New Pennzoil oil

[darylzero]

So it appears Pennzoil has come out with Platinum and Ultra Platinum w/ Pure Plus Technology.

http://pureplus.pennzoil.com/

According to the video on their site this oil is 99.5 pure because it comes from natural gas.

I will give it a shot on my next oil change.

[Kompresshun]

I used the Pennzoil Platinum in our Kia this last oil change and I think i'll give it a try for a while. I normal am very loyal to Mobil 1 but it seems like it may actually be to a better standard than Mobil 1 is so we'll see how it performs.

If it does well, i'll probably switch everything over to it. I was using Valvoline Synpower in my other vehicles for a while, but I noticed it was breaking down a lot quicker than it should, which really concerned me. On top of that, we were using the same Valvoline in our service vans at work and the techs were noticing they were burning a quart of oil in between oil changes where with Mobil 1 they did not.

[darylzero]

I've been using Pennzoil Platinum in my Rogue for over a year, before that Mobil 1 and no issues at all.

[Bubba1]

I've been using Pennzoil Platinum in my Rogue for over a year, before that Mobil 1 and no issues at all.

So I'm curious, if you've had zero issues with Mobil1, why do you feel it necessary to switch to Pennzoil Platinum? I assume it's priced on par with Mobil1. I'm sure PennPlat is as good as any other synthetic oil, but after glancing at the attractive ad, I'm not convinced this new product performs any better than any other synthetic oil on the market.

Here are claims directly from their ad and my concerns in parenthesis:

•Cleaner Pistons1 Keeps pistons cleaner than any leading synthetic oil2 (significantly? proof? )
•Better Fuel Economy Gives drivers on average an extra 550 miles per year vs. a dirty engine3 (duh! wouldn't any fresh oil do that too?)
•Protects Horsepower Helps protect your engine from loss of power (doesn't all oil do that function?)
•Unsurpassed Wear Protection Provides better protection from friction4 (I interpret this as simply just as good as any other synthetic oil)
•Excellent Performance in Extreme Temperatures Provides faster low temperature oil flow and protects in extreme heat.
(uh, isn't that what any synthetic oil does over non-synthetic?)

Sorry to appear a naysayer, but I don't quite understand the buzz with this stuff except for the tie-in to Mario Kart, which has nothing to do with oil. Perhaps someone can provide some actual proof that this synthetic oil is any better than any other synthetic oil on the market like Mobil1? What am I missing?

[Kompresshun]

Personally i've always stayed pretty loyal to Mobil 1, but the Pennzoil was on sale when I needed to get oil for the Kia so I just went with it because it should be a comparable quality. I have yet to see any significant proof that it's better than the other products available, but i've seen a lot more people and also performance shops using the Pennzoil Platinum in the past year.

Mobil 1 will always be my go to oil, but i'm willing to give the Pennzoil a try because as I mentioned above - I would assume it would be at least comparable in quality. I didn't buy it because I was convinced it was better, but I think I can trust it enough to preform up to my standards for oil in a daily driver.

[Rogue One]

After doing a little research, I found this The results are in: Mobil 1 EP v. Pennzoil Ultra. The comments from the oil analysis company were interesting.

[Kompresshun]

^Well there's your real world results right there. That's definitely enough proof for me to continue using it.

[Bubba1]

^Well there's your real world results right there. That's definitely enough proof for me to continue using it.

I'm willing to bet both Mobil1 and Pennzoil's newest creation well exceed car manufacturer specifications for normal use. I obviously see by the one example, that the Pennzoil had slightly better "figures" for certain types of what I'm guessing are bad materials than Mobil1. I'm neither an engineer or chemist, so I ask, do those small differences in the baddie stuff have any measureable impact on the overall life of the motor? And are those differences even significant enough to warrant paying such a premium for one over the other especially for vehicles used for ordinary driving? I don't know the answers. But to me, an advertisement and one random testimonial is not enough to conclude it's amazing and that I should run out and buy a case, especially when the product I currently use works perfectly and already exceeds the manufacturer's requirements.

For the record, I use synthetic oil in my track car. Call me crazy, but I'm just questioning whether this extra super duper premium synth oil is akin to putting a higher grade octane gas in a car that's designed to run on regular "just because my baby is worth it". In other words, is it really worth it or is it mostly hype?

[Kompresshun]

I'm willing to bet both Mobil1 and Pennzoil's newest creation well exceed car manufacturer specifications for normal use. I obviously see by the one example, that the Pennzoil had slightly better "figures" for certain types of what I'm guessing are bad materials than Mobil1. I'm neither an engineer or chemist, so I ask, do those small differences in the baddie stuff have any measureable impact on the overall life of the motor? And are those differences even significant enough to warrant paying such a premium for one over the other especially for vehicles used for ordinary driving? I don't know the answers. But to me, an advertisement and one random testimonial is not enough to conclude it's amazing and that I should run out and buy a case, especially when the product I currently use works perfectly and already exceeds the manufacturer's requirements.

For the record, I use synthetic oil in my track car. Call me crazy, but I'm just questioning whether this extra super duper premium synth oil is akin to putting a higher grade octane gas in a car that's designed to run on regular "just because my baby is worth it". In other words, is it really worth it or is it mostly hype?

Where are you getting that Pennzoil Platinum costs more than Mobil 1? They're the same exact prices at most places I shop for oil and in some cases I can purchase the Pennzoil cheaper. At Advance Auto Parts, both products are $9.19/qt so I really don't see what you're trying to get at here?

If the products are the same price and there are real world results of it preforming the same or better, then why does it matter which product you purchase? If you want to buy Mobil 1 then it isn't going to bother me or anyone else I would wager.

Again, i'm not going to spend extra money on it "because my baby's worth it" or because their advertising says it's better. I'm sure both will essentially protect the car the same as the other, but Mobil 1 hasn't really changed their product a lot in a while and their pricing point is very close or the same to the "extra super duper premium" competitors.

That is probably a good thing in retrospective, but if the Pennzoil shows in a real world test that it's equal or even slightly better then that gives me enough reassurance that it's a safe product to put in my inventory at home. Does that mean I will exclusively switch to it? Nope. I bought Castrol Edge for my Five Hundred on the last oil change because they were out of the Pennzoil and Mobil 1 wasn't on sale that week. I have absolutely no concern that it will affect how long my engine lasts either. I'm sure it will preform the same or similar to the other two products.

Now we can sit and argue all day long about oil in general, but when it comes to synthetics I never buy an off-brand, store brand, or cheaper grade. If you change your oil every 3,000 miles it doesn't really matter what oil you run but i've seen first hand that cheaper synthetics hold up about as well as conventional oil.

The issue I mentioned above about Valvoline and also applies to store branded oils(NAPA, CarQuest, O'Reilly, ect) - We have a fleet of 8 vans and none of them used oil before switching to Valvoline and NAPA branded synthetic oil in them. I also put NAPA branded oil in my Five Hundred and when I saw this happening in all of them, I decided to change my oil right away. When I drained the oil it was BLACK. It only had 1,500 miles on the oil and it was disgusting. My boss put it in his '07 Camry and he noticed his car burned a quart within 1,000 miles. Changed it and it was black too. So 10 vehicles having issues with that type of oil is enough proof for me to not try to save a few bucks on oil. I'll gladly pay double for an oil change for the peace of mind. All of our fleet at all three branches now runs Pennzoil Platinum exclusively - zero issues since switching. That's 40+ vehicles.

[Bubba1]

I'm willing to bet both Mobil1 and Pennzoil's newest creation well exceed car manufacturer specifications for normal use. I obviously see by the one example, that the Pennzoil had slightly better "figures" for certain types of what I'm guessing are bad materials than Mobil1. I'm neither an engineer or chemist, so I ask, do those small differences in the baddie stuff have any measureable impact on the overall life of the motor? And are those differences even significant enough to warrant paying such a premium for one over the other especially for vehicles used for ordinary driving? I don't know the answers. But to me, an advertisement and one random testimonial is not enough to conclude it's amazing and that I should run out and buy a case, especially when the product I currently use works perfectly and already exceeds the manufacturer's requirements.

For the record, I use synthetic oil in my track car. Call me crazy, but I'm just questioning whether this extra super duper premium synth oil is akin to putting a higher grade octane gas in a car that's designed to run on regular "just because my baby is worth it". In other words, is it really worth it or is it mostly hype?

Where are you getting that Pennzoil Platinum costs more than Mobil 1? They're the same exact prices at most places I shop for oil and in some cases I can purchase the Pennzoil cheaper. At Advance Auto Parts, both products are $9.19/qt so I really don't see what you're trying to get at here?

If the products are the same price and there are real world results of it preforming the same or better, then why does it matter which product you purchase? If you want to buy Mobil 1 then it isn't going to bother me or anyone else I would wager.

Again, i'm not going to spend extra money on it "because my baby's worth it" or because their advertising says it's better. I'm sure both will essentially protect the car the same as the other, but Mobil 1 hasn't really changed their product a lot in a while and their pricing point is very close or the same to the "extra super duper premium" competitors.

That is probably a good thing in retrospective, but if the Pennzoil shows in a real world test that it's equal or even slightly better then that gives me enough reassurance that it's a safe product to put in my inventory at home. Does that mean I will exclusively switch to it? Nope. I bought Castrol Edge for my Five Hundred on the last oil change because they were out of the Pennzoil and Mobil 1 wasn't on sale that week. I have absolutely no concern that it will affect how long my engine lasts either. I'm sure it will preform the same or similar to the other two products.

Now we can sit and argue all day long about oil in general, but when it comes to synthetics I never buy an off-brand, store brand, or cheaper grade. If you change your oil every 3,000 miles it doesn't really matter what oil you run but i've seen first hand that cheaper synthetics hold up about as well as conventional oil.

The issue I mentioned above about Valvoline and also applies to store branded oils(NAPA, CarQuest, O'Reilly, ect) - We have a fleet of 8 vans and none of them used oil before switching to Valvoline and NAPA branded synthetic oil in them. I also put NAPA branded oil in my Five Hundred and when I saw this happening in all of them, I decided to change my oil right away. When I drained the oil it was BLACK. It only had 1,500 miles on the oil and it was disgusting. My boss put it in his '07 Camry and he noticed his car burned a quart within 1,000 miles. Changed it and it was black too. So 10 vehicles having issues with that type of oil is enough proof for me to not try to save a few bucks on oil. I'll gladly pay double for an oil change for the peace of mind. All of our fleet at all three branches now runs Pennzoil Platinum exclusively - zero issues since switching. That's 40+ vehicles.

Please allow me to clarify. I'm not arguing the benefits of synth vs non-synth or store brand vs national brand. I'm simply asking for proof that this particular newfangled Pennzoil oil product is significantly any better than whatever oils any of us are already using in our own cars.

My point is that other than a very misleading ad by Pennzoil, and a random isolated test report (that I don't know if anyone here is even trained to interpret properly) posted by some random guy on an Acura forum is not (to me) sufficient information to endorse it's usage. That's all.

[Kompresshun]

I apologize for the long rant in that case. The second part wasn't really relevant to this anyways, but I deal with this stuff on a daily basis so I tend to go into too much detail. Part of my job is going into detail though.

I can agree with you on the fact that the marketing gimmick is dumb and there is no significant proof to show that it's any better than what we're already using. I would've bought it with or without the "Pure Plus" technology or the marketing antics anyways.

My point is that I am selective in what I buy, but I also don't buy based on whatever marketing crap or whatever they advertise. There was nothing wrong with the product before it, so I have no problem buying it now either. If it costs the same as before, I don't care what they slap on the bottle because I know it was just as good as the competition before the fancy ads and labels. The label or claims does not make it better, nor do I really think it's going to be any better. I have no problem buying Castrol or Mobil 1 if it's not on the shelf or costs more at the time.

[darylzero]

I've been using Pennzoil Platinum in my Rogue for over a year, before that Mobil 1 and no issues at all.

So I'm curious, if you've had zero issues with Mobil1, why do you feel it necessary to switch to Pennzoil Platinum? I assume it's priced on par with Mobil1. I'm sure PennPlat is as good as any other synthetic oil, but after glancing at the attractive ad, I'm not convinced this new product performs any better than any other synthetic oil on the market.

Here are claims directly from their ad and my concerns in parenthesis:

•Cleaner Pistons1 Keeps pistons cleaner than any leading synthetic oil2 (significantly? proof? )
•Better Fuel Economy Gives drivers on average an extra 550 miles per year vs. a dirty engine3 (duh! wouldn't any fresh oil do that too?)
•Protects Horsepower Helps protect your engine from loss of power (doesn't all oil do that function?)
•Unsurpassed Wear Protection Provides better protection from friction4 (I interpret this as simply just as good as any other synthetic oil)
•Excellent Performance in Extreme Temperatures Provides faster low temperature oil flow and protects in extreme heat.
(uh, isn't that what any synthetic oil does over non-synthetic?)

Sorry to appear a naysayer, but I don't quite understand the buzz with this stuff except for the tie-in to Mario Kart, which has nothing to do with oil. Perhaps someone can provide some actual proof that this synthetic oil is any better than any other synthetic oil on the market like Mobil1? What am I missing?

I switched from Mobil 1 because Pennzoil was on sale for awhile at Walmart. The main reason for the change though was reading all the post on bobistheoil guy forum, where people list their oil Analysis results just like RogueOne linked to.
Now the prices for 5 quarts for mobil 1 and pennzoil ultra are exactly the same at walmart.

[lne937s]

Just wanted to weigh in, as I recently worked in motor oil marketing/advertising and used to review the test data and analyze competitor claims as part of my job. None of this is secret or proprietary information-- you can find it out if you read disclaimers, follow footnotes, read the studies, etc., but they don't make it easy on you.

Motor oil has a high level of industry regulation and has to pass an array of test to meet the ILSAC GF5 standard.
http://www.gf-5.com/
Generally speaking, the differences in performance from one brand to the other tend to be small (fractions of a percent). One brand may perform slightly better in one test than another, but overall there is not a dramatic difference. And the differences that are there may vary from batch to batch and how the oil was stored (e.g., light can degrade motor oil). “Real world” results are largely impacted by environment, fuel used, driving behavior, etc. Basically, the most important factors with synthetic oil are using manufacturer recommended viscosity grade, meeting ILSAC GF5 and following manufacturer recommended maintenance schedules.

Just a quick overview of motor oil: Conventional base oil is composed of just simple hydrocarbon chain molecules (~C25-C30). The longer the chain, the more viscous. To improve fuel economy, automakers have been moving to thinner grades, but lighter simple hydrocarbons tend to be more volatile... Synthetic motor oil from most major brands is primarily poly alpha olefin (PAO) base oil, with some synthetic esters and additives mixed in. PAO is just a hydrocarbon chain with a double bonded carbon at one end. It creates a more stable molecule that does not expand as much when heated (reducing the need for viscosity modifiers) and does not burn off as much, which (among other things) allows for higher temperatures and thinner grades.

Whether the hydrocarbon feedstock used to create the synthetic molecules originates from crude, used oil, plant material or natural gas, it really should make little difference to the finished product. It is more of a supply thing- Pennzoil (owned by Shell) gets the natural gas-derived base oil from Qatar.
http://www.shell.us/aboutshell/us-media ... l-gas.html

To address the marketing claims Bubba1 listed:

•Cleaner Pistons1 Keeps pistons cleaner than any leading synthetic oil2 (significantly? proof? )

"Significant" means a measurable difference in testing that is beyond the margin of error of the test. It could be parts per billion of difference, as long as it is measurable. It does not necessarily mean it will make a noticeable difference in your engine. Likewise a "20%" vs. competitor claim may be 20% more than a very small amount.

•Better Fuel Economy Gives drivers on average an extra 550 miles per year vs. a dirty engine3 (duh! wouldn't any fresh oil do that too?)

Exactly. In a properly functioning engine using the same viscosity, there will not be a noticeable difference.

•Protects Horsepower Helps protect your engine from loss of power (doesn't all oil do that function?)

yep

•Unsurpassed Wear Protection Provides better protection from friction4 (I interpret this as simply just as good as any other synthetic oil)

"Unsurpassed" is a parity claim in marketing terms. It also typically means that they meet the strictest current industry standard (i.e., GF5), rather than actually testing it versus other oils.

•Excellent Performance in Extreme Temperatures Provides faster low temperature oil flow and protects in extreme heat.
(uh, isn't that what any synthetic oil does over non-synthetic?)

Low temperature oil flow is reflected in the first number of the viscosity rating (which measures the resistance to flow at cold temperatures). 0W30, which is a synthetic grade, will flow better when cold, but 5W30 synthetic will not flow better at cold temperatures than 5W30 conventional. At high temperatures synthetic performs better.

[Bubba1]

Very interesting. Thank you for your insight!

[WDRacing]

It's marketing gobbly gook. Pick an oil, if you like it, use it. I've never had a motor die because of lubrication issues, other than a bad oil pump. Change your oil often and it doesn't matter what brand you use.

9 bucks a quart is a bit silly imho.

[Kompresshun]

It's marketing gobbly gook. Pick an oil, if you like it, use it. I've never had a motor die because of lubrication issues, other than a bad oil pump. Change your oil often and it doesn't matter what brand you use.

9 bucks a quart is a bit silly imho.

Agreed to a point. I will not just put whatever in my car, but if you change your oil often and keep everything maintained like most of us would, you will likely never have an issue. I still think that buying whatever junk on the shelf is a bad decision, but to each their own. If you want to save a few bucks and you feel confident in using it, then that doesn't bother me. I don't believe in buying the best, but I also believe being cheap is a bit silly too.

Now I was using $9/qt as a pricing reference - if you pay that much for it you're nuts. I usually buy it in a 5qt jug, then if i'm changing the oil in my Five Hundred I have to buy an extra quart. 5qt Mobil 1, Pennzoil, or Castrol synthetic jugs are $25.17 ea, so that's $5.03/qt.

[darylzero]

Thanks for the perspective lne937s

[WDRacing]

I just put Rotella T6 in the 540 yesterday. The Royal Purple that came out still had a nice dark purplish tint to it, not nearly as dark as I thought it would be.

I use whatever Synthetic is on sale and don't really think twice. Damn filter was $26 though...gotta buy what's in stock. I didn't plan ahead this time, the weather was too nice yesterday not to take advantage.

[Kompresshun]

I usually stick to Wix or Mobil 1 filters, but i've used those Bosch Distance Plus filters with no issues too. Wix is usually the cheapest, especially since I get a discount on them.

I probably need to plan an oil change for the Miata this weekend since it's supposed to be nice weather. I have that crappy NAPA oil in it too.

I will say that i've considered switching over to Royal Purple or Amsoil many times, but I really don't like using a product that's not readily available locally. I know you can go for extended intervals with the Amsoil, but I really never have felt comfortable going above 10,000 miles for oil change intervals. Honestly that even makes me cringe.

[WDRacing]

Most of the places around here stock RP. I only used it because the base exchange had it on sale, was down at 6 something a quart iirc. I won't use Redline or Amsoil for the reasons you mentioned. Sure they're the best, but you have to buy them online and they're way over priced. My 540 eats 7.5 quarts at a time, the trans eats 11! I have to do the trans filter and fluid before Carlisle. My damn fluid pump is still boxed up somewhere...

[Bubba1]

I won't use Redline or Amsoil for the reasons you mentioned. Sure they're the best, but you have to buy them online and they're way over priced. ...

But are Redline or Amsoil necessarily the best oils of all brands that meet the same exact standards/requirements?

[lne937s]

I don't want to imply that all oils are exactly the same. And there are some benefits to certain types of oils- some high mileage oils are like Armor All for your engine seals on older engines. I don't think it is appropriate for me to push the brand I used to work for, but I wanted to point out some of the overstated marketing that could be misleading. There are some differences, but full synthetic oils meeting the latest GF5 standard are more similar than they are different... and more similar to each other than they are to their own brand from 10 years ago.

But some motor oils do not meet GF5-- it is an industry standard (like SAE), not a government requirement. After a quick look, Royal Purple API Licensed oil seems to meet GF5, but other versions do not. Amzoil Signature and OE oils do, but some XL and other oils do not. Redline doesn't appear to meet it.

Now, some oils that do not meet GF5 may work for certain applications-- racing oils that are great on non-emission track cars will fail to meet GF5 because they contain metal-based anti-wear compounds that bond to the surfaces of oxygen sensors and catalytic converters and lead to emissions fails. But motor oil in a modern street car needs to do many things: lubricating, reducing wear, cleaning, transferring heat, preserving seals, emulsifying water from ethanol blended fuel, preventing corrosion... Overall, for a street car, GF5 will ensure your motor oil has been tested and is covering all the bases.

And when GF6 comes out, you should be looking for that.

[WDRacing]

I won't use Redline or Amsoil for the reasons you mentioned. Sure they're the best, but you have to buy them online and they're way over priced. ...

But are Redline or Amsoil necessarily the best oils of all brands that meet the same exact standards/requirements?

From the oil analysis and other such articles I've read, Amsoil and Redline seem to beat whatever oil they're compared too. Again, I don't use them because I don't think they're worth the cost.

Give me a modern Synthetic and I'm happy. My oil never reaches the point of break down...ever.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I've never had a motor die because of lubrication issues

Give me a modern Synthetic and I'm happy. My oil never reaches the point of break down...ever.

YUP!
I'll use synthetics on my extreme abuse applications (like my turbo cars, where oil is hitting a very hot surface and I don't want it to coke up), but other than that, it gets the cheapest new s*** I can buy. Usually Wal-mart supertech.

Like Brian said, its very rare that a car dies/gets scrapped out due to some engine oil related failure, as long as the change interval is correct.

[WDRacing]

Supertech is made by Shell anyway. It's not like it's some weird Chinese brand, last I checked it past all of the standard tests.

I'm about to use Supertech ATF in my Bimmer before I make the trip out to Carlisle.

[DrewH]

This has been an amusing read. I switched to Ultra from Mobil 4 or so years ago because its been proven through countless UOAs that it is a superior oil in the VQ. Research and you'd see that Platinum outperforms Mobil as well. I say the VQ specifically because what's great in one engine may not be for another. For example Ultra doesn't look nearly as good coming out of a Subaru EJ.

The argument "I've never had a problem" with the oil I'm using makes me laugh. If you can get better protection for your engine for the same or less money why wouldn't you? Especially in this case since both Platinum and Ultra, from my experience, are always cheaper. Brand loyalty to an oil, particularly from the Mobil crowd, is just silly.

Now I'm certainly not claiming that its the best oil for the VQ but without spending significantly more money Ultra is a great oil.

[lne937s]

This has been an amusing read. I switched to Ultra from Mobil 4 or so years ago because its been proven through countless UOAs that it is a superior oil in the VQ. Research and you'd see that Platinum outperforms Mobil as well. I say the VQ specifically because what's great in one engine may not be for another.

If you like the Pennzoil brand, then that's great. However, please be aware that Pennzoil was reformulated a around 4 years ago to meet ILSAC GF-5-- the Pennzoil of 4+ years ago is not the same as the Pennzoil of today (and the same can be said about their competitors). And since being bought out by Royal Dutch Shell, Pennzoil as a company is not the same as it was historically. Choosing Pennzoil over Rotella, Quaker State, Super Tech... (all made by Shell), may satisfy your brand preference, even if the difference is largely the color of the bottle.

Motor oil formulations are changing and evolving: just as you wouldn't buy an Ecoboost based on the Ford flathead, you have to keep up with current developments. But that takes a lot of effort, understanding of what test results mean (what's significant), and weeding through a mountain of misleading marketing. Overall, stricter industry standards have increased quality and made motor oils more similar than in the past. So, for those people not willing to constantly be researching their motor oil and not wanting to be tied to one brand, ensuring you are using recommended grade, meeting all certifications and meeting the latest industry standards (GF-5) will keep you in a quality product.

The one place Pennzoil has a clear advantage in the US is having the largest advertising budget.

[DrewH]

If you like the Pennzoil brand, then that's great. However, please be aware that Pennzoil was reformulated a around 4 years ago to meet ILSAC GF-5-- the Pennzoil of 4+ years ago is not the same as the Pennzoil of today (and the same can be said about their competitors).

I'm well aware and as I said brand loyalty when it comes to oil is silly. I thought I made it clear that what matters is how well an oil does its job. We're both certainly entitled to our own opinions and you may put faith in standards but I will always choose real world numbers vs bench tests.

[WDRacing]

The argument "I've never had a problem" with the oil I'm using makes me laugh. If you can get better protection for your engine for the same or less money why wouldn't you?

I will always choose real world numbers vs bench tests.

Not exactly sure what you're trying to say here? If someone uses a particular oil, for any decent length of time, on multiple vehicles, and never suffers from a single lubrication issue. What you have are real time bench tests, in real world conditions, with multiple sources tested.

Unless you're buying quart bottles of boutique oil, like Redline and Amsoil, the price is fairly negligible. Usually within a $1.50 or so a quart. If a person chooses to continue to rely on information he personally gathered, vs save a dollar just because he can, I find no fault in that approach at all.

Especially since all modern day synthetics are very close in chemical make-up and performance.

This next statement is for the people that may be reading this thread and don't have a lot of knowledge when it comes to what oil you should use.

The frequency of fluid changes and proper oil viscosity should really be the only things people are concerned about when considering what type of oil to go with. Or at least, those are the most important. Brand should be a secondary and much less important part of the decision making process.

Just my opinion, but I've owned a lot of cars in the last 24 years and I've been the primary mechanic on all of them.

[Kompresshun]

This is why oil threads spiral downhill quickly, because there are so many different variables you can argue about why one oil is better or worse than the other. Or argue why synthetic really isn't any more beneficial than conventional depending on the use. Or changing your oil every 3,000 miles vs every 10,000 miles.

The fact of the matter is this: The original post was just simply stating "Hey Pennzoil changed their product. Maybe i'll try some on my vehicle on the next oil change, because they claim it's a better product."

No one said you should change from the product you currently use, or really even tried to convince you it was better. Yet somehow everyone keeps getting their panties in a twist if anyone tries to defend Pennzoil.

So let's review. I like to review things too.

1. Why would you pay more for the Pennzoil? You're not. It costs the same on the shelf as everything else comparable at most retailers. If it doesn't, then it's likely going to be on sale at some point like the competitors product likely is.

2. Why should I switch from my favorite oil? You don't have to. If you like your current product and it hasn't failed you then stick with it. Some people don't like change. Some people still prefer rotary phones and like to wear tin foil hats to increase the call clarity too.

3. Why is it better than the store branded oil that's half the price? It's like comparing a McDonald's Cheeseburger to a Cheeseburger from somewhere like Chili's. They both use ground beef(well maybe), but the quality of the ingredients are not comparable and the recipe is completely different. Plus one will make you take a s*** later that will make you think you've just drank tap water in a third world country. The same basic theory applies to the oils, but if you like changing your oil more often then be my guest. Neither is going to cause catastrophic failure most likely.

4. Where is the proof that it's comparable or better than my favorite oil? If you have a favorite oil that you're loyal to, then there probably isn't enough proof on the face of the planet to make you switch. The proof is probably there though if you go looking for it and there probably is also contradicting proof to say that your oil is better too. Again, if you like your current oil then stick with it. No one is trying to prove you wrong. Some people believe Elvis is still alive too. Don't get "all shook up".

5. Why should I listen to you? You shouldn't. Why are you still even reading this? We're trying to force you to switch to a oil you don't want to, that's costs too much, and can't preform better than what you already use. If I were you I probably would've went stomping out of here long ago. We're pretty terrible people. You obviously listened to a commercial, ad, a friend, a mechanic or something along those lines when you chose your current oil product, so maybe that's why you're still here with the douchebags who like this new-fangled gimmicky oil product. So why are we still trying to decide who's oil schiong is longer? I'm sure yours is quite adequate - no need to continue to tell us about it. Your girlfriend already told me plenty about how adequate your product was last night.

So in summary - If you like cheap a** store branded crap, high quality synthetic, or the product your dad used when you were a kid then so be it. If you follow a good routine maintenance schedule and care for your vehicle as you should, it will likely never matter and it will always be adequate. I prefer to be above average though, but some people are fine with an adequate product. Some people like the same old thing. We probably all care for our vehicles better though than most people outside of this community and that's what matters.