Why Should You Use Anything But Pennzoil or Quaker State?

Jelly · Jul 14, 2004

http://www.pennzoil.com/warranty/warranty.html

http://www.quakerstate.com/pages/programs/warranty.asp

...Just curious as to what you guys think of this. Here's the questions I pose:

I only see three exceptions to the rule:

1. Your vehicle doesn't meet the eligibility requirements.
2. You keep your vehicles longer than 10 yrs.
3. You keep your vehicles longer than 250,000 miles.

Otherwise:

1. Why should you consider anything else (besides picking something else just for fun...)?

csandste · Jul 14, 2004

Do I think this is a legit. warranty? Yes-- I'm sure they've paid.

On the other hand, this should be proof that any oil related vehicle failures are rare indeed.

cryptokid · Jul 14, 2004

i dont meet requirements :\ i got 78K on the clock.

DSteven · Jul 14, 2004

It's probably like Valvoline's transmission warranty...if you use MaxLife ATF and you have trans problems/issues due to the fluid, we will warranty. YEAH RIGHT!! The installed it in my last Stratus (req'd atf+3/+4). The clutches had high wear, the shifting was bad and it wouldn't go into 4th gear at times. Fluid was tested and found to be the culprit. Did Valvoline even return phone calls? NO. Did they really give a darn? Not in the least. Did they do a thing? Nope. Not until court action was pressed, did they flush with ATF+3, which somehow made the symptoms go away, but the damage was still done. If the car wouldn't have been smashed, I would have pursued more. All-in-all, saying an oil company will warranty sure must help sell products, and that seems to be in their best interests, forget the customer when issues arise. On the other hand, oil/lubrication realted failures are very rare if an engine is even halfway well maintained. As mentioned before, it would be interesting to see how long an engine would last on SuperTech, or any cheap current API rated oil, just to see the difference oil makes. I, and several others, do believe in better oils or oils for a certain application, but in the long run any major oil should do just fine.

Jelly · Jul 14, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by DSteven:
It's probably like Valvoline's transmission warranty...

I've never heard of such a thing...

Marty · Jul 14, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Jelly:
http://www.pennzoil.com/warranty/warranty.html

http://www.quakerstate.com/pages/programs/warranty.asp

...Just curious as to what you guys think of this. Here's the questions I pose:

I only see three exceptions to the rule:

1. Your vehicle doesn't meet the eligibility requirements.
2. You keep your vehicles longer than 10 yrs.
3. You keep your vehicles longer than 250,000 miles.

Otherwise:

1. Why should you consider anything else (besides picking something else just for fun...)?

I hadn't even thought of the Quaker State warranty in several years. I first encountered it almost 40 years ago. At that time I think the mileage limit was 100,000 miles.

I was working at an American Motors dealer and we had a claim on an old Nash that needed a ring job - Quaker State paid the bill.

Jay · Jul 14, 2004

Pennzoil's warranty is very bold. Nowhere does it specify that the engine must be a car engine. If I buy a high-strung 4-stroke dirt racing bike that may only last a season or two under the best of circumstances will Pennzoil buy me a new engines for 10-years if I use their oil?

If I have construction equipment or ag equipment that operates in really dusty conditions...?

sjlee · Jul 14, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Jay:
Pennzoil's warranty is very bold. Nowhere does it specify that the engine must be a car engine. If I buy a high-strung 4-stroke dirt racing bike that may only last a season or two under the best of circumstances will Pennzoil buy me a new engines for 10-years if I use their oil?

If I have construction equipment or ag equipment that operates in really dusty conditions...?

Actually, they do state what type of vehicles qualify in the FAQ...

"Passenger car, van, SUV and pickup truck
Gross vehicular weight of 10,000 pounds or less
Driven 36,000 miles or less and whose manufactured date is within the last 48 months of your first use of Pennzoil® motor oil"

If you read all the info on the warranty, you'll see that it's not that easy to follow their "rules":

1. Change the oil every 4000 miles or 4 months, whichever comes first.
2. Keep all receipts and document all oil changes, including mileage.
3. Rebuilt/replaced engines are not covered.
4. Your engine must have less than 36,000 miles and have been manufactured within the last 48 months.

sxg6 · Jul 14, 2004

im sure my engine and vital components will last just as long using a quality synthetic, and be in overall better shape. gives me more peace of mind using a better quality motor oil, i dont mind paying the extra cash.

DSteven · Jul 14, 2004

And they know the typical vehicle buyer purchasing a car with under 36000 miles isn't likely to keep it for 250,000. It is a marketing hype, for the most part. What a great way to market a product, then target a crowd/market that will most likely never need to use the warranty, no matter what oil is used, for the projected duration of ownership. The advertising alone is ingenious, maybe SuperTech and Fram should try...

rjundi · Jul 14, 2004

Very easy warranty to keep up if you do the oil changes at the same place and they use either oil. It seems like a lot of points of failure that absolves them of it. The likelyhood of a claim being submitted with oil changed as prescribed and all doc to prove it is I imagine extremely slim.

Lastly a vehicle does not typically get junked due to an engine oil failure, its typically another item or culmulation of many items.

[ July 15, 2004, 07:51 AM: Message edited by: rjundi ]

HolesInTheHead · Jul 14, 2004

Wonder how Pennzoil/Quaker State view my neighbor and his RSX? I swear this guy wants to kill his car. He does all the maintenance and all, even uses Mobil 1. But he just starts the car and full throttle take-off, and redline the engine every chance he gets. There got to be some exclusion in the fine print for this kind of thing.

Audi Junkie · Jul 14, 2004

I think the oil companies will be ok offering this warranty. They will probally rely on the whole API approval loop of circular argument to avoid paying even 1 claim. Car requires API SL, oil meets API SL, prove otherwise.

T-Keith · Jul 14, 2004

1. All my cars have over 36,000 miles.
2. I want a well running car, they probably won't pay for fixes unless there is a failure or major problem.
3. I doubt that the warranty will be honored without a major headache, and possible legal action.
4. I don't want to be out of a vehicle for month while they decide if they're honoring the warranty.
5. I don't plan on having any oil related problems.
6. I work on my own car, so getting receipts and estimating costs would be hard.

-T

haley10 · Jul 14, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by HolesInTheHead:
Wonder how Pennzoil/Quaker State view my neighbor and his RSX? I swear this guy wants to kill his car. He does all the maintenance and all, even uses Mobil 1. But he just starts the car and full throttle take-off, and redline the engine every chance he gets. There got to be some exclusion in the fine print for this kind of thing.

Many cars now will give you a history when you hook up the laptop computer to it. The abuse would be shown and they would void warranty. Even the manufacturer's warranty does not cover abuse.

Jimbo · Jul 14, 2004

I dont have anything with less that 100,000 miles, forget 36,000.

haley10 · Jul 14, 2004

Makes mne want to go fill my crankcase with Quaker State and Slick 50, just for peace of mind.

Not.

Has anyone ever studied business law??

Native Americans and Enron retiree's can give you a head's up on what this is worth.

I'm not kiddin'. The word "guarantee" has no legal standing whatsoever.

T-Keith · Jul 15, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo:
I dont have anything with less that 100,000 miles, forget 36,000.

I've got you beat. My Lesabre has 99,000 miles.

My other cars:
190,000
193,000
210,000

-T

toolboy62 · Jul 15, 2004

my '62 Stude has 24K miles. I think I would have a hard time convincing them that the engine was mfd. within the last 48 months tho

I plan on keeping the car until it is well and truly worn out, unless I find a Stude with a blower first.

nate

Lumberg · Oct 15, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Jay:
Pennzoil's warranty is very bold. Nowhere does it specify that the engine must be a car engine. If I buy a high-strung 4-stroke dirt racing bike that may only last a season or two under the best of circumstances will Pennzoil buy me a new engines for 10-years if I use their oil?

If I have construction equipment or ag equipment that operates in really dusty conditions...?

Did you read the FAQ?

How many vehicles may I have registered under the program?
As many as you want as long as they qualify

Passenger car, van, SUV and pickup truck
Gross vehicular weight of 10,000 pounds or less
Driven 36,000 miles or less and whose manufactured date is within the last 48 months of your first use of Pennzoil® motor oil

Why Should You Use Anything But Pennzoil or Quaker State?

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