this month's AMSOIL magazine

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: robertcope


I think a better question is, does Mobil even know AMSOIL exists? (I'm sure they do, but seriously...)

robert



A) September 23, 2010 – AMSOIL, INC reveals a new marketing strategy to its dealers which incorporates three tiers of synthetic motor oil marketing and introducing the new OE product line.

AMSOIL INC, discloses bold marketing strategy in power point presentation which includes an image of a smashed Mobil 1 quart bottle behind a quart of the new Amsoil OE quart bottle. Image here: http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af202/CompSyn/OE_M1.jpg


B) October 18, 2010 - AMSOIL OE first becomes available for purchase by its dealers.


C) November 1, 2010 - AMSOIL OE becomes available for distribution. MSRP: $5.50 per quart or $5.39 per quart when purchased by the case (12qts). The 5W-30 grade meets spec for GM dexos1.


D) November 9, 2010 - Official Company Press Release: AMSOIL Introduces Attractively Priced OE Synthetic Motor Oil in Three Viscosities. Press release link: http://www.amsoil.com/articlespr/2010/pr_oe_motoroils.aspx


E) November 9, 2010 – Exxon/Mobil industry analyst receives a Twitter feed on their Blackberry who then alerts marketing manager, Hesbam Omar. Mr. Omar who immediately is in worry mode, calls a late day emergency meeting of his enter marketing staff which marks the beginning of work intensive and miserable holiday season.


F) November 15, 2010 – AMSOIL preferred customers begin receiving the November edition of their Amsoil Magazine. Page 8 details Amsoil’s new three tiered marketing strategy e.g., “Move Up To Amsoil Quality”.

Three tiered marketing strategy “Move Up To Amsoil Quality” pdf – http://www.amsoil.com/news/2010_nov_move_up_to_amsoil_quality.pdf


G) February 04, 2011 - Official Company Press Release: ExxonMobil Announces Mobil Super Family of Premium Motor Oils

Press release link: http://www.businesswire.com/news/exxonmo...y-Premium-Motor

Press release includes image of tiered marketing strategy similar in scope to Amsoil’s “Move Up To Amsoil Quality” pdf:
http://mms.businesswire.com/bwapps/mediaserver/ViewMedia?mgid=261459&vid=5&download=1


H) March 05, 2011 - Mobil Super Synthetic motor oil is reported on the shelves of a Wal-Mart stores; retails for $5.97 per quart. Does NOT meet spec for GM dexos1.

Link: http://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2189970&page=1

 

[buster]

Good find Pablo. Is "E" true? Lol

Mobil is clearly following their marketing approach. Small companies are often quicker to make changes.

From Omar: "We have not been as aggressive in the past as you're going to see us be in the future."

Has Amsoil woken the sleepy giant?

 

[smithph]

Originally Posted By: buster
Good find Pablo. Is "E" true? Lol


+1

Your time line is interesting but not plausible. I do not believe XOM can revamp its product line, supply chain and have Mobil Super into the distribution channel in four months (Nov-Feb). More plausible is that this was in the works for a much longer time.

Originally Posted By: daman
Oh please....


+1

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: Pablo



H) March 05, 2011 - Mobil Super Synthetic motor oil is reported on the shelves of a Wal-Mart stores; retails for $5.97 per quart. Does NOT meet spec for GM dexos1.

Link: http://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2189970&page=1


Its funny that it doesn't meet dexos1. haha.

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: Artem
Originally Posted By: Pablo



H) March 05, 2011 - Mobil Super Synthetic motor oil is reported on the shelves of a Wal-Mart stores; retails for $5.97 per quart. Does NOT meet spec for GM dexos1.

Link: http://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2189970&page=1


Its funny that it doesn't meet dexos1. haha.


It could very well meet dexos1 and XOM would rather you buy the M1...

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
XOM sells products to Amsoil as well as others. They might have a base oil formulation that is exclusive to XOM and it isn't for sale to blenders. Why would any oil company supplying base oils, as well as making their own finished product sell a base oil better than their own? Or a superior add pack? They might keep the best for themselves. Paint companies produce paints that are sold under other labels. They leave the best formulations for themselves. It is common in businesses, think about it for a minute.


I thought about for 2 minutes. Each company has a target (niche) market they are pursuing. I CAN imagine that IF base oils and add packs can be tweeked, that a company (Amsoil) could specify these components "better" than what the supply company (Mobil)markets. I could even imagine that Amsoil could have a contract that states their base oils/additive pack is proprietary and even the supplying company can't use it.

And, who's to prove what's better....Amsoil's concoction or Mobil's?

 

[PontiacFan]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Very true, but an industry giant and leader. I'll play devils advocate to keep this discussion going on. Are you 100% certain their suppliers are selling them the very best products possible, even better than what they use? Maybe, maybe not. Sure if you read Amsoil's publications they'll tell you its the best, as will any other oil company. I think it would be a person's opinion and advertising hype. Really nothing factual to back up the answer to that question, for or against Amsoil. JMO


demarpaint, from reading your post I am under the impression if I am buying oil from Amsoil, I might actually be buying Mobil 1

I really doubt that XOM is selling Amsoil the same stuff that they put in Mobil 1, if this is true, then everyone at Amsoil Headquarters is probably having a very good laugh since they are overcharging everyone.

Maybe we have uncovered a conspiracy of epic proportions, but IMO, it seems Amsoil is really Mobil 1

If you think the label on the bottle of Amsoil looks better than the label on Mobil 1, then use whatever oil makes you happy.

 

[demarpaint]

PontiacFan if you're buying Amosil you're buying Amsoil, but XOM is in for some of the action, that's old news. A lot of speculation here. The bottom line is Amsoil buys from Mobil, we can speculate all we want about which is better, its all speculation and nothing more. I'd rather be an employee or stockholder of XOM than Amsoil. Amsoil also needs XOM more than XOM needs Amsoil. JMO

 

[Dick in Falls Church]

AMSOIL purchases at least some of its base stocks from ExxonMobil Chemical, obviously a subsidiary of MobilExxon.
Apparently there is enough quantity involved to make AMSOIL one of the (if not the) major accounts.

AMSOIL purchases base stocks and additives from a number of different suppliers. And they do it in quantities which have the suppliers contacting AMSOIL on a regular basis (unlike the early days). It is interesting to note some of the suppliers and contents labels on the 55 gal drums in the plant.

When a company comes up with a new additive and approaches AMSOIL with it, it is reviewed. If it could be appropriate, a test batch is prepared and run in carefully monitored normal-use vehicles.
If it works as well or better than claimed, AMSOIL may choose to incorporate it in the formulation, based at least partly on price.

In at least one case that I was told of, a test reformulation had been in progress for an extended period (two years comes to mind.)

Do the other companies know that AMSOIL exists? After more than 30 years, you betcha. Do they compare their products with AMSOIL? Not publicly, far as I've seen. After all, why would they give publicity to a little company. But you can bet they've all looked at any comparisons that AMSOIL has published over the years.

As mentioned earlier, all material arriving at the plant is quarantined until the lab tests a sample to insure quality.
And, yes, tankcars of base stocks have been refused (though certainly not often).

 

[addyguy]

IT CAN't be coincidence that Mobil and Amsoil have mirror-product ranges, it just can't be.

I'd bet there is more similarities in their formulations that differences.....they must be following the same formulation apprach.

Therefore, is Amsoil OE = Mobil Super Synthetic, and M1 = Amsoil ATM/ASL? I say pretty well yes!

 

[buster]

The current ASL looks like M1 from 2007. Still using 3k ppm of calcium and 260ppm of boron. Base oil blend is probably a lot different. Amsoil doesn't use POE or AN base stocks last I heard. They use diesters. Doesn't mean much really. The SSO uses a more advanced additive system/base oils.

 

[addyguy]

Amsoil doesn't use Diesters.

They use majority PAO in the ASL/ATM oils, with some ester of some kind - TMP(?) I think Mola has said?

Amsoil hasn't used diesters since 1978, AFAIK.

 

[buster]

Revisit that "Mobil/Noria thread". They were using diesters for a long time, even through early 2000's. Can't prove it though.

 

[buster]

In small amounts not the maj base oil.

 

[buster]

"Compounder-blenders are likely to have a very generic formulation that is 2-3 generations behind the majors, their exhorbitant claims notwithstanding. I've seen tearaparts of some pretty high-profile compounder-blender synthetics that were just sad. These guys are buying an adpak from Lubrizol or Infineum and blending it with basestock, usually from ExxonMobil, since that's the company with the most spare basestock capacity. Many of their "specs" beyond the physical properties are read across from the adpak & the basestock specs. In other words, they've never run many of the tests they quote on their actual completed blends, or even on a lab blend. I've seen plenty of oils represented as "GF-4" whose names are suspiciously absent from the ILSAC web page. Blend quality in this market segment is likely to be all over the map."

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: buster
"Compounder-blenders are likely to have a very generic formulation that is 2-3 generations behind the majors, their exhorbitant claims notwithstanding. I've seen tearaparts of some pretty high-profile compounder-blender synthetics that were just sad. These guys are buying an adpak from Lubrizol or Infineum and blending it with basestock, usually from ExxonMobil, since that's the company with the most spare basestock capacity. Many of their "specs" beyond the physical properties are read across from the adpak & the basestock specs. In other words, they've never run many of the tests they quote on their actual completed blends, or even on a lab blend. I've seen plenty of oils represented as "GF-4" whose names are suspiciously absent from the ILSAC web page. Blend quality in this market segment is likely to be all over the map."


I don't know how many generations behind they'd be but I'd be willing to bet they are certainly behind. I'd think a company like XOM that supplies both additives and basestocks would be the leader. Any company buying raw materials from them to blend a finished product will always be playing catch up.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Anyone who knows how companies work know that a smaller company has a much better 'reaction time' than a larger one.

"Corporate Inertia" compels the giants along the same path with more resistance to change.

A smaller company would have significant advantages.

But I'm not sure if Amsoil is really small enough anymore.

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
IT CAN't be coincidence that Mobil and Amsoil have mirror-product ranges, it just can't be.

I'd bet there is more similarities in their formulations that differences.....they must be following the same formulation apprach.

Therefore, is Amsoil OE = Mobil Super Synthetic, and M1 = Amsoil ATM/ASL? I say pretty well yes!


Addy, you've seen the UOA from my 07 Civic EX @ 10k after using both M1 and Amsoil. sure the additive package is slightly different but it looked pretty close to me.

My comparison was exactly apples to apples since i was using SSO vs M1 5w30 but still.

I too find that both M1 and Amsoils extended drain oils are far too similar to be just a coincidence.

 

[Unleashedbeast]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
\Therefore, is Amsoil OE = Mobil Super Synthetic, and M1 = Amsoil ATM/ASL? I say pretty well yes!


I'd say, you're incorrect about your cross manufacturer comparisons.

OE and XL = Mobil 1

ATM/ASL = Mobil 1 EP (possibly beyond due to Amsoil's higher concentration of ZDDP)

Amsoil also doesn't blend a conventional lubricant, like Mobil 1 does.

 

[Artem]

Amsoil's OE line was meant as a nice dino upgrade for its dealeres to use, when they first introduced it. Its pretty expensive but a good product, nonetheless.