Synthoil AGAIN??

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

Our esteemed colleague Avi is pullin' our collective limbs....

"Audi didn't design their engines for synthetics".  

...offering no reference or documentation to back up this surprising 
claim.

My understanding (pitiful and limited as it may be, cringe, 
cringe,) is that manufacturers have not *generally* designed engines
to use, or not to use, synthetics.  Frankly, my suspicion is that 
this was irrelevant to most designers.  Surely, some engines are now 
specified as requiring synthetics by the manufacturer, but I would 
REALLY like to know what the determining factors are in this 
specification.  I suspect they are simply acknowledging that 
synthetics have some superior performance characteristics, and are 
therefore taking advantage of those to reduce failures and therefore 
reduce warranty claims.

Does anyone have **documentation** (not innuendo)to prove the 
contrary?

Synthetic oil is not a religion, but it has some advantages.  I won't 
re-cap them for all the 20th time.  (You're welcome..)

But in response to the Q about brands, I suspect the reasons that many 
more people use Mobil 1 than Amsoil include the following:

1)  Mobil 1 has a huge distribution system behind it, and is readily 
accessible in any town.  That's a big advantage when you need a quart 
of oil.  That's the reason I have used it in the past, and still use 
it on occasion.

2)  Amsoil is sold through private distributors, hence you have to 
seek it out.  Only the most discriminating car owners will do this, 
and as we are fully aware, the vast majority of car owners don't give 
a s**t about their cars  beyond washing them, and even many of those 
who do know or care about their mechanical condition wouldn't walk 
across the street to get a higher-quality oil.  They use what's 
convenient.

3)  Compared to Mobil 1, Amsoil's advertising budget is microscopic.  
What would you expect the result to be?

*.......................................................*
Al Powell, Ph.D.                 Voice:  409/845-2807
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