Okay, I'm apparently an odd duck. I've generally used regular dino oils in the past and have never had an engine failure. I'm also the nut who keeps a small log book in my glove box and logs each gallon of gas, each mile, and each oil, filter, lube, and maintenance procedure done to my vehicle. For decades I've stayed with the 3 month / 3000 mile oil and filter change.
Now, here comes the out of the ordinary perspective. I'm open to using higher quality oils and going somewhat longer drain intervals if it will provide better lubrication factors for my engines and cost me no more because of a proven ability to provide superior lubrication for a longer duration. In other words, it I can get better lubrication for the same (or slightly higher) net cost, I'm going there. Believe me, to just go 6000 miles with a superior synthetic oil to do the test results still bothers me. I know, it shouldn't; but it does. However, if the actual lab results in my vehicles tell me that I'm providing better lubrication and protection for no more net cost, I'm there.
It may sound prejudiced, but I cringe when I hear "Rotella", because of my personal experience with the people I know who use Rotella. First, every single one drives a PowerStroke. I don't think I know anyone with a PowerStroke who doesn't use Rotella. (if nothing else, Shell is a genius at marketing that sector) Second, and unfortunately, my PowerStroke buddies are the guys who really can't afford a diesel pickup and they own totally ragged out Ford SuperDuty pickups that are almost constantly having to have their glow plugs replaced, their injection pumps repaired, and have dropped numerous valves and have had to have new pistons and rings put in their trucks. So, in my mind, I equate Rotella with broken PowerStrokes whose owners have more ex wives than they have teeth, and only bathe on weekends.
Yeah, before you break your fingers slamming me, I'm quite aware, and intentionally mentioned that their trucks were junk to begin with, that their trucks likely had trouble before they bought them. However, the fact remains that when I talk to them every 10th word in their vocabulary is "Rotella". Heck, it wouldn't surprise me if one of them named their next kid Rotella. Maybe I need new friends. However, as bad as it sounds about them; they would do anything for me at any time, and I for them. A person's income, education, and appearance do not make the person. Their genetically encoded good and honest nature far outweighs any detraction of them as a person. That being said, I still have to really consider some of their thought processes.
Oh well, sorry for the long post, but I felt like I should explain my "non scientific" basis for having my toes curl when I hear PowerStroke and Rotella in the same sentence. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Another thing, I don't have to worry about any of those buddies of mine reading this. Oh, they actually can read, and I've given them free of cost computers. However, the computers are used exclusively by their kids for their school work and educational purposes. My little contribution to help their kids to make a better life for themselves than their hardworking, but by some measures, unsuccessful parents.
