What's the consensus on Slick 50?

Methinks you ARE just trying to start something... You don't need to solicit people's opinions. Here's what the US Federal Trade Comission has to say:

Quote:
FOR RELEASE: JULY 23, 1997
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QUAKER STATE SUBSIDIARIES SETTLE FTC CHARGES AGAINST SLICK 50
Agreement Safeguards $10 Million in Redress to Consumers

Three subsidiaries of Quaker State Corp. have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that ads for Quaker State's Slick 50 Engine Treatment were false and unsubstantiated. Under the terms of the settlement, the companies will be barred from making certain claims and required to have substantiation for claims about the performance, benefits, efficacy or attributes of their engine lubricant products. In addition, the settlement will preserve the Commission's option to seek consumer redress if class action suits currently being litigated against Quaker State and its subsidiaries result in less than $10 million in consumer redress.

...
In July, 1996, the FTC issued a complaint against four now-defunct Quaker State subsidiaries, which have been succeeded in interest by the three subsidiaries named in the settlement. The FTC's 1996 complaint charged that ads for Slick 50 claiming improved engine performance and reduced engine wear were deceptive. According to the 1996 complaint, Quaker State's subsidiaries aired television and radio commercials and published brochures carrying claims such as:

...
Finally, the complaint challenged ads stating that "tests prove" the engine wear reduction claims make by Slick 50. In fact, according to the FTC complaint, tests do not prove that Slick

50 reduces engine wear at start up, or by 50%, or that one treatment reduces engine wear for 50,000 miles.
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This particular press release is at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1997/07/slick.htm
Unqote. Similar settlements have been made with the manufacturers of similar products.

Please folks, let's not turn this into a big "Slick 50 is such crap" thread.

 

In college I had an '86 Honda Prelude Si. I bought the car in HS when it had 54k on the odo. I put slick 50 in it when I left for college in 1990. The car basically sat until 1992 when I took it to San Antonio from Omaha. In the three years I had it in school I never changed the oil more than once a year, I did top it off on a regular basis. I put the worst gas in it. I drove it through 3ft of water, yes it stalled, but I took off the air box and cranked it until all the water purged through the system. Did I mention that I put 100k miles on it in the three years I had it in SA. I am convinced that it would still be in my garage if it were not for the Drunk that creamed it as it sat parked in front of my house, but that is a whole funny story in itself. I am not saying that I am sure Slick 50 works, but I have to believe it did some good.

 

Paul,

What I learned in college is "correlation is not causation". You had a bulletproof Honda that likely could endure the abuse -- whether or not Slick50 was inside.

Just my .02 cents.


-Daniel

 

Daniel,
I agree completely. Hondas can take it, plain and simple. If you just follow manufacturer recommendations, a Accord will easily go 230k+ miles, my brother has done this on two Hondas, and has a third getting close. I put over 164k miles on my Accord before selling it...it was still running like a top.

I have never put much faith in "snake oils"...

 

After being separated from your hard earned money, it is natural to need to believe that you got something other than snake oil.

Erich

 

Good quote!

 

Witness all the herbal cures and similar products being sold to poor folks with no background in scientific thinking.

 

Here's some linkage "Just Say No to Oil Additives"

I understand under the penalty of perjury that my statement is true, lawful and currently outstanding under the jurisdiction of this union, I do not support, have used, endorse or use the products mentioned above at any time

 

Great link.

 

You know, all of this illustrates that if one has no morals, one could become obscenely rich in America selling virtually any unsubstantiated substance to the average American (that has no ability to practice critical thinking). I am sometimes astonished of what some middle class folks buy, hook, line and sinker.

Take your choice of your bogus product: weight loss, hair growth, prostate health, erections, breast enlargement, chronic fatigue; then for the car Slick 50 etc, etc, etc.

There is just no excuse for any con man not to do well in the USA.

 

I have done extensive testing on oil additives and have found out one thing----BUY GOOD OIL. If you need an additive--your oil is not "good" oil. As far as SLick 50 is concerned, we renamed it to "Peanut Butter Supreme" as that is what happened to it after it was exposed to extreme heat as experiened in aircraft engines. Look up the specs for those engine oils and then rethink what your oil is really exposed to. We also got sponsorship money from many oil additive companies when we were racing many years ago, we used NO additives, only the stickers and put a few cans on display to make it look good.

 

Let's see....linking a website that sells a competing product seems kind of dubious to me...

 

This is not an "additive", this is a specially formulated motor oil...and targeted for a specific attribute, "start up wear". According to their own FAQ's, they still say that their full synthetic oil is the superior product to this one.

This is a marketing strategy.....like "high mileage" oil and "semi-synthetic" oil, and "racing" oil, they are just trying to further fragment the market, and find new niches that they can bite away at the competition. This is done both for market share, and that important "shelf slot" in the motor oil section. They want the most shelf space, and if you have more products, then you need more space...although retailers got wind of this 20 years ago, and started charging "slotting allowances"; basically charging rent to put your product on the shelf. See all that stuff on the peg board at the checkout? Every one of those companies PAID to have their product placed there...amazing, but true.

 

I personally don't believe in this stuff but I had Slick50 in my 68 GTO after the engine was rebuilt back in 1982 by the original owner. A couple of years later the oil sending unit broke while driving on the highway. By the time I realized I had no oil pressure the valves were making a lot of noise. Pulled over probably after a couple of miles and had the car towed to the shop. Replaced the oil sending unit, filled it with oil (4 qts low) and started her up. The shop mechanic said at the least the lifters are gone... But started fine and had no problem. I guess it worked for my car as well.

 

As mentioned previously, there is no "cause and effect"....so no proof it helped or not. It may have done nothing...in fact, you could just as easily say that it is the reason your oil sending unit broke...