"Boutique" Brands

Joined
Nov 16, 2002
Messages
37,908
Location
NJ
I often feel compelled to support small businesses. How do you feel about supporting the smaller blenders vs the major corporations? I know for many, it's a risk due to a lack of approvals.
 
Meh. I find small blenders allow alot of ambiguity in their marketing. I get it their higher material costs make it difficult to compete against the majors so they try to be a niche product.
 
Originally Posted by Donald
no risk for buying Amsoil or Redline. The issue is the price and if I need some quickly its not on the shelves at Walmart.

Yep, agree...
 
Red Line is owned By Phillips66 and Amsoil isn't exactly a mom and pop operation. I buy Red Line periodically along with Ravenol. I have also bought MPT which I consider a small blender and will probably utilize HPL in the future. I believe that many of these boutique brands are superior in aspects that I value for my particular needs.
 
Red Line is owned by Phllips 66, but still operating as they always have with the same chemist and philosophy. Hopefully that remains.

Amsoil isn't a publicly traded company.

HPL
Driven
…..are others.
 
I always support local small businesses as much as I can with what I need whether it be restaurant, bakery, tire and car repair shops etc.
As far as oil from small blenders I have no doubt they're of high quality and I would like to support them as well but their high price is an obstacle for me.

If I can get quality oil like 5QT QS UD 5W-30 on sale for $14 compare to same size and viscosity oils from small blenders for $70 to $100 including shipping which majority of them charge it's no brainer which one I get.
 
Companies that market multinationally, however small BY COMPARISON, are not the "small businesses" who need the benefits of your purchasing power.

Small businesses which own/rent "shops in town on Main St. USA" or "kitchen beauty salons" or independent garages etc. meet the criteria.

I've always tried to buy small. I've always sought items from No. America and points east, meaning Europe because investors are sending their money east.

There's no escaping it. However, the glowing textbook explanation which promises me better, cheaper products from newer production facilities simply isn't true.

If I have to spend my money "west", I do it. A $100 Made in USA wrench I'll use once may be passed over for a cheaper HF tool. We've been over that.

Tax breaks should have been given to companies which HIRE MORE U.S. PEOPLE.
 
Originally Posted by Kira


Tax breaks should have been given to companies which HIRE MORE U.S. PEOPLE.



They're given huge tax breaks already. Especially at the state/local level.
 
Liqui-Moly is a smaller company, and you can get their oil at Napa, some of which are independent and not corporate-owned
smile.gif
 
I've been using Amsoil since 2010 and across several vehicles and maybe (a guess) close to a million miles. I've had UOA from Blackstone, NAPA, and Polaris (Amsoil). It is an excellent product; never heard any (substantiated) claims on it regarding a lack of quality. Amsoil let me sleep at night when my kids were in College hundreds of miles from home when I wouldn't see them or the car for months on end and ???? thousands od miles. Oil analysis proved me right, but only ONE UOA isn't going to do diddly squat.
You need trends, regardless of which company you use.
Another thing I do NOT understand about BITOG is the numerous complaints about difficulty OBTAINING Amsoil, yet there are BITOGGERS who have more of a personal oil "stash" than some small parts stores. Regardless of what your preferred oil is, I don't see it as really any big deal to have enough on hand to do a few changes; especially for a lot of guys who have more vehicles than fingers on their right hand.
 
I don't put much weight on approvals with the smaller brands. I don't blame them for not wanting to go through the testing to get an approval for a market that isn't their target market. I also don't blame them for not wanting to be restricted by API standards.

My oil stash is mostly HPL and Driven with some loose quarts of Amsoil, Red Line, and VR1.
 
Last edited:
Amsoil is 100% owned by Alan Amatuzio, the son of the founder of Amsoil, AJ Amatuzio. It's his 'mom and pop' shop since AJ passed away.
 
I've purchased Schaeffer's, Driven, and just recently, Amsoil (I've used other Amsoil products, but just recently their engine oil). I like supporting local businesses and smaller businesses where possible, and although their oils may be more expensive ($10-$15 more per OCI), I usually only get one or two chances to change the oil in my car a year. Worst case scenario, I spent an extra $30 over the year. Not exactly breaking the bank. It's the same line of thinking that lead some folks to go grocery shopping at a smaller chain rather than Walmart- support the little guy. However, I get why people don't want to spend the extra hard-earned money.
 
Originally Posted by buster
I often feel compelled to support small businesses. How do you feel about supporting the smaller blenders vs the major corporations? I know for many, it's a risk due to a lack of approvals.


Most of the "boutique" brands are actually now owned by either larger petrochemical companies or investment corporations. Redline is owned by Phillips, Royal Purple is owned by Calumet Brands, Brad Penn (Penngrade) is D-A Lubricants, etc. Amsoil is huge by itself...

That said, most of them are still relatively independent as divisions and so you're supporting at least a small group of employees that do specialized work. If you have a vintage engine and don't like camping out on BITOG constantly monitoring how changing API requirements are forcing changes to mainstream oils and possibly making them unsuitable for your application, that's where those brands have their niche, IMO.
 
PP and PUP for me. Never an Amsoil fan. Great oil. Costs too much and no measurable difference in the long run with proper OCI and good filters.
 
Yeah, I was converted from long time M1 user to PUP after the great Castrol uprising several decades ago - by BITOGers. I've been please with results and postings of UOA's. I would like to support local quality vendors such as HPL, but with deconstruction of U.S. Industry, I no longer have the finances to do so.

So, PUP it is for me. Rotella T6 for the diesels.
 
I've used:

Redline 0w30 - 1 time

Royal Purple - twice The API version and HPS

Amsoil - twice XL and SS oils

Schaeffer - I've been using this for 3-4 years now

HPL- I'll be trying this oil in the future
wink.gif
 
Back
Top