AMSoil Experiences with Cars & Trucks

[Rfisher7381]

I purchased Amsoil synthetic transmission fluid for my 97 Chrysler Concorde a few years ago. I did the complete fluid swap out where you disconnect the trans cooling line and had great expectations. However after only 15-20 miles I was getting a lot of trans chatter during shifts. After just a couple days I had to switch back to regular trans fluid and had to repeat that several times over a couple weeks before the trans shifted normal again. I contacted Amsoil and received zero consideration for a refund. Rather disappointed considering I spent over $100 for their fluid.

 

[dodge man]

I consider they way they sell there oil a little strange since it reminds me of Amway. They also have this Agrand line of stuff that also seems a little weird to me also. This is just me thinking out loud. There are some other products like Amsoil that seem to have an almost cult following. Zano wax comes to mind as does fluid film. Usually these companies, be it true of false, have a perception of high quality products.

I also haven't seen an actual oil failure either, but I have seen engines that have sludged up. I've seen them get real bad to the point that the valve covers are packed full of sludge. This is on egnines that were maintained also. This happened mainly back in the late 70's and early 80's. Today Amsoil has a list of engines that they say you can't extend your change intervals. I believe this is do to sludge.

 

[3930dave]

In the old days, the expression was Selling "the sizzle, and the steak".

Pushing the "sizzle" is often viewed by lame Sales Management as being the appropriate (aggressive baseline) thing to do. (I'm not pointing at Amsoil at all, just thinking of a recent local distasteful business experience).

Inexperienced or inept salespeople can often push our buttons. Unfortunately for Amsoil, past comparisons with/exposure to MLM leave some people with a bad vibe - I've been reading Bird's posts for a long time, he seems like a fair minded person, who had the misfortune of coming across a bad apple. As other people have commented, this can happen with any company.

I don't put blind faith in any product, Amsoil or otherwise. I believe they have some pretty good products - not perfect for every application, but pretty high performance for most.

I had the good fortune of coming across a local Amsoil rep who was smart and mature. Example - he acknowledged Mobil as having good products - he and I have both used Mobil products quite a bit over the years. He also happens to be a licensed mechanic. We had a balanced and informative discussion, no fairy tales.

With the Pref Cust. discount, the Amsoil product pricing is reasonable. The other benefit I've found (same for any company) is that the local rep makes a big difference. I can access the PDC directly myself to pick up product, or many of the local reps are back and forth to the PDC often if I want something picked up. With a few days notice (this is good service, for Canada), I suspect I could get one of the local guys to drop off whatever I wanted at my door. The PDC is about an hours drive away from me. Many years I've done a lot of business/worked nearby to the PDC, but not at the moment.

A high level of local service matters to me - 1) It's rare, esp. in Canada 2) helps when I get busy. These options also matter to me, partly because I have older vehicles - around here, it's getting increasingly difficult to find even 10W30 in stock at a retail store.

I've also had prompt and detailed answers back any time I've queried Amsoil tech support. Most recently that was for ppm levels of Zinc and Phosphorus in motor oil. Some Tier 1 companies won't release that type of information at all, let alone quickly.

Amsoil has some specialty products that can be hard to find elsewhere, and a service offering that is a little "different".

Most any of the top-shelf synthetic brands out there will give the average person good service for Regular or even Severe Service street use. Sometimes, too much time (guilty, but hey it's a cold winter night here, that's my excuse) gets wasted in brand debates - we are all probably better served by just putting our time into maintenance work, using any decent brand THAT AT LEAST MEETS THE OEM SPECS FOR THE APPLICATION.

Lube on.... :thumbsup:

D.

 

[crashz]

Sometimes, too much time (guilty, but hey it's a cold winter night here, that's my excuse) gets wasted in brand debates - we are all probably better served by just putting our time into maintenance work, using any decent brand THAT AT LEAST MEETS THE OEM SPECS FOR THE APPLICATION.

Well said Dave.

 

[3930dave]

Truth be told.... partly that is just a reminder to myself. I've over-analyzed once or twice.

Or was it three times.... ?

Lame jokes aside, it is getting scary out there - just ask anybody who runs a full-service independent garage. Keeping up with the explosion of OEM specs is a full time job, and pretty much means fluids have to be ordered just in time - you'd need a full bay just for fluids otherwise.

'Nuff about that for now, as the Specs arms-race (annuity-race ?) is worth a dedicated thread.

Twas a lot simpler, back in the whale oil days....

D.

 

[Cat_Driver]

t always seems like everyone complains about AMSOIL. Maybe its because they are a small (compared to the likes of Mobil)

Just so everyone know.....AMSOIL buys their base stock from Mobil. I always laugh when people hate AMSOIL , but love Mobil . It's the same thing. AMSOIL just adds more seasoning to their recipe. Shhh don't tell the Mobil people they are using the same thing as AMSOIL.

Amsoil and Red Line both buy their base stocks from other companies, including Exxon-Mobil.

Bird Wrote..Amsoil, just as Amway, uses legal "multi-level marketing" instead of the illegal "pyramid scheme"; the only difference being that they do sell a product. And you're right that their marketing practices have no bearing on the product's performance.

Do you know how silly that statement is?
Just so you know darn near everything you purchase uses legal "multi-level marketing" .

The milk you bought today uses legal "multi-level marketing" . The Farmer sells it to the Jobber, the Jobber sells it to the Wholesaler, the wholesaler sells it to the Bodega and then you can purchase it.

WOW lookie there your milk went through four separate legal "multi-level marketing"

How about you pants - same thing. Manufacturer, wholesaler, store, you. they all used uses legal "multi-level marketing"

Now for your tractor. Manufacturer, Distributor, Dealer, you....again uses legal "multi-level marketing" .

So it's OK for everyone else to uses legal "multi-level marketing" , but when AMSOIL does it, it's compared to a "pyramid scheme", shame on you.

I hope you can see ho inflammatory your statement is, as it pertains to AMSOIL. I'm not a dealer, I just hate people spreading false innuendos about a great American company, who is doing more to help the average person make a dime, than any other oil producer.

 

[Bird]

Do you know how silly that statement is?
Just so you know darn near everything you purchase uses legal "multi-level marketing" .

The milk you bought today uses legal "multi-level marketing" . The Farmer sells it to the Jobber, the Jobber sells it to the Wholesaler, the wholesaler sells it to the Bodega and then you can purchase it.

WOW lookie there your milk went through four separate legal "multi-level marketing"

How about you pants - same thing. Manufacturer, wholesaler, store, you. they all used uses legal "multi-level marketing"

Now for your tractor. Manufacturer, Distributor, Dealer, you....again uses legal "multi-level marketing" .

So it's OK for everyone else to uses legal "multi-level marketing" , but when AMSOIL does it, it's compared to a "pyramid scheme", shame on you.

I hope you can see ho inflammatory your statement is, as it pertains to AMSOIL. I'm not a dealer, I just hate people spreading false innuendos about a great American company, who is doing more to help the average person make a dime, than any other oil producer.

It's only silly to those who don't know what "multi-level marketing" is. Try google or bing and learn what we're talking about. It's been a lot of years ago when the government went after Amway for a "pyramid scheme" and lost in court when they decided "multi-level marketing" was legal because they did provide a product.

It's interesting that you say Amsoil "is doing more to help the average person make a dime, than any other oil producer" so apparently you do realize that what they're doing is different from what only you call "multi-level marketing" in your previous examples that actually have nothing to do with "multi-level marketing".

 

[dodge man]

I don't understand the "pyramid thing" as it relates to Amsoil. Say I buy a quart of oil at Walmart and they make a dime. Say I buy a quart of Amsoil off the internet and Bob, my local dealer makes a dime from the sale. Whats wrong with that? Its not like I have to sell a quart of oil to someone else, and that person has to sell a quart of oil etc. before I can buy a quart.

The only thing strange about it is you just can't go to Walmart and buy a quart. The Amsoil dealers tend to be small shops and private individuals selling it. I order all mine off the internet. I don't see a problem with that system.

 

[Bird]

I had no idea that so many people don't understand what "multi-level marketing" means and its similarity to a pyramid scheme. Cat Driver obviously has no idea what the term means. And there are even some other names for it. Yes, there are some differences, just as there are some similarities. Perhaps, Wikipedia's definition will help.

I certainly have no objection to you buying Amsoil (or Amway) products from anyone you want to buy from, but I do think consumers should be informed.

If you want to buy Amsoil from Bob and he makes a dime, fine. And does, Jim, who recruited Bob, make a nickel, and does Jerry, who recruited Jim, make a nickel, and on and on. There may be one or two or there may be 10 or 15 "levels" making a profit, not from selling you the product, but for recruiting other salesmen, each of whom tries to recruit additional salesmen. And the end consumer is paying all those people. Without the multi-levels, the product could sell for a lot less. And of course the first ones into the program stand to make a lot of money and the last ones into it make nothing.

And of course there's no similarity between "multi-level marketing" and the route that products take from producer to consumer as in Cat Driver's examples.

 

[rsewill]

Well put!

I had no idea that so many people don't understand what "multi-level marketing" means and its similarity to a pyramid scheme. Cat Driver obviously has no idea what the term means. And there are even some other names for it. Yes, there are some differences, just as there are some similarities. Perhaps, Wikipedia's definition will help.

I certainly have no objection to you buying Amsoil (or Amway) products from anyone you want to buy from, but I do think consumers should be informed.

If you want to buy Amsoil from Bob and he makes a dime, fine. And does, Jim, who recruited Bob, make a nickel, and does Jerry, who recruited Jim, make a nickel, and on and on. There may be one or two or there may be 10 or 15 "levels" making a profit, not from selling you the product, but for recruiting other salesmen, each of whom tries to recruit additional salesmen. And the end consumer is paying all those people. Without the multi-levels, the product could sell for a lot less. And of course the first ones into the program stand to make a lot of money and the last ones into it make nothing.

And of course there's no similarity between "multi-level marketing" and the route that products take from producer to consumer as in Cat Driver's examples.