is maxlife ATF really THAT good?

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Originally Posted By: Oil Changer


From Ashland: "...it should be noted that MaxLife ATF is not a OEM licensed product. The respective vehicle manufacturers have neither evaluated nor endorsed MaxLife ATF in these applications."

Wow! Good stuff!


Now that is pretty sleazy, it would be nearly impossible to file a damage claim against Ashland due to this disclaimer.

Even if the product is OK, and suitable for use in an application I would never use it based on this statement.

I do know that sometime back on a thread here it was asked if
MaxLife ATF was suitable for use in newer Honda/Acura applications which require DW-1 fluid...someone here contacted Ashland customer service via their 800 number and the CSR stated that yes, Ashland states it is suitable for use in that application but that the
bottles and PDS have not been updated to indicate that fact....well that was at least one year or more ago, and if you look at the current bottles and US PDS NEITHER say that the product is
suitable for use with DW-1 applications. It makes me question
Ashland's claims in other applications as well.


Recently, I called Ashland to verify whether Maxlife ATF would be compatible with a particular OEM spec. Before I can finish my sentence, the person on the other line said "absolutely, Maxlife ATF would be compatible for this application."

 

[Oil Changer]

I'll put this as simply as I can.

All of this has been discussed at length. It all can be found in the original thread I linked to this thread. It's all there, unedited, for everyone to see. The original transmission is gone. It is pointless to argue. It is my opinion the fluid caused the failure. I can not prove anything nor would I spend one penny of my money or one second of my time to try and do so for the sake of an Internet forum argument. All of that too is in the original thread and subsequent threads. It is not my fault that you are either too lazy, unable to comprehend, so far behind the power curve, or are so blinded by your fanboyism to understand. There is absolutely nothing you or anyone else can say or do to me that will change my mind nor do I care how ridiculous you or anyone else thinks I am.

The title of this current thread is, "Is MaxLife THAT good?" I am of the opinion it is not that good and I gave my opinion. Then the fanboys jump in and demand my proof. Sorry, not going to happen. Where's the proof MaxLife is THAT good? There is none. Internet folklore is all there is.

I've been a member here for some time and what I do know as fact is that MaxLife became a darling on this forum because it is a cheap alternative to OEM fluids that actually have approvals. Nowhere else on this forum, no matter what the topic, would get the pass MaxLife does. Because the fluid is a darling no one seems to need to back up their opinion with fact. "My tranny gobbles it up" seems to satisfy everyone's technical requirements. I say it's not that good and get a thousand people demanding proof simply because my opinion differs and that I dare speak against a darling of this forum.

Now the credibility thing (again). This is as simple as I can phrase it, I don't care. I do not seek anyone's approval. I do not care what anyone thinks of me. I have never posed as an expert. I'm just a faceless guy on the Internet giving his opinion on an opinion based forum. You can take or leave anything I say. If you don't like my opinion, don't read my posts. Put me on ignore. I don't care and you will be happier, that's why it's there. I will say my goodbye to you now. Actually, I find it quite humorous that anyone would seek credibility on an Internet forum. I don't care what my (or anyone else's) join date, post count, or signature line says. And if anyone does, you REALLY need to reflect on the direction your life is headed.

Is MaxLife THAT good? No it is not. Maxlife is cheap swill that carries no approvals that is used by many on this forum. I do enjoy the irony that people will put this cheap slop in their transmission then drive 100 miles to get a jug of Pennzoil Ultra for their engine.

That is my opinion. Take it or leave it, I don't care.

Originally Posted By: kschachn
That works both ways. How about you evidence that it made your transmission fail? Every time anyone asks for that all we get is "don't go there", or "you don't want to open that can of worms", etc. Lmao what a joke.

You completely discredit yourself just by the constant use of "fanboy" against anyone who dares to ask you for proof. Irrelevancy at its best.

 

[Oil Changer]

The question should be:

WHAT makes MaxLife THAT good?

DoubleWasp? 901Memphis? kschachn? Fanboys? Anyone?

Example: M1 0W-40 is THAT good. We know as fact that M1 0W-40 has an outstanding base stock and additive package. We know as fact that M1 0W-40 meets the toughest manufacturer approvals. We have dozens of UOA's and VOA's. We have up-to-date MSDS/PDS. We know as fact M1 0W-40 is overkill for darn near any application it is poured in to. Yes, M1 0W-40 is THAT good.

What makes MaxLife that good? Cheap? Sure is, that's why the cheap clique love it so much. Uuummmm...that's all I got. Anyone?

MaxLife has seal conditions but mercy, if anyone brings up the idea of using a high mileage motor oil, look out! Dozens will jump in parroting how unnecessary and potentially harmful that can be and how you have to keep using it, and you can't switch back and forth, don't need it if ain't leaking, just fix the leak, yadda, yadda.

MaxLife and it's seal conditioners? Pppfffttt... no problem! It's not even mentioned. I guess transmission seals "just love it", "gobble it up", "no issues". Why is that?

Edited to add: Hhhmmm...maybe the seal conditioners swelled up my filter gasket causing it to suck air and fry the transmission? No! C'mon, right!?! turtlevette?

 

[Oil Changer]

I too agree. This has nothing to do with me or my transmission failure (which so happened to have MaxLife in it when it failed) but the fanboys make it that way. Read my first response. I didn't bring up my transmission failure. I gave my opinion. Obnoxious? Over-the-top? Most definitely! I wrote it that way on purpose to aptly describe my disdain for the product. If other members would have just left it alone, this thread would have died off days ago. The fanboys can't handle that and round and round we go.


Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
^^^While I agree that there is a bit of 'piling on' going on here, the exact same logic used above also applies to a single person and his one bad story about ML ATF.

FWIW I like the stuff also, but am always wary of 'one size fits all" fluids, especially in newer cars...

 

[DoubleWasp]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
All hail DoubleWasp, king of the Maxlife fanboys!!

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
2005 Isuzu NPR HD - 88k miles on Maxlife - no issues
2003 Isuzu NPR HD - 86k miles on MaxLife - no issues
2007 Isuzu NPR HD - 81k miles on MazLife - no issues
2004 Isuzu NPR HD - 83k miles on MaxLife - no issues
2002 Isuzu NPR HD - 86k miles on MaxLife - no issues
1999 Isuzu NPR HD - 90k miles on MaxLife - no issues
2002 Chevy Express 3500 - 141k miles on MaxLife - no issues
1992 Chevy Caprice (700r4) - 37k on MaxLife - no issues
2007 Lincoln Navigator - 22k on MaxLife - cured converter shudder - no issues

Use it in all power steering that calls for ATF too, less noise, no issues.


All I posted were purely objective hard facts. I'm a fanboy because a fluid worked in operation? Am I a fanboy of the sun if I tell you it rose?

Sorry your 700 blew up. I rag the s*** out of mine on MaxLife, and it's loving it.

 

[DoubleWasp]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
The question should be:

WHAT makes MaxLife THAT good?

DoubleWasp? 901Memphis? kschachn? Fanboys? Anyone?


It meets the benchmark standard of any good product: When used, it works.

Quote:
Example: M1 0W-40 is THAT good. We know as fact that M1 0W-40 has an outstanding base stock and additive package. We know as fact that M1 0W-40 meets the toughest manufacturer approvals. We have dozens of UOA's and VOA's. We have up-to-date MSDS/PDS. We know as fact M1 0W-40 is overkill for darn near any application it is poured in to. Yes, M1 0W-40 is THAT good.

What makes MaxLife that good? Cheap? Sure is, that's why the cheap clique love it so much. Uuummmm...that's all I got. Anyone?


Ummmmmm......it works when it's used. What more could I ask of a product?

Quote:
MaxLife has seal conditions but mercy, if anyone brings up the idea of using a high mileage motor oil, look out! Dozens will jump in parroting how unnecessary and potentially harmful that can be and how you have to keep using it, and you can't switch back and forth, don't need it if ain't leaking, just fix the leak, yadda, yadda.

MaxLife and it's seal conditioners? Pppfffttt... no problem! It's not even mentioned. I guess transmission seals "just love it", "gobble it up", "no issues". Why is that?


That's your own drama. In our business, there's no lab test to determine if a product is good or not. There's no lab I send our trucks to in order to prove their effectiveness. It's all about performance results. If it works you use it. If it doesn't, it gets dropped.

Quote:
Edited to add: Hhhmmm...maybe the seal conditioners swelled up my filter gasket causing it to suck air and fry the transmission? No! C'mon, right!?! turtlevette?


Maybe your transmission was like the millions a year that fail every year on OEM fluids, and it just had a problem. You certainly didn't go out of your way to find out, so you'll never know.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
Finally, someone with good results. So you can post your UOA's on the fluid that was in the transmission prior to MaxLife that established your baseline followed by a string of UOA's on MaxLife that depict the trend of less wear? Or is this just another case where as far as you know have "no issue" and your transmission "loves it"?

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I've had good results with it in my 00 Century,...


No need for me to get UOA results. I've been using it for 40K miles now. Swapped it out after 30K miles, it was nice and clean and the transmission was/still is working fine. Trav and I did some work on it to resolve a known problem with the transmission shifting. Trav recommended using it, that's all I need to know. He's been using it a lot longer than me with no problems either. Had he cautioned against it, I would have listened to him.

BTW I never once commented about your transmission failure. I mentioned my success with the product in a 2000 Century. I also stated I planned on using it in a M5OD Ford E-150. I said I would not use it in my Jeep ATF+4 application.

People asking want to know the good and the bad. You represent the bad, I represent the good. People hopefully can make an informed decision after reading the pros and cons.

 

[Oil Changer]

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
All I posted were purely objective hard facts. I'm a fanboy because a fluid worked in operation? Am I a fanboy of the sun if I tell you it rose?

Sorry your 700 blew up. I rag the s*** out of mine on MaxLife, and it's loving it.


I must have missed those pure, objective hard facts. All I see is an unverifiable, obnoxious list of vehicles that you claim to have used MaxLife in. How do you know your transmission is "loving it"? Does it send you cards on Valentine's Day? You piled on.

If you're into pure and objective hard facts, the OP (not me) asked:

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
we are hearing all the time that this is "one fits all" and exceeds anything else (that is OEM).

i'm open minded, but would like to see some proof other than it "feels" good. I googled for UOA and found exactly zero. [censored], my googling skills can't be that bad?


Where's your proof or do all you have is a list of vehicles?

 

[Oil Changer]

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
It meets the benchmark standard of any good product: When used, it works.


So what is the "benchmark standard" for transmission fluid? Same as PCMO? Licenses and builder's approvals? MaxLife has neither. So what makes MaxLife "THAT good"? The simple fact that it has worked for you? You can make the same claim about your toilet paper.

Quote:
Ummmmmm......it works when it's used. What more could I ask of a product?


Uuummmmm...Lower temperatures, less wear, extended intervals, manufacturer approval.... You are logged on to BITOG, we expect those things; especially things that are "THAT good".

 

[Oil Changer]

The OP (not me) asked for proof of why MaxLife is "that good". Not pro and cons. Not good or bad. All he's got and all he'll ever get are lists of vehicles of people who have claimed to successfully used MaxLife. Completely unverifiable and certainly proof of nothing. All the proof submitted thus far is, "no issues", "if it works, use it", "loves it"... Hardly proof of anything.

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
People asking want to know the good and the bad. You represent the bad, I represent the good. People hopefully can make an informed decision after reading the pros and cons.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
The OP (not me) asked for proof of why MaxLife is "that good". Not pro and cons. Not good or bad. All he's got and all he'll ever get are lists of vehicles of people who have claimed to successfully used MaxLife. Completely unverifiable and certainly proof of nothing. All the proof submitted thus far is, "no issues", "if it works, use it", "loves it"... Hardly proof of anything.

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
People asking want to know the good and the bad. You represent the bad, I represent the good. People hopefully can make an informed decision after reading the pros and cons.



Fair enough, you're right. Did you post a string of UOA's leading up to your failure? And proof the fluid caused the failure?

Mods please remove my posts from this thread since I didn't post factual data.

 

[DoubleWasp]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer


I must have missed those pure, objective hard facts. All I see is an unverifiable, obnoxious list of vehicles that you claim to have used MaxLife in.


Matching your unverifiable, obnoxious complaints that it killed your transmission.

Quote:
How do you know your transmission is "loving it"? Does it send you cards on Valentine's Day? You piled on.


It works properly. If it didn't, the transmission wouldn't work.

Quote:
If you're into pure and objective hard facts, the OP (not me) asked:

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
we are hearing all the time that this is "one fits all" and exceeds anything else (that is OEM).

i'm open minded, but would like to see some proof other than it "feels" good. I googled for UOA and found exactly zero. [censored], my googling skills can't be that bad?


Where's your proof or do all you have is a list of vehicles?


Where's your proof? All I see is your whining.

 

[Oil Changer]

No, but I did post the VOA of the sample after the failure. That's far more than what anyone else has provided.

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Fair enough, you're right. Did you post a string of UOA's leading up to your failure? And proof the fluid caused the failure?

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
No, but I did post the VOA of the sample after the failure. That's far more than what anyone else has provided.

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Fair enough, you're right. Did you post a string of UOA's leading up to your failure? And proof the fluid caused the failure?


A VOA of a fluid that was blamed for a transmission failure doesn't prove anything unfortunately. A string of UOA's and some expert testimony might have won you a transmission in small claims court.

It might have also scared off some of the fan boys from using it.

 

[Oil Changer]

Soooooooo...you got nothing and choose to sling insults and ask a question that you know the answer to before even writing it. Okay then.

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Matching your unverifiable, obnoxious complaints that it killed your transmission.


Quote:
Where's your proof? All I see is your whining.

 

[Oil Changer]

Very true. My point to you was that sadly, my UOA is more than anything else anyone has provided for anything MaxLife related.

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
A VOA of a fluid that was blamed for a transmission failure doesn't prove anything unfortunately. A string of UOA's and some expert testimony might have won you a transmission in small claims court.

It might have also scared off some of the fan boys from using it.

 

[DoubleWasp]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer


So what is the "benchmark standard" for transmission fluid? Same as PCMO? Licenses and builder's approvals? MaxLife has neither. So what makes MaxLife "THAT good"? The simple fact that it has worked for you? You can make the same claim about your toilet paper.


I can make the same claim about all of the equipment that keeps us in business and making money.

Quote:


Uuummmmm...Lower temperatures, less wear, extended intervals, manufacturer approval.... You are logged on to BITOG, we expect those things; especially things that are "THAT good".


Speak for yourself. That's the only person you can speak for.

 

[DoubleWasp]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
Soooooooo...you got nothing and choose to sling insults and ask a question that you know the answer to before even writing it. Okay then.


You've obviously never heard the story of the pot and the kettle.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
Very true. My point to you was that sadly, my UOA is more than anything else anyone has provided for anything MaxLife related.



Fair enough. For your sake I wish it could have somehow proved ML was the cause of your failure.

The problem here at Bitog is if all anyone could post were facts about products they've used this site would be a ghost town. Anecdotal evidence and opinions can help some people make decisions.

 

[Oil Changer]

kschachn, you're going to love this... I said all I can say, so I will once again try and bow out of this gracefully. Say what you will. If anyone wants to keep fighting over my transmission failure or my hatred for MaxLife, send me a PM. Nothing good, polite, earth shattering, or mature is going to develop from this point forward. We all know nobody has proof of anything good or bad.

See you in the next MaxLife thread. There will be one and I'm sure I'll have a comment (or two).