Is Super Tech just as good as name brands because they all meet the same specs? Maybe, maybe not.

Wal-Mart Gear Oil Draws Hefty Fines

Jim

 

I heard about this. Supertech seems ok, but I prefer other oils for a few more dollars.

 

Hmmm, if Warren or W-M knew the product was sub-standard, but sold it anyway, wouldn't you think there would be some type of prosecution?

If it was just a problem with batch control, and there was no intent to defraud or anything, why the big fine?

I wonder if the money that will go to the counties will be held in a special fund for county residents who used the gear lube and lost a ring/pinion?

 

Big shocker...

 

Ado to the old saying...

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

 

Lets think about this some more.

On the one hand it seems to me at the least, Warren Nebraska has, or had, a batch process quality lapse, or from the careful wording that this testing isn't "routinely" done, seems to me to suggest their quality standard was/is lacking & maybe their ISO quality auditor, or WalMarts quaity guy wasn't doing their job either.

All that said, other name brand lube mfgrs over the years have found themselves caught lacking in process testing too, like Shell, who let high sulphur gas hit the market about 3 years ago & wipe out who knows how many fuel pumps & fuel level sending units, or Ashland, or BP who were making claims about their products that they could't back up with facts, ect, ect.

So the base question remains, are (In Spec) Super Tech lube products as good as the brand name products????

To answer that, I suppose we need to define "as good as".

If we mean do their recipies meet the "minimum" API requiremets of their particular lube class, I suppose the recipe did when they got their API certification!!!!

But what are the "minimum" performance specs & what are the minimum in process qualty requirements by API on batch processing quality testing, by the refinery, shipping, storage, processors, blenders, ect, that'll ensure that the finished product we get at least meets "min specs", or are what we're paying for in a finshed product from ANY blender & how will they perform for us????

Guess we just have to trust the API min specs, or the "brand name", or pay big bucks like Cal did to test the danged stuff.

Seems to me there is a biger story behind all this WalMart/Warren/SuperTech thing that isn't being told.

On the one hand Warren said unless extreem temps were involved, damage was unlikely & that the cold temp range viscosity was in question on some, not all batches.

On the other hand the Cal Counties undertook expensive testing & time consuming litigation for what reason, if they weren't having problems, or no damage was done????

See what I mean, it just doesn't pass the smell test for me!!!!

Was this a serious breach & damage really done, or was this just a legal exercise to keep some lawyers employed, or maybe a legal training exercise, that in the end they knew would be setteled & paid for by a big name like WalMart, because of the idea of loss of buisness costs would exceed legal fines, if the word got out????

I don't really trust either side, as I've seen legal political moves by my local govts against a big name, so the local posecutors could ty & make a big name for theselves.
Turned out the Grand Jury found no fault with the business, but the business was blackmailed by the locals, as they threatened to continue litigation in another court, so the business agreed to pay money to stop the litigation & the money they paid exceeded the origional ammount in question by 2,5 times!!!! And we wonder why things cost so much!!!

On the other hand I've seen mfgrs try & take advantage of specifications & ship questionable, or borderline product, so I don't really fully trust either side to tell the WHOLE story!!!!

Like Paul Harvey, I'd like to know the "rest of the story" on this one!!!! lol

 

I was at walmart today looking at oil prices. quaker state in a 5 quart container was 10 bucks. same price as super tech. it seems oil prices are starting to come down a little. another place in town has valvoline for 2.50 a quart. so you can get a name brand for about the same price.