Brand loyalty

[gtm245]

Should brand loyalty be a thing of the past? Can I get longer engine life buy using more expensive oil and filters? Personally I think engine longevity depends more on the design, precision of assembly, and quality of materials then the brand of oil and filters used. If you use an SL and GF-3 rated oil (no matter how cheap) and any cheap oil filter I think the rest of your car will fall to crap well before the engine will. Any thoughts about the brand loyalty idea?

[ February 29, 2004, 10:31 PM: Message edited by: gtm245 ]

 

[Mystic]

I think brand loyalty just does not make sense nowadays. I think a person is better off using the best product they can find, regardless of brand loyalty, for the best price.

I used to have brand loyalty for FRAM oil filters. Then I had some problems with FRAM oil filters on a couple of cars and I decided to switch.

I would like to be loyal to GM and Ford for cars/trucks. But based on what I know if I was rich I would be buying Toyota, Nissan, and Honda.

A person owes it to himself to be loyal to himself. I don't really think in terms of brand loyalty for most stuff I buy today except for Apple Computers (I like the Apple operating system) and Maytag washers and dryers, and maybe a few other things. I try to buy the best I can for the best price that I can.

 

[Swift]

Brand loyalty is based on the companies ability to fulfill the needs of the consumer with a quality product for a good price. Customer satisfaction after the sale is a big part also.

 

[labman]

In the past, if you were happy with something, you could expect it to be the same when you went back for more. Even if you never used it before, you could expect say a Fram to be better than some cheap Wal-Mart house brand. I don't know if you could ever be sure a higher price meant better quality, but I think the odds used to be better. Between constant change and little selling at regular retail, it is hard to make intelligent decisions. Am I getting the same thing by paying to stick with Pennzoil and Prestone? I am about as happy with the Uniroyal tires on my truck as I have been with anything for a while. I hated the Uniroyals that came on my 1968 Chevelle. I found my self debating buying an Ace Hardware wrench or a Craftsman. It wasn't the quality of the wrench so much as wondering who would still be in business in 10 years if it ever broke. What are my chances of getting one of my Penncraft wrenches replaced if it ever breaks?

 

[TC]

Sticking with a quality product will never go out of style. But I suspect that, with increasing globalism, "Brand Loyalty" has gone the way of the dodo bird. Many firms now occasionally (or often) switch suppliers to the low-cost bidder, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that as long as the product meets the contract spec's. In these boards there's plenty of discussions as to who is making particular AC Delco filters at any given time...Champion?...Delphi..?...maybe alternates between the two, depending on part #? And Havoline is now basically Chevron Supreme, and Pennzoil is now Shell oil (or something like that)..?? Hard to keep all the players straight.

Compare that to the 1960's and earlier when Fram was Fram, AC was AC, and Olds/Buicks/Pontiacs didn't use the same drivetrains and other components, etc. Much more diversity and brand uniqueness back then, and more defined reasons to choose one brand over another. Much more reason to say "I'm an ACME guy -- wouldn't use any other brand of rubbers!" (Tires, that is.)

 

[Schmoe]

Another problem that some of us "old school" oil changers is what we were taught from our fathers when we were knee high. You all have heard the "used this for years and never had a problem, so did my dad, and his dad" story. But with spec's being so quickly to obtain via the internet, I think the "younger school" generation will be more into that, as opposed to word of mouth or brand recognition.

 

[TC]

AWESOME observation, Schmoe. It's nothing short of astounding what one can now research/find/verify/debunk on the internet in minutes that might have taken trips to several university libraries to research 20 years ago. But even for more trivial stuff...if you're curious as to whether "Deep Forrest Green" was originally available on your 1958 Plymouth Fury, you might be able to determine same within 30 minutes through a thorough internet search. But back in 1990? Be prepared to write a lot of letters and make a bunch of phone calls back then.

 

[ZR2RANDO]

What you're saying is..technology changes with most everything as time goes by..faster these days than in days past it seems. Big difference is we can check it out rather quickly (and easily...hacksaw!!), and get other peoples opinions and viewpoints and knowledge these days,,,very easily...
so we do it. We can catch any little scams much easier if we just look....more and more people are looking these days.
We just have to hop on the train and move forward every now and then and keep up...we can do it!!!
Power to the people!!! It's just better for all of us is the way I look at it.

And believe me , we could have the same conversation about COMPANY/EMPLOYER loyalty too..
Rando

 

[cryptokid]

i am only loyal to the brand of filter and oil which give me the best price to performance ratio.
motorcraft filter(wix) for 2.99 a filter
mobil 1 long life for $12 a gallon.

 

[tmorris1]

quote:

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motorcraft filter(wix) for 2.99 a filter

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I don't think Motorcraft filters are made by Wix, they are made by Purolator.