Auto parts stores pushing oil additives

[OneEyeJack]

I was at an AAP store today dropping of some used oil. While there an employee asked me what additives I used with my engine oil to "make it better". He was surprised that I add nothing and expect my out of the bottle engine oil to take care of my engine. He knows about the ranch and the rough roads and the horse trailer.

He was really enthusiastic about using different additives and told me all about how they do such good things for your engine. When I questioned him about specifics I found out he did not know about routine used oil analysis and the different properties listed and the implication of say a low TBN. His come back was that with the right combination of off the shelf additives you never had to worry about such details. Someone else walked up and told me this guy really knows his stuff and helps a lot of customers the come into the store.

It's talk like this that makes marketing "stuff" in a bottle a workable business model.

I'll continue to use my engine oil "straight up" and depend on it to do its job.

How many members here consistently dose up their oil with one or more additives? And which ones do you use?

 

[AntsinmyEyes]

I've been using lc20 for a good while now. everything ive read leads me to believe its a solid product. also have had good luck using kreen

 

[Chris142]

Tell him you use pennzoil and see what he says.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I bet he's trying to upsell customers via "boss's orders" with all the additive recommendations.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I bet he's trying to upsell customers via "boss's orders" with all the additive recommendations.




Exactly. I think you nailed it.

 

[tig1]

I use M1 oils and XM says add nothing to their oil. That advise has worked well for me for decades.

 

[E150GT]

I dont believe in oil additives. I also dont believe in taking parts guys advice. I guess the general public doesnt agree with me.

 

[blupupher]

For the most part, I take no "advice" from parts store guys.
Used to be a NAPA store that had some good behind the retail counter guys, but they are all gone. A local O'Reilly Auto has a few parts guys (do mostly shop orders, not general retail counter) that know quite a bit as well.

I think the only oil additive I have used in the past 20 years was some Auto Rx when I bought my van in '05. Prior to that, in the early 90's I tried some Risoline for a beater truck I had that was using a lot of oil (with no change), I think it had a lot of copper in it to "seal" up where it was leaking?
I also used (gasp!) Slick 50 with PTFE in the late 80's.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Not only is that AAP employee clueless, he must drive an old beater because every new car manual I have read in the past 10 years advises against using oil additives.

 

[Dr_Who]

Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
Not only is that AAP employee clueless, he must drive an old beater because every new car manual I have read in the past 10 years advises against using oil additives.


This! Probably longer than a decade, many times the manual will tell you that adding ANY engine oil additive not specifically approved by the car manufacturer will VOID your warranty when it comes to engine related failures or issues. Don't risk it, even if your warranty is over, modern engines that are even minimally cared for have NO need for any kind of additive at all, ever.

 

[Kruse]

It's amazing how many of these employees are so-called "experts" on everything.
Several years ago, my mom bought a new riding mower from a farm supply store and the employee talked her into buying non-detergent oil for it and told her that she must never use detergent oil in the riding lawn mower. My mom was so convinced that the employee was correct that I could not persuade her otherwise.....until I opened up the operator's manual and had her read what the manufacturer recommended for oil.
I wonder how many other people this "expert" persuaded.

 

[bvance554]

I love these 'I was in the auto parts store today' or 'while in the oil aisle at Walmart today I over heard this guy...'stories where you school the ill informed with your profound oil knowledge.

Does this really happen or are you fabricating a story? You're just dumping your used oil, having this conversation about oil and another strange customer drops in to tell you how helpful he is with his oil additive knowledge? He helps a lot of people around here? Did this stranger know about your rough roads and horse trailer?

 

[jongies3]

I won't add squat to my oil except what's already in it. I think additives take away from the molecular structure of the oil and can actually degrade it faster if they don't mix right. My 2 cents!

 

[Johnny2Bad]

The additive manufacturer's reps will be holding workshops with the staff, basically giving them the whole sales pitch, which they will tend to buy hook, line and sinker. They might include all the demos known to be misleading here at BITOG but not necessarily the general public.

The kid was probably sincere, but of course he also may be just repeating what he's been told by people whose job it is to move additives.

You know, armed with your own reasonable knowledge, in the end it's a pretty harmless exercise. Plus, I'd much rather talk to a go-getter than a lackadaisical kid who just wants a paycheck. Taking an interest in his job means he is probably one of the better staff members to deal with when you need parts.

 

[dlundblad]

I was buying some $2 Pennzoil A3/B4's and the guy at AZ said cheaper oil isn't always better..

I always get asked about Gumout and I always say no thanks. Between NAPA, Oreilly, AAP and AZ, Oreilly and AZ seem to be the only ones trying to up sell.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
It's talk like this that makes marketing "stuff" in a bottle a workable business model.


This is one of the worst sites for passing off bad information-there's an entire section dedicated to third party additives, and a host of people who buy into oil additives.

 

[Mr Nice]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I bet he's trying to upsell customers via "boss's orders" with all the additive recommendations.

One AAP store I went to they had a bottle of Sea Foam on the check out counter and every customer was informed of its benefits.

 

[Tdbo]

Employee was directed by boss to attempt "Wallet Flushes" on everyone entering the store.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
..
I'll continue to use my engine oil "straight up" and depend on it to do its job.

How many members here consistently dose up their oil with one or more additives? And which ones do you use?


It always confounded me as to why someone would use an oil additive then I learned out why.
MARKETING is the only reason people use an additive. Its really quite simple, no mainstream engine manufacturers recommend them, in fact, in some owners manuals warn against using them.
MARKETING = getting inside the human brain to make you want something.

Its an known fact adding after market additives to oil change the composition of the oil, possibly better in some respects but most likely worse. Its a roll of the dice for no reason. No magic formula is going to give your engine eternal life, its going to wear out just like a human being gets old..

If you purchase a vehicle by a reputable manufacturer using the recommended grade oil, the engine will OUTLAST the entire vehicle.
So what is it that makes people "roll the dice" by adding stuff to oil and changing the make up of the oil?
DO they honestly think they know better then ALL the engineers that formulated the oil? Never mind the various organizations like the API, ACEA etc, etc...

If you feel the need to add an additive to the oil then you should have purchased a different vehicle because a properly built vehicle does not need oil additives and will do more harm then good as the manufacturer already built a proper lubrication system for the recommended grade oil.

 

[Trav]

There are very few real parts stores around anymore, its all chain parts places with low quality parts and even lower quality employees. There are still a couple of real part stores here but not for much longer, the guys are way past retirement age.
Short story, I went to the chain store for a replacement flange for a Subaru, nothing going there so I went to the real parts store a few miles away, he looks at it and says one from a Ford Taurus should fit that. A few min later he was back, perfect fit, $6 out the door inc bolts.