Has this become just an "oil recommendation" site?

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I've asked a couple of slightly technical questions, and I feel that if they can't be answered with, "Use oil X and sleep well at nite," then they just fall by the wayside.

Case in point

I did get one sort-of answer from ARCOgraphite, but my question remains. If I had asked about "Mobile 1," I would at least have gotten 7 or 8 responses deriding my spelling, as well as perhaps something about high iron content.

Don't get me wrong, I've learned a lot here. There are certain guys here whose opinions I respect, and I like the board. But it seems like most posts and "answers" are fluff. The nature of the internet, I guess.
 
Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
This site has deteriorated greatly from when I first joined.


Probably was running valvoline. 8). True nonetheless.
 
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What answers you receive very much depends on:

1. How did you state your question or comment?

2. Did you state your question such that it was clear you wanted a specific type answer or just a a general response?

3. If you are looking for opinion(s) from the general BITOG membership then that is what you will get, so you have take what you get.


My feeling is it has become a general recommendation site because those are the majority types of questions that are being posed.

In my view, many people only join to get a quickie answer because of "instant gratification." They no longer want to educate themselves before posing a question.

Some post questions because of some faulty data they have read about on other sites. Then when an answer is given, they want to argue.
 
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My personal favorites are the "My neighbor annoys me" threads. Im gonna start oil threads on the homeowners association board.
 
What kind of technical answers were you expecting in your sample thread? I think the first response summed it up well. Seems like a difference in base stocks and add packs, particularly PP enhancers, would be the causes of the differences. You might have well asked, "Why does a quarter pounder with cheese have a different calorie content than a whopper?"

Another acceptable answer would have been to read through the Motor Oil University.
 
Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
This site has deteriorated greatly from when I first joined.


A lot has changed from when you joined in 2006. I feel that by now (2014) we've pretty much discovered all there is to know about oil, OCIs, viscosity's, etc, etc and thus, highly technical discussions are not seen by the dozen. It's understandable.

I still enjoy surfing the site for oil deals and checking out high mileage UOAs on practically a daily basis. The occasional interesting thread is also good.
 
You think this site is fluff?

Try any number of other discussion boards online.

I personally like this board because it's primarily populated by adults who act like adults.

I've tried plenty of other boards and got sick of kids posting up [censored].
 
Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
Another acceptable answer would have been to read through the Motor Oil University.


And several members who know their stuff say that's outdated and just plain wrong.
 
Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
This site has deteriorated greatly from when I first joined.


Yup,I'll agree 100%

Anymore I find myself just passing through.Most members these days posting here dont really know engine basics let alone getting really technical,so it's become rather boring.Now it's become an,like you say an oil recommendation site,it is what it is.
 
There are very few of us on here who are actually technical folks. Even engineers have arguments and disagreements... Imagine when you have a body of technical folks and then others with some alternate idea that they want to argue and name call over? Unfortunately that has happened more than once.

Some technical folks have come, some have left. The site has grown substantially, so some of the technical knowledge has been diluted.

But at the same time, enough folks have evaluated and scrutinized performance, experiences, UOAs, etc to the point that trends are observable, and those trends can turn into sound and decent recommendations.
 
Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
What kind of technical answers were you expecting in your sample thread? I think the first response summed it up well...


I disagree. Sure, while it did mention the base stock, the pp dep's, and the VI... It went on to say that major brands can be found by "you" (the general, given you) to be frequently just as cheap as non-name brands. While it may be true that is possible sometimes, it isn't always true. And, trying to justify NOT using an oil because it isn't any cheaper than another... is exactly what the OP of this thread is talking about (or at least that kind of thing).

I'd say I agree with the OP that ARCOgraphite's answer was a good one.

Originally Posted By: NMBurb02

Another acceptable answer would have been to read through the Motor Oil University.


Now THAT I agree with... to a certain extent. Most of it is great, but some things are a little bit too generalized.
 
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No one here can really do scientific testing of oils. Too much work and expense. So people talk about what worked and did not work for them. You need to interpret what is posted and see if its applicable to your vehicle and use. There is no best oil but there are a lot of excellent oils.

There are also various income levels here. Some people will reuse a Napa Silver oil filter as they need to save money. Others can afford any filter they want.

If you ask a very specific question about a vehicle, good chance someone has come across it and will answer. I asked about a couple of small holes in my Jeep's exhaust, saying there were little metal tabs next to the holes. Someone responded the holes and tabs were the result of a heat shield rusting and falling off. Exactly the answer I needed.
 
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
Another acceptable answer would have been to read through the Motor Oil University.


And several members who know their stuff say that's outdated and just plain wrong.

Then somebody should update it or remove it. Bobistheoilguy.com seems like the last place that should be propagating misinformation about motor oil. The ignorance and misinformation in the forums can't be helped, but if that series of articles with links on the site homepage is that off in regards to the basics of ICE lubrication/lubticants (the OP's linked thread seemed to deal with those), then it should be torn down like a condemned housing project.
 
Depends on the question asked. If you ask what oil should I use in my 2010 xxx or is X oil ok to use in my 5 hp briggs and stratton then you're going to get a lot of 'well yes x oil is fine but what i would do is...' There is no right answer to that question as any approved oil will fit the needs for the application. So you've asked a question that is completely open to personal opinions and preferences and that is what you're going to get. Neither wrong nor right. If you have a technical question to which an answer actually exists there are people here who can help. And you can easily differentiate between the knowledgable responses and the blow hard opinion.
 
I just see it as a chat forum,where people with common interests go to have fun. Same as other forums....music,art,etc,just to discuss what we enjoy talking about.
 
Several years ago there were huge dufferences in oils and Synthetics were still not mainstream and there were rumors of synthetic blends. You can't mix synthetic with regular oil right?. Now except for the PQIA losers, there are few major differences in oils. Yes, there are now high mileage oils but I don't think you can go wrong with any of them if you need a high mileage oil. Synthetics are accepted and synthetic blends are quickly replacing dino oils at many dealerships and tire places. There just aren't as many things to argue over anymore. Most of the questions seem to be; I just bought this, what oil do you recommend.
 
Originally Posted By: bvance554
Depends on the question asked. If you ask what oil should I use in my 2010 xxx or is X oil ok to use in my 5 hp briggs and stratton then you're going to get a lot of 'well yes x oil is fine but what i would do is...' There is no right answer to that question as any approved oil will fit the needs for the application. So you've asked a question that is completely open to personal opinions and preferences and that is what you're going to get. Neither wrong nor right. If you have a technical question to which an answer actually exists there are people here who can help. And you can easily differentiate between the knowledgable responses and the blow hard opinion.



Well said
 
Some very good points here. And, as I said, I've learned a lot here, including some things about separating the wheat from the chaff.

The thread I used as an example has grown a bit, so I'm going to go back over there and respond to some things.

And BTW, would Pennzoil Dexos 1 5w-30 be OK for a 2014 Chevy Sonic, or should I use Red Line?
 
I tend to ignore most of the oil posts/threads. The mechanical/maintenance section is where I spend most of my time. I cannot express enough thanks for all that I have learned about cars on here. Without this site I never would have attempted half of the repairs that I have done in recent years. The off topic forum is sometimes fun, and the rebate and sale sections are worth a quick look everyday. I love this site because everyone on here has a passion for cars, and while many just want to know about oil many others know so much about different things that may spark your interest. Heck I have even bought a few stocks based on recommendations on here.
 
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