USA says it all?

[Francis]

Hi all, I’m guessing this might be a pretty dumb question to ask, but would there be any truth to the suggestion that as with most products (this based on the current Marketing image of all things USA in Australia) that even thought an oil company may be world wide, say Pennzoil for example, the USA offerings would be far greater advanced than the Australian Product? The reason I am asking is because there is a product that is said to be fully imported from the USA to Australia. This Company also makes the same grade, weight and type here in Australia, but labels the USA Imported Version as the all out Performance orientated offering. I would think that all technology would be shared through out all offices, and not have to develop there own Tech Back ground at each office. So in basic would it be far to say that the USA product would be much more advanced than the local one from the same company?

 

[haley10]

Castrol had some better products world-wide that were not available in the USA. The German Castrol is only now becoming widely available. At least Castrol's USA versions are not the best! I think you just have to go by the spec. sheets, ACEA ratings, etc. There are many ordinary quality oils sold in the USA, because of our lame/minimal SL standard. An oil doesn't have to be very good to meet SL.

 

[Patman]

The grass is always greener, we've got North Americans looking for German Oil, Australians looking for American oil! It's a topsy turvy world we live in!

 

[Dr. T]

It's hard to say since we don't get any Aus. products to compare to. We all know that Europeans are first in motorsports and motorsports products. I would say the U.S. is second. Large market and large competition. From what it sounds like though, it's a marketting thing there where it's touted "US product is better"...but who knows without trying it.

 

[TallPaul]

I'd like to get ahold of some of the Valvoline Maxlife they sell in Europe. Comes in 15w40 which you can't get in the USA.

 

[DavoNF]

I bought a 5 litre jug of Pennzoil Gas engine oil yesterday, with an attached sticker for a promotional contest that closes in Sept, 2002. So the oil is not real fresh. On this label it gave out the Pennzoil Australia website. Check it out http://www.pennzoil.com.au/ That's right, the site has been under construction for 2 years or so. I cannot find any specs on this LPG oil, AFAIK it is not mentioned on the USA site. I don't think American oils are any superior to those available here, it's just our colonial mindset that says "If it's imported, it must be better". Another thing is the size of the market. The population of the USA is approx 293 million people, the population of Australia is only 20 million. There are more motor vehicles in the State of California than there are in the entire Australian continent. So if the market is not here, it would make economic sense to import small amounts of speciality products. Happy Easter Dave (Easter Bunny) [ April 07, 2004, 05:26 PM: Message edited by: DavoNF ]

 

[sprintman]

Some of the Australian Pennzoils now use Shell basestock and Shell have some as good as any avaiable worldwide. They still use the Pennzoil additive package though which Shell tech line agree is better than their own. We have been unable to find a single Pennzoil product which performs less than brilliantly on our Timken. Ron has just tested the Group III 5W50 'synthetic' (it replaced Performax 100 PAO syn) and it is amazing. 130lbs when hot. These guys have their act together

 

[XENON12003]

I got 3 jars of Vegemite a couple years ago. Pretty tangy and salty. Shannon Long was a Playmate who liked it.

 

[pscholte]

quote:

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Originally posted by Patman: The grass is always greener, we've got North Americans looking for German Oil, Australians looking for American oil! It's a topsy turvy world we live in!

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Pat...It's a small world after all It's a small world after all it's a small world after all It's a small, small...well you get it

 

[sprintman]

Never heard od an American yet who liked Vegemite. If Shannon Long could handle it she goes up in my estimation as it's definitely an acquired taste. My daughter can now handle it at 5yrs of age.

 

[RF Overlord]

quote:

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Originally posted by sprintman: Never heard od an American yet who liked Vegemite.

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Sad , but true...and I really WANTED to like it...I do like Violet Crumble, though... I wouldn't say that "American" oil is necessarily better than home-grown...I know most of Western Australia can be tough on a car...the rental contract for my Falcon even stated: "This car is not to be driven into WA", or words to that effect, so it seems that Australian vehicles may have needs that can only be met by local products specifically designed for them... While perusing the owner's manual for that same Falcon (man, how sick am I, reading the maintenance intervals for a rental car half-way around the world... ), I noticed the OCIs didn't seem much different from the American counterparts; apparently Ford didn't think you were going to use "imported" oil in that car.