Blackstone turn-around time at least 1 week+1 week just to get there

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Aug 14, 2019
Messages
714
Location
NYC
They received my oil sample on Saturday and now we are here on Friday. I called to check and they said either today or Monday and instantly I thought "ok Monday". When someone says either Friday or Monday they mean Monday...so in total you are looking at 2+ weeks for each oil sample.

I am not entirely thrilled about this turnaround time, but what can I do?
 
Originally Posted by Navi
I am not entirely thrilled about this turnaround time, but what can I do?

Is this a trick question?!?
Take your business elsewhere.
But you already knew this....

Good luck!
cheers3.gif
 
Dude, it takes as long as it takes. Like Imp4 said...

You could also contact BS directly and let them know this is a critical sample to continue your business. That might help.
 
Expectations for service should be kept realistic given the price paid for promised service.

The price of their UOAs seem very low, given that they provide the kits in advance and for "free". To expect them to then provide an expedited processing of the sample on top of that, all without requiring more money to do it, seems unfair to me.

Would I prefer a quicker turn-around? You bet.

Do I believe the current turn-around is inadequate given the price? No, I do not.

If they raised their prices and/or promised in advance to provide a result in a certain amount of days, and then failed to provide the results in that timeframe, I would be unhappy with their turn-around.

But as it stands, they are providing an adequate product, turn-around time included, for what I pay them.
 
Is this a sample where you're trying to determine shear stability? If so, Blackstone is the wrong place to send that, they are incapable of discriminating between fuel dilution and actual mechanical shear. In fact, they don't seem very capable of measuring viscosity at all.
 
My experience is that the USPS will take there sweet time delivering the bottle to Blackstone. They take a few days to run the UOA. In my opinion a two week or so turn around is not an issue.
 
Im just stating the facts and expectations. So now we all know what to expect...
 
I just remembered I sent my wife's sample in last Friday.

Ill try tracking it to see if it made it to Ft Wayne, but the USPS tracking number looks like its 34 digits!

I suppose they sent the results via email when analysis is complete if you give them an email address.

Check your inbox junk mail
__________________

Ha, it made it

Your item was delivered to an individual at the address at 9:40 am on August 28, 2019 in FORT WAYNE, IN 46806.

Status
Delivered
August 28, 2019 at 9:40 am

Delivered, Left with Individual

FORT WAYNE, IN 46806
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Navi
Im just stating the facts and expectations. So now we all know what to expect...

Pfffft, I sent my sample in and effectively forgot about it. They emailed the results once it was done. I wasn't waiting on the results by any means.
 
Originally Posted by The_Nuke
Expectations for service should be kept realistic given the price paid for promised service.

...


They are actually some of the most expensive of the commonly available choices... you used to get 1-2 day service for that. not so much anymore...


Originally Posted by FA_WRX
My experience is that the USPS will take there sweet time delivering the bottle to Blackstone. They take a few days to run the UOA. In my opinion a two week or so turn around is not an issue.


Been a week from receipt to UOA on my last 2.
 
In the past (a couple or more years ago), if I sent an oil sample to Blackstone on a Monday, I had results by Thursday or Friday at the latest (2 days shipping, 1-2 days lead time.)

The last sample I sent in took about 2-1/2 weeks. USPS took about a week to deliver which I thought was odd, usually it's 2-days transit from here to Fort Wayne. I just sent one in last Friday, no results yet and I forgot to write the tracking number down, so I'm not even sure it's gotten there yet. Indeed I think their lead time has gotten too long, but not to the extent that I won't use them. Not time sensitive at all for me, so I don't worry about it.
 
Originally Posted by Donald
The key with any of these labs is to send in the sample in a small box or padded envelope. Anything but the round container that hold the sample container.

But that would require the user to pay the shipping charges.... Reality is, Blackstone uses USPS First Class service and yes, they say these are typically delivered in "1-3 business days", that is a wide-open estimate, not a guarantee. First Class mail has no service time guarantee. Anyone that complains about Blackstone's turn-around time when maybe 3/4th of the "time" is when the sample is still in the hands of the USPS is downright silly !
 
Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by Donald
The key with any of these labs is to send in the sample in a small box or padded envelope. Anything but the round container that hold the sample container.

But that would require the user to pay the shipping charges.... Reality is, Blackstone uses USPS First Class service and yes, they say these are typically delivered in "1-3 business days", that is a wide-open estimate, not a guarantee. First Class mail has no service time guarantee. Anyone that complains about Blackstone's turn-around time when maybe 3/4th of the "time" is when the sample is still in the hands of the USPS is downright silly !


But generally the USPS time is not 3/4 unless they lose it... which does happen, but generally USPS has been improving and Blackstone time in possession increasing. I track almost every one of mine and Blackstones processing time has been steadily increasing.

And the USPS piece is partially IMO due to the postage due service - I'm not sure how this works exactly but if you examine the label it goes to the "postage due unit" and I suspect they may be held at the distribution center for one reason or another from time to time.
 
Now I will add the data point that B-S have had my sample for a week now.

But across the Holiday and big VA time.

I am really interested to see how the Valvoline Advanced 0W20 held up for the longish 9K oci in the Impreza.
Physically. it looked to my eye - when i was pouring from the drain pan into the waste oil 5 gal Gerry Jug - really not totally done.

After this post hopefully the analysis will be in my inbox this afternoon
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top