BITOG Pennzoil product portfolio & GF-5 Q&A

[wwillson]

Hello BITOG Members from the team at Pennzoil.

We have been really intrigued by the conversation coming out of the launch of Pennzoil Ultra™ and are excited to continue the dialog as we introduce a new portfolio of Pennzoil motor oils.

We would like to emphasize our sincere appreciation for the feedback and interest that members have provided about our Pennzoil products. In an effort to maintain our commitment to BITOG's dedicated lubricant and automotive enthusiasts, beginning today, with this post, we will open a special thread for you to submit your questions to our team. There has been a lot of conversation around clean and the GF-5 specifications, so we would like to offer up our team of experts to discuss those topics as well as other lubricant-related matters that are of interest to BITOG members.

The thread will be open for question collection until Monday, June 14th. At that time, we will gather the questions posted and spend the next week answering as many as we can before providing you answers on Monday, June 21st.

Again, we are extremely excited to be able to do this, and we have only a few requests:

1. Please use this thread ONLY to submit questions, and please keep commentary or feedback on the product to the other areas of the site. Many members of the team do visit from time to time and always note feedback.

2. Please understand that there will be some questions that we will not be able to answer. We can not divulge any proprietary information and can only speak from our areas of expertise.

3. Please understand that we will not and cannot comment or speculate on the products of our competitors.

Please ask any questions you may have about Pennzoil Ultra or about any Pennzoil motor oil as our team consists of marketers, engineers, formulators and ASE Certified Technicians from our R&D group. Some of the members answering your questions will be:


Debbie Van Schalkwyk
Pennzoil Brand Manager, Global


Dr. Robert Sutherland
Pennzoil Technology Manager, North America


Pete Sant
Passenger Car Motor Oil Product Marketing Manager, Global


Ian Shannon
Passenger Car Motor Oil Product Manager, Global


Mark D. Ferner
Lubricants Technology Group Manager USA
ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician and Advanced Engine Performance Specialist


Thank you all for your understanding and enthusiasm.

The PennzoilTM Team

 

[buster]

GF-5 is raising the bar. How will Pennzoil conventional GF-5 motor oils compare to Pennzoil Platinum and Ultra? Do they share similar chemistry? It appears that most oils on the market will soon be synthetic/blends with the new API SN spec, as most will be using Group II/III base oils.

Why two synthetic oils and not one? Many seem to be having a hard time finding an incentive to use Ultra over PP, being PP is already good! (GM 4718M/HTO-06 etc.)

Why not suggest Ultra is good for 1/yr drain intervals IF out of warranty? The oil is clearly capable, and your competitors offer 15k mile drain oils. Thank you for answering our questions.

 

[2oldtommy]

General Motors has taken a different direction and will specify Dexos 1 for gasoline engines and Dexos 2 for diesel engines. Will PZ Ultra address the requirements of either or both of these specs? If so,in what viscosities?

 

[Ben99GT]

Why doesn't Pennzoil Ultra make any claims of extended oil change interval capability similar to Castrol Edge and Mobil 1 Extended Performance? Was Pennzoil Ultra tested and developed as an extended oil change interval capable oil?

Was Pennzoil Platinum recently reformulated to meet GF-5?

 

[greenaccord02]

Thank you to all of the members of the team for this Q&A. Your interest in this small segment of your customer base is appreciated.

I'd like to express my interest in the question asked about the Ultra vs. Platinum line. What data - aside, of course, from any proprietary info - can you share with us that will help illustrate the value of the Ultra line as compared to Platinum? The cost difference is substantial and as others have pointed out Platinum is an oil with great performance characteristics in the first place.

Also, what is your outlook on the future of conventional oil as the newest generation of specifications come into effect from engine manufacturers and trade associations?

Thank you again for your time.

 

[INDYMAC]

Will Pennzoil ever formulate an EOP based engine oil again? If not, why not?

Also, when will the GTL baseoil products come on line?

Thank you for doing this Pennzoil!

 

[Best F100]

There are two categories of oils I would like to see Pennzoil consider and give us.

1) A synthetic based, two cycle oil for our weed wackers and two cycle mowers. I hate using mineral based oils. (I own two Lawn Boys, 1 Toro and 1 Wisconsin Robin mower - all 2 cycle). Your major competitor abandoned this product two years ago.

2) A 10W30 Motorcycle Oil with a HT/HS of at least 3.4. Reason: Some newer Motorcycles and ATV's (with higher than passenger car rpm's) now specify this viscosity. Not interested in loosing fuel economy with a 40 wt oil.

 

[Best F100]

Originally Posted By: Best F100
There are two categories of oils I would like to see Pennzoil consider and give us.

1) A synthetic based, two cycle oil for our weed wackers and two cycle mowers. I hate using mineral based oils. (I own two Lawn Boys, 1 Toro and 1 Wisconsin Robin mower - all 2 cycle). Your major competitor abandoned this product two years ago.

2) A 10W30 Motorcycle Oil with a HT/HS of at least 3.4. Reason: Some newer Motorcycles and ATV's (with higher than passenger car rpm's) now specify this viscosity. Not interested in loosing fuel economy with a 40 wt oil.



Would you consider these products?

 

[buster]

Why would someone choose to use Ultra over PP, or even your GF-5 conventional oil? Too much use of the world "clean", and too many oils IMO. Even if the Seq IIIG performance advantage is there, most consumers have no clue as to what that test really means.

Most consumers are clueless when it comes to motor oil. I just think Pennzoil's line is too cluttered, especially now that they have Ultra & PP side by side on the shelf, both claiming to clean x%. LOL. It's overkill IMO. Obviously your sales figures will tell you the true story of how it's all playing out.

 

[Hessen]

When will PU Euro spec be available in stores...?!

 

[aquariuscsm]

Will Pennzoil Ultra Racing 10W60 be available in quarts/5 quart jugs at Walmart and/or auto parts stores?

 

[Hermann]

I would love to BUY not talk about Pennzoil Platinum or Ultra 0W-20 in 5 qt jugs. It is what my Tacoma recommends and it is just a hassle to find at a reasonable price.(Not paying shipping) What are the chances of this happening. I am currently using 5w-20 Platinum and like it. But the best mileage my truck has ever achieved was on the factory fill during breakin, which many folks believe was 0W-20.

 

[SilverGGA]

1) Why is Platinum 5w30 certified for ACEA A5 / 4718M / HTO-06 but Ultra 5w30 only certified for 4718M and HTO-06, but not ACEA A5? This makes the Ultra 5w30 weaker on paper than Platinum 5w30 in terms of certification.

2) Pennzoil Ultra 5w-40 is no where to be found. Any plan to bring it to Walmart and/or other auto parts chains, preferably in 5-qt jugs? I will definitely use it over Mobil 1 0w-40 if price is similar.

 

[Mustang Man]

I'd like to see PU in a 0w-30.

 

[finalyzd]

1- why should I buy pennzoil ultra? platinum keeps my engine clean already. What's the true difference less wear? Better gas mileage? My engine will be even cleaner if that means anything? Why change something that's already working great.

Looking for a better incentive to buy ultra besides a little bottle of gumout.

 

[mxhdroom]

I'm interested in Canadian availability for the new Pennzoil "Yellow Bottle" conventional and Pennzoil Gold syn blend. When can we expect to see it on the shelves up here (or is it already here and I'm just not looking in the right place

)?

Thanks for doing this for us - a great idea and hopefully other companies will see fit to do the same!

Gary

 

[Finklejag]

Thanks for taking the time to answer more of our questions.

I own a 2010 VW GTI. It specs a 502.00 oil. I was looking at your Euro Ultra 5W-40. The data sheet was impressive for this product. This product can go head to head with Mobil 1 0W-40 with the specs it meets. Then the downfall of this product. I couldn't buy this oil anywhere! I called my local distributors with the SOPUS part number. They couldn't even find this oil for me. In my opinion, Pennzoil failed! Why show a data sheet on the Pennzoil's website for months now, and not have this oil ready to purchase by the consumer? That's just bad marketing!

I know 5W-40 oils in the US aren't a big seller. I can find Kendall and Chevron 5W-40 on their websites, and at their local distributors. You guys lost my business because of this.

 

[modularv8]

Is the Boron additive in Pennzoil Conventional "yellow bottle" the same as the Boron additive in Pennzoil Ultra?

 

[thunderchild]

I would like to know if you all at Pennzoil can make your 5w-40 synthetic oils more accessible to the public? I have a very hard time finding them anywhere!! I am forced to use another brand even though I prefer yours. The 5w-40 European should be everywhere!!

 

[rewote500]

I do not use your products due to one reason: Your Warranty. Will you ever warrant your product beyond 4000 mile oil changes? Will you ever allow the warranty to not expire? The fact your warranty requires 4K oil change intervals and expires after a set number of years leaves me purchasing products from your competitors which do not enforce such strict stipulations. Why buy a product for $28 that must be dumped after 4000 miles and has an expiration date for the warranty when I can buy another for $27 that guarantees 15K miles of protection and the warranty never expires?