Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Of course, they help with company image. That was Ford's whole purpose with the "Premier Auto Group". It certainly wasn't to make money.
You mean, it didn't turn out that way.
The purpose of the PAG was an acknowledgement that the Lincoln brand was in no way, shape, or form, ever going to achieve the levels of prestige of AML, LR, or Jag. Prestige is important, because if nobody looks at your vehicles and wants to pay a premium price for them, then you'll never get your money back on investing a ton into refining it to compete against cars that already have all that you are seeking to compete against.
As a multiple Lincoln owner of 16 years, I will give you my assurances that Ford/Lincoln does not have the capability to build something in the luxury arena that anyone would pay that kind of money for, and never will.
None of those other base companies will ever have the capability to build something like the companies they bought.
You think anyone would buy a Lambo, Bentley, or Bugatti with a VW badge on the front? It's not possible. Nobody wanted a VW Phaeton until it appeared on the scene with a Bentley badge in its grille.
PAG didn't make money, because Ford was too incompetent to utilize those companies correctly. The Indians who bought LR and Jag have done multitudes better with them than Ford ever did.
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Define "superior". What makes Schaeffer or AMSOIL better than something like Delvac 1? How about M1 0w-40? Mobil (and the others) have a number of premium "top shelf" lubricants. They also make some not so spectacular products, but then so do these small blenders.
Superior, as in lubricants that work with engines and systems that the a lot of big companies don't care about, or have long forgotten. It's one thing I have serious respect for Valvoline for doing. VR-1 is just about the only product coming from the big companies that fits the bill for a serious power street engine, that will survive long term.
Granted, there are some major horsepower players coming out of the factory now that run OTS oils, but they are a far cry from the engines of the past.
I use M1 0w40 in 3 of my vehicles, but there's no way I'm putting that in my boats, Charger, bikes, or anything that really beats on oil.
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McDonalds (and other burger joints) doesn't make a premium product like Mobil 1, Pennzoil Ultra....etc. They are not really comparable to the oil industry. The auto manufacturers are a much better comparison here as they have tiered products.
The other issue is that there are only a few additive suppliers out there as well as only a few manufacturers of base oils. Mobil makes a huge portion of the available base oils (particularly PAO) and they co-own one of the largest additive suppliers (Infineum) with Shell.
This isn't like a premium chef running a small restaurant who is able to source only the best premium free-range beef to use in his steaks. In this case the components used still come from the majors, so it isn't like these small blenders are using "better" base oils than what Mobil, BP or Shell are using, they come from these companies! Same goes for the chemicals (XOM Chemical) and in many cases the additives.
That's not to say these products are inferior. AMSOIL SPECIFICALLY targets the extended drain market and has been extremely successful. Both they and Royal Purple have also embraced the synthetic glass media oil filter phenomenon, something the majors aren't involved in. This creates some nice separation too IMHO.
These companies go after niches. That doesn't mean that the majors don't make products that are just as good for those niches (though AMSOIL's extended drains are the longest in the industry) but perhaps the service and support through these smaller companies is better and more personal. That in itself adds value.
I use AMSOIL products but I don't necessarily feel they are superior to comparable products Mobil offers. What they do have however are some unique products that the majors don't make as well as great service.
Actually, it's exactly like that. While most oil companies only stop to think about making a truly fortified and specialized oil for engines that will get a sump dump after the flag is waved, Schaeffer makes products that will do that, without having to throw it away the same day it is put in the engine.
That is why if you hang around people who build engines for 8 and 9 second street cars, and performance boats, you're not going to hear about sumps being filled with PYB, M1, or anything like it. They just don't cut it, and what is recommended for those engines by those companies is something that is a very temporary fill, or simply incorrect.
Mobil is most guilty of this; recommending their lame 15/50 for a lot of hot rod engines that will shear it to water in no time flat despite their "recommendation" for use with flat tappet and older engines. That's one oil that nobody who knows anything wants to use.
UOA's don't lie. Shear prone engines eat major manufacturer's oils to water where superior regular-use lubes like Amsoil Dominator, Schaeffer's MicronMoly, and yes, even Valvoline's VR1 continue not to notice long after other oils are broken down.
It's not a fault of technology so many companies don't have an equivalent. It's a fault of will.
Of course, this is the part where you will point out that this is a specific example, and does not apply to everything that Schaeffer makes, nor everything that Mobil makes. Then I will remind you that I never said any such thing, and that this is a thread about an old English car and I only said that Schaeffer's makes superior products despite being a smaller oil company. Being specific to the OP's inquiry, the answer is a solid no. Mobil, SOPUS, and pretty much everyone out there at the top besides Valvoline don't make anything even close to the quality and performance of Schaeffer's 20/50. And even then, MicronMoly runs cooler oil temps than VR1 and is likely a superior oil.