Seriously, why no love/support for Brad-Penn oil?

[addyguy]

I don't understand this forum.

Two general 'currents' tend to run through here - a pro-America, buy domestic push; and a nostalgic look at the past and the way things were.

When you look at the start of the 'automobile era' in America, it basically started with the mass-production of the Ford Model T. Others car makers soon followed, and Detroit became the 'motor city'.

Years before that happened, explorers struck oil in Pensylvania in the 1800's, and this oil strated being processed into lubricants. So it's safe to say that the earliest cars were lubricated with 'Pennsylvania oil'. This oil started the modern auto era. A lot of big names in oil worked from this base-stock - Pennzoil, QS, Kendall.

However, demand outstripped supply, and these big comapnies started to go elsewhere for their oils, no longer being true 'Pennsylvania crude oil'.

As I said earlier, a lot of folks on here wax nostalgic the days when all the big oils were real Pennsylvania crude oils. A lot of folks on here also lament that base oils now come from places we don't want them to - Venuzuala comes to mind.

Although it is a convoluted history to go through, America's Refinery Corp. is a company that now owns a lot, if not all, the old Pennsylvania oil wells. They take this oil, and process it into a variety of conventional and syn-blend oils. They use only the oils from these wells - so the very same oils that would have made up the first Pennzoil, QS..etc...

People on this site always wonder what Pennzoil, QS...etc...would be 'like' if they had kept being made from true, 100% Pennsylvania-crude oil. Brad-Penn and Gulf oils, made by Amref, are EXACTLY what they would be! You CAN basically 'go back' to using the oils you used years ago, just updated to modern specs!

http://www.amref.com/Products/Branded-Lubricants/Engine-Oils.aspx

http://www.gulflubricants.net/

With all the nsotalgia on this forum, I can't believe folks on here aren't tripping over themselves to get this oil. You get to use the 'good old stuff', AND support an all-American company at the same time! Put it this way, I'm a Canadian, and it's bothering ME that I'm not using this oil - I wouldn't be driving a Chev if it wasn't for those early wells that made the oil for the Detroit motor city - this company, Amref, DESERVES our support! I've found out I can buy this oil locally just recently, and it's going in next oil change, come whatever.

Now, with that rant over, what say you?

 

[DieselTech]

I guess lubricants these days are all very similar so there is no need to go out of the way unless using amsoil, schaeffers, redline, RL1. Another thing might be availability. In AZ you wold be lucky to find anyone who has ever heard of it. I have seen a couple of post about it but nothing to make me go out of my way to get some. Someone would really have to sell me on an oil product for me to go out of my way from the current very good off the shelf products these days

 

[pajim17057]

You forgot the third trend here. America sucks and everything european and japanise is great. I do buy American cars and oil. I own 3 dodges and run Amsoil or PP in them. I looked at the sites you provided and it doesn't look like anything special to me. I run synthetic so I don't care about conventional oil. There are lots of American made synthetic oil.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I'd be glad to run Gulfpride if I could find it anywhere.

 

[hate2work]

I think these oils are thought of as "old school" oils, and the prevailing thought in America is that newer is better. There have been big advances in automotive ingenuity, and the perception is that these oils have not kept up.

 

[labman]

Dig a little deeper. In the past I have seen a lot of support for the Brad-Penn oils. Partly it is the old school, its made in the old Kendall refinery, it must be as good as the old Kendall was. And yes, some of the buy American thought.

If I could find it at a reasonable price, I might think about it. I think the only time I saw any around here was at a gas station convenience store at a typical high price.

 

[EagleFTE]

Originally Posted By: hate2work

I think these oils are thought of as "old school" oils, and the prevailing thought in America is that newer is better. There have been big advances in automotive ingenuity, and the perception is that these oils have not kept up.


Perception might be that they are old school but but the MSDS says different. I can get it at a distibutor within a mile of where I work but that is the exception. For most it is out of the way. I have a case of the 20W50 motorcycle oil in my stash.

Severely Hydrotreated/hydrocracked base oils 70-80%
Synthetic hydrocarbon base oil 5-10%
Additives 5-10%

 

[rshunter]

Pennzoil is no longer, in the strict sense, an "American" company . It is a brand of Royal Dutch Shell, which is an Anglo-Dutch conglomerate. You know, more of those European guys...

To the OP's initial post, The Ford Motor Company isn't the progenitor of the mass produced automobile. Other companies did not follow in their footsteps. The mass production of automobiles was introduced by one Ransom E. Olds, with his Curved Dash Oldsmobile, introduced in 1901. This pre-dates Henry's infamous Model T by a full seven years.

 

[cven]

I have been using the 10/40 motorcycle oil in my TL 1000 for the last year and 1/2 and am very happy with it and the price.

http://www.amref.com/CMSFiles/File/pdf/P...ycle_Oil_PB.pdf

I also just bought a case of the 5w30 for my 2000 Z-28 and have the first run of it in the car right now.

I have USA made tennis shoes,boots,guitars,amplifiers,penske shock,motorcycle seat, and tires on all my vehicles.

I have no problem buying products that are made elsewhere as long as the country provides a good standard of living for the citizens.

It's pretty easy to pick out the ones that don't.

 

[OilNerd]

Originally Posted By: rshunter
Pennzoil is no longer, in the strict sense, an "American" company . It is a brand of Royal Dutch Shell, which is an Anglo-Dutch conglomerate. You know, more of those European guys...


As long as these "European guys" put their funny-colored money here and help keep dinner on the table for Americans, I don't have a problem with them. Don't think you'll hear a lot of Dutch in Port Arthur, TX.

 

[PT1]

I only buy oil made from Dinosaurs that died on the North American continent.

 

[Gary Allan]

How about this for a reason? They have no marketing and advertising budget of merit ..and even if they did, they're at near enough throughput to capacity ratio that any substantial expansion of market penetration would require either outsourcing or expansion, which would inflate their costs beyond the ROI of such an expansion.

Their labels aren't cool enough, either.

 

[labman]

Originally Posted By: rshunter
Pennzoil is no longer, in the strict sense, an "American" company . It is a brand of Royal Dutch Shell, which is an Anglo-Dutch conglomerate. You know, more of those European guys...



Yes, now that I have decided to go synthetic and longer drain intervals, I went with Mobil 1 for that very reason. If Wal*Mart or anybody else around here stocked an American crude sourced oil, I might buy it. The Warren that supplies Super Tech oil doesn't have anything to do with United Refinery in Warren, Pennsylvania does it.

I figure longer drain intervals, buying from an American company, and used oil analysis keeps more money in this country.

 

[Kruse]

I really can't remember too many people bashing it on this forum. If my memory hasn't completely failed me, I remember a lot of good posts about it.
I guess I'm a penny-pinching type of guy, but if Brad-Penn oil was available in my area at a decent price, I'd try it.

 

[addyguy]

You're right, no-one is specifically bashing it; I'm just suprised there isn't more enthusiasm for it.

To be truthful, I have to agree with the availiability sentiments - if this oil wasn't availiable by a local company, I would not go out of my way to get it - lots of good oils that are easier to get. But since it IS so easy for me to get now, I'm going to be running it in my next fill, in the early spring.

 

[Gary Allan]

That's about it. Not too many people run across it. Those that have used it and tested it got decent results with it.

You'll never see it bogo'd at PB, AZ, AA, or in a 5 quart jug at WM.

Bogo can bring a whole lotta love, baby.

 

[addyguy]

I wonder why Amref doesn't make more of an effort to play-up the 'All-American, true Penn crude' nature of this oil?

They even say on their website that they minimize fuel production to increase lube production - so they could go volume if they wanted....

OTOH, maybe this is part of the 'game' - I've seen ads from the late 1960's for Kendall GT-1 that says 'It's a great oil - IF you can find it!' I guess they figure keep creating demand by using 'elusiveness' as a selling point! LOL!

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
They even say on their website that they minimize fuel production to increase lube production - so they could go volume if they wanted....


Which would probably mean that they could spin their tires faster to make the same amount of oil by increasing their throuhput of crude to produce the same amount of finished oil product. Fuel probably makes no money compared to the service/value added lube products. It carries more weight per crude $$.

That's just my speculation..

 

[addyguy]

True - they are basically a 'niche blender' that will never do serious volume.

I'm really curious just how much oil is left in those Pa fields after 100 or so years....just how long will this operation last?

 

[Audi Junkie]

Us oil guys are usually pretty thrifty. You get the occasional "price is no object" guy coming through, but their eyes are already fixed on some fancy-boy oil. Meanwhile, those of us who know about Brad Penn understand that it's an excellent product. Their marketing dept has their work cut out.