Amsoil

daepp · 07-20-2011, 09:17 AM

I got the following email from a friend:

"Guys,
As I would be the first to attest too I’m no gear head. But I have been buying used cars now for quite some time and having good luck in keeping them for a long time. I have recently started using a guy locally who is an Amsoil rep to change my oil and filter. He told me about a guy who put nearly 1,000,000 on a car. They don’t sell Amsoil in retail outlets but thru guys like my guy. They are usually retired mechanics and car lovers, but it seems this is really worth it if you want your car to last.

Take care, Doug"

Anyone have any real world experience with this stuff? Any truth?

Tim Hancock · 07-20-2011, 09:27 AM

I have 322k on my 325i running simply Castrol GTX dino oil. I do use synthetic in some of my cars that had it since new, but I do not switch to synthetic with used cars that have high mileage on dino oil.

I run Amsoil 100-1 two stroke oil in all my pre-mix engines and have over 300 hours on my ultralight engine running it at 6000 rpm nearly 100% of that time. I trust Amsoil but do not really think it is necessarily any better than other brand name quality synthetics.

andyt11 · 07-20-2011, 09:41 AM

I sense an oil thread coming along.

I've used Amsoil gear oil before. Seems to do the job it is supposed to. No good in your hair though, is a ***** to wash out.

Tim Hancock · 07-20-2011, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotaBRG

Run the same oil in my chain saw and dirt(y) bike. So far I love it.

Tim, do you run it at 100:1? I couldn't get myself to do that so I use a little less than a gallon per bubble pack of oil.

I have run it at 100:1, but I mainly mix it at 80 to 85:1. (I buy it in the small bottles that are supposed to get mixed with 6 gallons of gas..... I usually mix about 5-5.5 gallons with it)

I have been running it for at least 15 years and still own use many of the 2-stroke motors that have been run on it.

Another oil I used alot of in my MX racings days was Yamalube. Prior to that it Golden Spectro and prior to that was Klotz R50 (smelled awesome, but I experienced plug fouling on a couple bikes running it that went away when I switched to Spectro and then Yamalube). I have not had any sparkplug fouling running Amsoil that was not due to improper jetting.

rick-l · 07-20-2011, 10:16 AM

Why do all these Amsoil sales threads start out with a "what about this oil?" question.

masraum · 07-20-2011, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick-l

Why do all these Amsoil sales threads start out with a "what about this oil?" question.

Because it's a relatively unknown oil that you rarely see sitting on a store shelf.

Tim Hancock · 07-20-2011, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick-l

Why do all these Amsoil sales threads start out with a "what about this oil?" question.

I don't know, but I buy it at a local store and it is cheaper than than buying any of the name brand synthetic stuff at the Honda shop and with my 15 years of success using it, continuing to use it is a no brainer for me no matter how it may be advertised through the silly "private dealer/salesman" thing they have going.

cashflyer · 07-20-2011, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAEpperson

Anyone have any real world experience with this stuff? Any truth?

Search the 911 Technical section for the keyword "amsoil". You will find that is has been discussed Ad nauseam.

You want to know what a dealer really thinks?
I have been an Amsoil wholesale dealer for years.
I use it. I like it.
Is it good? Sure.
Is it the holy water of lubrication? Probably not.
Will you get rich selling it? Not likely.
Do I like their pyramid sales structure? Not really.

Pricing is a bit higher than most OTC oils. About the same as other specialty oils.
In my recent trip to the FLAPS, I saw Shell dino oil for $3.99/qt and the top of the line synthetic for $7.49/qt. Retail price on Amsoil 20/50 is $10.20. Wholesale is $7.85.

You can get that same wholesale price by becoming a dealer, or a "preferred customer". If you want to know more, PM me.

Tim Hancock · 07-20-2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashflyer

Pricing is a bit higher than most OTC oils. About the same as other specialty oils.
In my recent trip to the FLAPS, I saw Shell dino oil for $3.99/qt and the top of the line synthetic for $7.49/qt. Retail price on Amsoil 20/50 is $10.20. Wholesale is $7.85.

Yep

The local store that sells Amsoil reflects what you posted.... Amsoil engine oil is a bit pricier than Castrol and Mobil synthetic (I use Castrol synthetic in my cars that I put synthetic in), but the retail priced Amsoil two stroke oil is significantly cheaper than the Honda/Yamaha/Klotz type oils one would find typically at motorcycle dealerships.

I would bet most of the name brand "synthetic" 2-stroke oils are similar in performance/composition. I have never been one to pisss money away on gimicky "super" oils as I have had great results from low to middle of the road priced oils in my 30+ years of running gasoline engines (a majority of which I still own and use) both dino and synthetic.

1990C4S · 07-20-2011, 12:20 PM

Not all of their products are API certified, meaning they will void your warranty.

I had a co-worker who used it religiously and got 500,000 miles on a Mazda. I suspect regular oil changes with any decent oil would have done the same.

cgarr · cgarr's Garage

Isn't Amsoil like the Amway for oil?

rick-l · 07-20-2011, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masraum

Because it's a relatively unknown oil that you rarely see sitting on a store shelf.

Does every amsoil rep have to say or type "amsoil" 10 times a day?

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I've been emailing with a lady from Motul and she told me they don't sell in retail stores because the shelf fees can be as much as $500k a year. Then she slammed Mobil 1 and said I'd end up with sludge after 45k miles. Whatever. I'll take Motul now because Mobil 1 15W50 is near unobtanium.

mossguy · 07-20-2011, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgarr

isn't amsoil like the amway for oil?

yes

mossguy · 07-20-2011, 12:58 PM

Not that there is anything wrong with that.

fastfredracing · 07-20-2011, 01:09 PM

I just had the rep in here trying to sell me on it . I declined to become a dealer. I do believe that it is a great great product, and if I want some, my buddy is a dealer as well.
Like Tim, I have a grand cherokee with 253,000 miles on the motor, never had a valve cover off, and not one single internal motor repair ever. Just off the shelf dino oil every 3000 miles.
The amsoil rep is trying to tell me , use their oil, and filter, and stretch you oil change interval out to 15,000 miles. Nope, not me, maybe I am thick headed old school, but I will keep on changing oil at or below factory specified miles..

daepp · 07-20-2011, 01:12 PM

Didn't mean to start a flame war. Just curious - I shoulda searched first I know!

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I've been emailing with a lady from Motul and she told me they don't sell in retail stores because the shelf fees can be as much as $500k a year. Then she slammed Mobil 1 and said I'd end up with sludge after 45k miles. Whatever. I'll take Motul now because Mobil 1 15W50 is near unobtanium.

I can attest that you will not get sludge in a car engine with Mobil 1. I put 225,000 miles on a 1993 Honda Accord and it used only synthetic from the first oil change. That car required a valve adjustment every 45K miles and the valve cover looked like new every time I opened it up. No one bit of sludge or varnish. I am convinced that synthetic is the way to go.

I am not convinced that one synthetic is THAT much better than another.

Do not get me started on SWEPCO.........

Tim Hancock · 07-20-2011, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-beard

I can attest that you will not get sludge in a car engine with Mobil 1. I put 225,000 miles on a 1993 Honda Accord and it used only synthetic from the first oil change. That car required a valve adjustment every 45K miles and the valve cover looked like new every time I opened it up. No one bit of sludge or varnish. I am convinced that synthetic is the way to go.

I am not convinced that one synthetic is THAT much better than another.

Do not get me started on SWEPCO.........

225k on a Honda Accord is just getting broke in.

My parents are on their 5th Accord all of which have logged well over 250k. Dad is on the road with his ( I think his work car is a '98) older one for work and he has 450k on it without opening the engine. He has always used CHEAP dino oil in all of his cars with fairly regular oil changes per the owners manual.

My 325i with 322k on the clock running only dino oil has gone 15k+ a few times between oil recent oil changes. Since I started daily driving it 100+k ago I pretty much treated it as a throw away beater assunming it would die soon anyway.... the d@mn thing just keeps going and going...

There is definitely some hype involved when it comes to oil although I know that synthetic will safely go longer before breaking down compared to dino.

DanielDudley · 07-20-2011, 02:08 PM

I think that Amsoil is good oil. I think if you have a 944 or 928 it could help prevent the dreaded con rod bearing failure, because it has high antifoaming qualities, and actually goes where it is supposed to in the sump and gets to where it needs to in the engine.

I have no idea how it performs in an air cooled engine.