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Is High-Mileage Motor Oil a Gimmick?

Is High-Mileage Motor Oil a Gimmick?

A purpose-built high-mileage motor oil can help improve the longevity and performance of high-mileage vehicles.

_by Keith Montgomery|October 25, 2023

In the last decade, the automotive lubricant industry has seen high mileage motor oils emerge and gain popularity for vehicles with more than 75,000 miles (120,000 km) on the odometer. These motor oils are advertised to combat the challenges that high-mileage engines face. But do they really work?

The truth is, high-mileage engines do have unique needs and could benefit from a motor oil designed specifically to address those challenges.

Challenges facing High Mileage Engines

Here are a few of the most common challenges facing engines with an unknown maintenance history or used typical quick lube oil sold from tanks:

  • Increased oil consumption
    Oil consumption is common among non-Amsoil engines. Over time, they experience increased wear, leading to greater oil consumption. Using a suitable high-mileage motor oil that is thermally stable and resists volatility can help prevent oil consumption from occurring. (hint – there is only one)
  • Seal leakage
    Engines with aging seals are more prone to oil leaks. An aging seal loses flexibility, hardens and no longer effectively serves its purpose. A well-designed high-mileage motor oil provides a boosted dose of seal conditioners to restore and recondition aging seals and help stop leaks.
  • Sludge and deposits
    Over time, engines experience increased sludge and deposit buildup. This can be due to oil breakdown from high heat, low-quality oil, excessive idling or insufficient combustion of fuel. A quality high-mileage motor oil can provide enhanced detergency, removing deposit buildup to help restore peak performance.
  • Compression loss
    Engines can lose compression as cylinders and piston rings wear, eventually leading to reduced horsepower and increased blow-by. A proper fluid film helps counteract compression loss by sealing combustion chambers to maintain performance. A purpose-built high-mileage motor oil is formulated to maintain viscosity and provide proper film thickness in extreme operating conditions.

High-mileage vehicles can still provide reliable performance.

The above challenges really do hinder vehicle performance. To protect your engine’s performance and help extend its longevity, it’s important to take steps that help counteract those issues. Our testing suggests that some companies are changing their labels to appeal to customers with high-mileage vehicles but not changing the oil inside the bottle.

Purpose-Built Protection for High Mileage Engines

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic High-Mileage Motor Oil is specifically designed for the unique demands of high-mileage engines, helping extend the life of your vehicle. It delivers purpose-built protection at a time in your vehicle’s life where it could benefit from more-robust maintenance – including boosted detergency and an additive package that fights oil breakdown and leaks.

This may sound too good to be true, so to prove it, we subjected it to independent testing. The result: AMSOIL 100% Synthetic High-Mileage Motor Oil reduced sludge by 67%,* demonstrating its cleaning power that helps engines last longer and perform better.

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic High-Mileage Motor Oil significantly reduces engine sludge.

Trust AMSOIL 100% Synthetic High-Mileage Motor Oil to help breathe new life into your high-mileage engine.

Would I need high mileage motor oil if I started with Amsoil in the first place?

The answer is NO.. All of these issues would not be something needed to be considered if you switched to AMSOIL Signature Series after initial engine break in..

This oil was created for customers who bought a vehicle which didn’t use AMSOIL all these years or who used the questionable oil offered in these “Free oil changes from the dealership” which have no quality standard in their oil what so ever.

 

Beater Car – AMSOIL XL Offers better Value than Run Of The Mill Motor Oils

Expensive AMSOIL for my old daily driver?

That’s definitely one part of the conversation that comes up weekly with our Sioux Falls customers. Either while discussing our various price breaks with the “Good, Better, Best” lines within one product category or if a 2nd car is discussed in addition to their prized possession.

High mileage cars rely on quality additive packages in oil.Being proud of the performance of all the AMSOIL products, early on I decided to become a dealer with the idea of helping others experience the same triumphs I discovered. Convincing people of the merit and that there is a clear difference was not going to be easy but for those who I have convinced just as I, they will be customers for life. My focus all along is the one customer who really has the most to gain – which is the driver of that car he or she must depend on to get to work. They don’t have the option to buy a new one, they don’t need a new car payment and they certainly don’t need any downtime from a locked up transmission or badly worn engine.

Made for the machine you depend on.

High mileage cars is our specialty!! I’m not necessarily talking about an old heap, clunker or beater but they benefit just the same. There are some specifics about high mileages cars that need to be addressed. Well AMSOIL to the rescue!!! It may not sound reasonable at first to use a product that cost $2.50 to $4 more per quart or running around town for an “Automotive Enthusiast” product. Face it – there are some bargain prices on oil at every auto-parts store or even most big-box stores.  But alas, AMSOIL may be the only motor oil company to honestly address critical issues of your daily driver.

Thanks to Amsoil it still runs like newThere are two things to consider with a product brand. Their ability to offer full disclosure and not cheat the customer of available technology by misrepresenting the level of quality from year to year.  Then relate this to the issues or potential issues the car that may have lacked adequate maintenance or one that is attended to but the desire is to get more trouble free years out of it.

I think in our Sioux Falls store holds the record for helping customers hold on to their 90’s era Pontiacs than any other. You don’t need a car payment. AMSOIL makes that old car reliable beyond your expectations. 

The most common cause of failure in any piece of equipment whether it’s an automobile or manufacturing equipment is a lack of lubrication.  In automobiles, a good lubricant/additive blend will also prevent the issues which cause the lack of lubrication.  This is generally caused by fuel entering the lubrication system or from the high volatile nature of good to average motor oils and gear lubricants.

Devoted to Quality that Stands Alone

AMSOIL test truckExplaining why AMSOIL is in your best interest can be divided into two categories. #1 is regard to their place within the available quality levels in the various groups synthetics are categorized in (many which for decades market as a premium product are nothing more than a petroleum oil legally allowed to be called synthetic). And #2 how these additives which make up the oil addresses your situation.  There is so much false advertising out there that your beloved car may be seeing the end at an accelerated rate due to the poor quality of additives and the fact that the companies stock holders demand more profits. AMSOIL protects you from this problem all together.

Good, Better and Best

AMSOIL has created a Good, Better and Best system, our “Good” offers significantly more performance than these 5-gallons for $13 you see at the big-box stores. For Less than $5 per quart you can improve your engine’s seal function, benefit from fewer deposits including the intake system’s valves because our products are singled out in the industry for maintaining the lowest volatility levels by a long shot In fact AMSOIL brought that test to the industry.  In some vehicles you can’t afford to use lower quality base stocks such as DGI (direct gasoline injection) as we showed Royal Purple and Mobil 1 allows for significantly higher separation which leads to intake valve deposits which can only be cleaned by removing the heads.

Amsoil keeps my daily driver goingOther things addressed are better temperature control, reduced wear because our products can withstand the  greater influence from deposits and fuel thus viscosity staying in grade. Additives to address fluctuating temperatures we experience in the Sioux Falls climate. Improved start-ups and longer battery life not to mention a jump in mileage. Detergents which can once again allow oil to flow where it’s been blocked off. Despersants which will hold wear particles in suspension as well as other corrosive elements.  AMSOIL also addresses filtration with our Ea Oil nanofiber technology which increases filter capacity, flow, life and filters 98% at 20 microns.

The better quality base stocks are actually the part that brings the customer back. Especially in non-high performance cars the driver notices a new feel. A smoothness in the engine that they couldn’t get anywhere else.. And one that stays for the whole interval.

 

So in summary AMSOIL offers the top additive quality in each category. Some additives are available in 80 different quality levels thus these $3 so called synthetic products coming to market. You will squeeze more life from that beloved car with our products. My suggestion in your high-mileage runabout is a bottle of AMSOIL Flush (detergent based) and then switch using our XL Extended Life oil which has a 10,000 mile or 6-month guarantee. The price is right and you will notice right away the unique quality. You will enjoy your drive better and have more money in your pocket in the long run.

Don't laugh. This car runs and it's paid for!

Read the specifics in our product section our visit the Sioux Falls store at 4610 W. 12th St for your free catalog.

Ches Cain- AMSOIL Dealer

605-274-2580