API certification

[Hohn]

I just waded through a nightmare oilwar thread and realized that these fights aren't about oil at all. It seems to me to be more about trust. Like do you trust the manufacturer or the API? Say what you want about different oil companys' marketing (many of you already have, and then some), but it doesn't matter.

API certification is much ado about nothing. Anyone ever eat meat that wasn't USDA inspected? Ever taken a pill that wasn't FDA approved?

Many industry organizations are less than scrupulous. For example, the SFI, which sanctions safety equipment for drag racing. If you want to race, you have to have SFI approved safety stuff (seatbelts, scattershields, etc). It's a monopoly. There is documented proof of cases where Vendor A makes a scattershield like Vendor B does. Both are submitted for approval, but Vendor A's part fails. Vendor A BUYS Vendor B's (now-approved) part and submits it as their own for approval. Surprise! It Fails! What was the difference? Vendor B bought advertising in an industry publication, while Vendor A did not.

Standardization is a TINY part of the reason we have organizations like the API. The main is reason is that they serve as a de facto regulating body that helps to protect its members from competition. They have help from the automakers (who spec API oils) and the gov't. Why? They NEED this protection. See, the oil market is different from other businesses in that it doesn't have a high "barrier to entry." That's an economist's term to mean that it's VERY expensive to get started in some businesses. For example, a housekeeping business has a very LOW barrier to entry-- you could start that business with almost nothing. On the other side, making cars has a VERY high barrier to entry-- you won't see someone starting a car company out of his garage.

So, since you could start whipping up oil in your shop, you could easily start a business making better oil. Indeed, many synthetic oil companies started that way. API certification is less about the oil, and more about letting that manufacturer become a member of "the club".

The only thing API certification means is that the "buyer beware" factor is less. It means the stakes are lower. Without API certification, you might end up with an oil that is either MUCH WORSE or MUCH BETTER. YOU have to decide what your tolerance for risk is. Just like investing-- some people will day-trade, other will buy savings bonds.

Compare this to tapping the pump wire. Getting rid of your warrantee means the stakes are higher. It might be much WORSE (VP44 blows up) or much BETTER (Comp on 5x5 is hard to argue against). BTW, I think that it's unethical to tap the wire and try to hide it-- either tap it or don't, but accept the consequences of either.

I would encourage each of us to consider how much stock we put in others looking out for us. No one cares as much about you as YOU do. That's why the police can never protect you as well as you can protect yourself with a 9MM. No doctor cares as much about your health as you do. No one cares more about the oil in your truck than YOU do-- certainly not the API.

Some people need the feeling of security that a warranty or API certification brings (just like they feel better about having more security at airports). Fine, but ask yourself if it's anything more than just a feeling. Are you REALLY any more secure having all that airport harassment? Are you REALLY any more protected having a warrantee on your vehicle (which it seems they are always trying to get out of)? Are you REALLY making your engine safer with an API certified oil?

The bottom line is that the people that want or need API certification are free to do that, and have their reasons. The main reason is that they just aren't comfortable with a higher level of risk in this area, or many others of life. It is CERTAINLY not a reason to harang others who are more adventurous, and try to CONVERT them to a certain point of view. Let those who are comfortable with higher-stakes living enjoy that. It is the RISK TAKER that makes America great. Without risk takers, there would be no private business, no Capitalism, no competition, and also NO PROGRESS.

Ultimately, we are ALL not only our own warrantee stations, but our own life stations. What we eat, what we say, how we spend our time-- they are all part of the never-ending trail of decisions (and consequences) that make up our lives.

Enjoy yours to the fullest, and don't try to discourage someone else from doing so.


Hohn
(soon converting to non-API Redline oil)