Originally Posted By: Tom NJ
Originally Posted By: Dr. E
BobsArmory, Do you really believe that oil companies produce the "best" possible motor oils to minimize the engine wear and maximize the life of your engine? Oil companies must "compete" in a market place in addition to meeting numerous government regulations.
Additive packages, in addition to base oils, are selected and blended in an effort to minimize costs, maximize profits and yet meet the minimum standards posed by API and ILSAC in the States. Can these oils that are being marketed be improved upon? Of course! Could additional (and more), or different mixtures/combinations of additives be utilized? Of course! Are there aftermarket additives currently available that will improve the wear/life performance of the popular oils brands? Yes!
Why are these additives not utilized if they can improve performance! Cost, emissions, government regulations, fuel economy (CAFE), price/demand elasticities,....etc. By the way, many of the top motor oil producing firms (Valvoline, Chevron...) produce(produced) and sell (sold) aftermarket oil and fuel additives. Industrial firms utilize aftermarket additives in their machinery, equipment and vehicles to a great extent. To be sure, adding aftermarket additives to your motor oil should be undertaken carefully and only by those possessing a significant amount of oil or"tribological" knowledge.
I am not going to recommend any products; however, I simply wanted to point out that it is a bit naive to believe that the oils produced today by the large oil firms are optimal and cannot be improved upon by additional (aftermarket) additives.
Yes, there are many "snake oils" out there, many of which have resulted in FTC "smack downs"! One needs to be careful when adding aftermarket products to their vehicle's fluids.
Very well put, and spot on.
Tom NJ
Ditto Tom and Dr.E., well stated.
Up until about 6 or 7 years ago, I never considered using additives because I rarely kept a vehicle long enough to see the effects of the lubricants that I was using. But my financial situation changed and I decided it was better to preserve the newer 3 vehicles I owned, than get into the car payment game again. Even though my vehicles were meticulously maintained with name brand lubricants and filters, deposits, and leaks started to show up in the steering and drive train equipment over the last few years. That led me to find one additive in particular here on BITOG that has saved my butt in repair bills. I won't mention the name, because this is a good thread that all should read and learn something from.
Tom and Molakule have the best insight as to why big oil formulated lubricants are designed and sold with compromises that you wouldn't learn about from the marketer. If you start keeping your vehicles longer than you used to like I am, it would be wise to learn what those compromises might be in the oil you're using and supplement it with an additive.
I guess I just don't have blind faith in the oil companies to protect my investments anymore. I will verify from now on.
Never needed to use it in the oil of any of my cars however. Its the only additive I buy.
