Mobil while not a bad oil its nothing special. I'd put Valvoline Restore and Protect against it all day long. Amsoil and Mobil have marketed enough to where people assume its gotta be the best.

What tells you that in the analysis? You have comparison UOA they shows relative performance?

I mean, how do you know that Supertech wouldn’t result in statistically similar results?

 

[UNC196]

I wonder how the RP Euro line is? They are now DEXOS D certified with a Euro 0w20 for the GM diesels. It seems almost impossible to find, but might be a good oil if it becomes available at a normal price.

 

[tired]

I wonder how the RP Euro line is? They are now DEXOS D certified with a Euro 0w20 for the GM diesels. It seems almost impossible to find, but might be a good oil if it becomes available at a normal price.

The acrobatics people will do to justify another oil when Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 0W-40 is sitting right there all day long on the shelf at Walmart for $27/jug.

 

[UNC196]

The acrobatics people will do to justify another oil when Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 0W-40 is sitting right there all day long on the shelf at Walmart for $27/jug.

For a lot of people, the DEXOS D cert matters as warranty tends to get problematic when they are looking for reasons to blame the engine failure on you.

 

[kschachn]

I wonder how the RP Euro line is? They are now DEXOS D certified with a Euro 0w20 for the GM diesels. It seems almost impossible to find, but might be a good oil if it becomes available at a normal price.

If you really were worried about warranty then the easiest one to find is Mobil 1 ESP, ubiquitously available at Walmart for $28/5 quarts. Any dexosD licensed oil will perform similarly within any metric you could ever measure.

 

[kschachn]

wow did we know Mobil 1 ESP will save the day?

Wow how did I know you'd pop in with that tired mantra again?

Is there another dexosD licensed oil at Walmart for $28? That's the reason I mentioned it as opposed to the RP that is apparently "almost impossible to find". If there is, let us know. Like I said it would perform much like the ESP I suggested.

 

[SOUNDMAN5000]

I wonder too about Royal Purple.

As I understand Calumet Specialty Products purchased Royal Purple for 335 Million back in 2012, However in 2025 Calumet Sold the industrial portion of its Royal Purple business, for $110 million. Calumet retains, and continue to grow, the consumer portion of the Royal Purple business and the Royal Purple production facility in Porter, TX.

Calumet also purchased Bel-Ray ( My motorcycle oil of choice ) in 2013 so Royal Purple, Bel-Ray and TruFuel is Calumets (3) what it calls "Performance Brands" However, Calumet produces MANY products from Synthetic Esters, base stocks to gas and diesel fuel to asphalts and owns multiple petroleum refineries...

I question if a Oil Company owned not only the oil brand but also owns, develops the base stock oils the refineries does that make Royal Purple and Bel-Ray a better oil? Now that I think about it one could say Exxon owns everything so does that make Exxon oil great?

I question is RP and Bel-Ray better now than it was say 15 years ago before Calemet ownership?
I question has Royal Purple and Bel-Ray benefited after being purchased and now owned by a Company that makes that also makes base stocks etc?
Looks to me those Boutique oil brands purchase and bring in base oils etc to blend via rail car or truck ( Amsoil, HPL etc ).
Does it make a difference who owns the base oils and refinery?