I'll tell you boys this, there is a company in my town that is literally called 'major brands oils co.'
They own a ton of the big ones and a ton of the store brand ones (Valvoline, pen, and Meijer to name a few)
So to me arguing about which oil is best is like arguing if a Chevy is better than a GMC
Many times, people get all emotional about what product is good or bad; motor oil seems to be a biggie.
I look back on advertising in the 60's and 70's, and remember all the catchy tunes and such that embedded themselves into our psyche.
"I am stuck on Bandaid 'cause Bandaid's stuck on me", "My balogna's got a first name, It's O S C A R...."
Those jingles evoke folks at a deep level. As to motor oil, back then, I remember "Amalie! Better than it has to be!".
Old Castrol commercials addressing engine heat.... all very powerful subliminal tricks to get you to buy their product.
Then, as little boys, we looked up to our older male role models and categorized them in the realm of Superhero.
Grandpa used Amalie when I was younger, and he not only endorsed it to others, he quoted the ad slogan.
Uncles, neighbor men, etc. were all complicit in helping form our later life choices.
Many years later, Amalie sludged up Grandpa's engine and the dealer who fixed the problem educated him to an unfortunate truth germane to that time period. Afterwards, he (Grandpa) used a different brand of oil.
There is no "super oil" which can overcome poor maintenance or sub-par engine design. As I read these recipes of boutique filters, and the witches brews of this or that weight mixed with "Ultra-Zoot" additives, I wonder if folks ever back way up and take a more panoramic view of the issue. Perhaps they do.
Maybe, just maybe, the answers aren't that difficult. I've come to realize over the years that technology changes everywhere. This is true of motor oil, too. But, I wonder; Is all this hype and prattle just a way to keep people fighting and overwhelmed with TMI (Too Much Info) so as to sell boutique products at sky high prices?
