Guess this mystery Hertz oil

[csandste]

As posted earlier, I was forced into a quick buy of a 17 Kia Soul+ from Hertz when I found out my Buick Encore was totaled 24 hours before leaving for a cruise.

Oil was overfilled and bright SCREAMING orange-- I mean a shade somewhere between Donald Trump and an orange popsicle. Like nothing I've ever seen before. Sales staff knew nothing about what it was, only that it was synthetic. Service sticker simply said CarQuest.

I'm planning on running it 6000 miles and switching to MaxLife 5w20. After 3500 miles it's a bit dirty but still screaming, neon, bright orange. Not burning off a bit, still over filled and running fine.

Any idea what this stuff could be? It looks like nothing I've ever seen....ever!

 

[walterjay]

Never see that, but I would dump it.

 

[spasm3]

Sounds like a tracer dye for finding oil leaks.

 

[nap]

Maybe they used the wrong fluid

 

[Chris142]

I would drain it asap

 

[SZR48207]

Where can I learn to be so edgy like you?

 

[RooflessVW]

Snap a photo of it on the dipstick, or blot some onto a paper towel. I've seen orange/red tint before.

 

[Danno]

Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Where can I learn to be so edgy like you?

Frankly, if that's edgy, really don't want to know.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted By: csandste
Sales staff knew nothing about what it was, only that it was synthetic.


Surprised you bothered asking them. Why in the world would they know ? Even the reference to it being synthetic was 50% guess on their part unless they also arrange maintenance work and specify that oil changes be done using synthetic.

 

[JTK]

Given this was probably it's only oil change, I'd change it so you know exactly what oil/filter is in there.

FWIW, the Nissan in my sig was a previous rental and the carfax showed one oil change. I bought the van a year old with ~32K miles on it. I'd like to think it had several OCs by the time I bought it, but you never know.

 

[mx5miata]

not cool, you would be better off running it through a quick lube center than driving around with that.

my wife was offered to buy a rental car, they are the most beat and abused cars on the road. maintained by kids barely old enough to drive. nah not for me.

 

[mrsilv04]

I've seen Valvoline MaxLife turn a florescent yellow color (like a highlighter marker) after about 500 miles in a GM 4 cylinder.

Bright orange is a new one.

 

[mehullica]

I say it’s some brand of oil leak dye. With too much added, usually you add about 1oz, they could’ve added the whole bottle

 

[Bud_One]

Any pics ?

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: mx5miata
my wife was offered to buy a rental car, they are the most beat and abused cars on the road. maintained by kids barely old enough to drive. nah not for me.


Rental car companies that sell their cars only keep the cream of the crop ones. The rest go to auction. Carmax, Autonation, etc end up buying some of them. Too bad Hertz doesn't use Carfax which sometimes shows maintenance records. They use Autocheck instead.

 

[maxdustington]

You have to update this post with a UOA.

If it is indeed UV dye, that might be worth investigating.

 

[mrsilv04]

What brand is the oil filter? That might provide a clue.

 

[93cruiser]

no offense, but were you really forced to buy a car? one with orange oil?

if insurance was/is involved, you should have gotten a loaner car. if your policy did not offer it, you could have rented a car for a few days after your cruise, and found one you were not "forced" to buy in a rush.

I hope it works out for you, but I don't know why a rental was considered. Why buy a car that was knowingly abused, driven by hundreds of people, not cared for because no one truly owns it, and probably not much less that a one owner used car?

 

[Crispysea]

Royal Orange, obviously.

 

[nap]

Originally Posted By: Crispysea
Royal Orange, obviously.