# Oil additive **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 30, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688 "2012-01-30T02:11:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Flip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/53a042/32.png) [@Flip](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Flip)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/1 "2012-01-30T02:11:24Z")
Zmax any value in this product? ---
**Author:** ![jayhawkroy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jayhawkroy/32/33_2.png) [@jayhawkroy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jayhawkroy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/2 "2012-01-30T02:14:56Z")
I don’t see any. My cars run fine without them. Today’s oils are very good quality and I think additive use is questionable, unless you are trying to deal with a specific issue. Usually my engines don’t have issues that might even require me to think about adding an additive. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/3 "2012-01-30T03:48:30Z")
Flip– Read the information at this link to The Federal Trade Commission, and then see what you think about its possible benefits. Apparently the FTC considered it to be essentially useless: [http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/02/zmax1.shtm](http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/02/zmax1.shtm) ---
**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/4 "2012-01-30T04:30:11Z")
The lawsuit by the FTC was filed 12 years ago. Two years later the suit was settled, and it was definitely not a win for the FTC. The FTC wanted to stop zMAX from making impressive claims about the product’s effectiveness, but in the end they granted permission for zMAX to continue those claims. Read about the result here: [http://www.zmax.com/ftc/](http://www.zmax.com/ftc/) ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/5 "2012-01-30T04:34:55Z")
Modern oils have a plethora of additives. I would be concerned that adding anything more without a degree in chemical engineering, could compromise what’s already in there at worse or a waste of money at best. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 4:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/6 "2012-01-30T04:40:24Z")
I’ve never used an additive in over 40 years with over a million miles on my engines together. Enough said. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 4:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/7 "2012-01-30T04:46:11Z")
**“The FTC wanted to stop zMAX from making impressive claims about the product’s effectiveness, but in the end they granted permission for zMAX to continue those claims.”** Please note that the FTC backed off on this matter during the Bush Administration, a period during which a great many federal agencies (The SEC being another unfortunate example) essentially became toothless tigers that were ordered to stop interfering in the affairs of companies. Just because the FTC relented does not necessarily mean that this product has any value. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 4:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/8 "2012-01-30T04:59:13Z")
Just use the oil specified for the car and change it often enough. Oil is aleady 25% additives formulated to the engine’s needs and the driving environment. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 5:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/9 "2012-01-30T05:42:23Z")
Many of these additives claim to cure problems that do not exist except in your head… ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 7:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/10 "2012-01-30T07:12:45Z")
It’s a shame that marketers are free to tell such outrageous lies. The real estate debacle is largely the result of the dishonest marketing. And even the male enhancement ads seem immune to regulation. But, of course, the politicians are totally honest and ethical. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/11 "2012-01-30T12:29:10Z")
Sold at Walmart and other fine automotive stores. And they’ve got hats and T shirts too that you can pay for to help them advertise. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/12 "2012-01-30T19:37:10Z")
If Kevin Trudeau can stay out of jail with all his bogus products…then there’s no help for the consumer from these scam artists. Basically they are allowed to sell what ever they want and make any claim they want without any fear of any fraud charges. > **[King Con -- Selling Questionable Cures?](http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Health/story?id=1527774#.TyaqqvmyDS4)** > > Kevin Trudeau has been on the best-seller list for six months, and he says he's sold 5 million books. You've probably seen him if you watch late-night TV. > He hosts infomercials saying things like this: "Drug companies do not want people to be... ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/13 "2012-01-30T19:57:31Z")
No value. You do not need this product. Hang on to your money. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/14 "2012-01-30T20:57:23Z")
So many responses. I suspect “Flip” is a spammer. This was his one and only post. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/15 "2012-01-30T20:59:10Z")
“No such thing as bad publicity”… ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 6:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/16 "2012-01-31T06:08:47Z")
But they DID remove most of the zinc additives (extreme pressure) from motor oil, except Motorcycle oil and Racing Oil and 15-40 'fleet oil"…It was degrading the function of catalytic converters…Modern roller tappet engines don’t need it they say…But the older flat tappet engines depended on it to keep them alive, so an additive that restores the extreme pressure, anti-scuff properties has a place on the shelf…I like Bardahl #1 myself…Bardahl has been making lubricants for many years and their flagship anti-friction additive has proven itself… ---
**Author:** ![GSragtop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7c8e57/32.png) [@GSragtop](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GSragtop)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/17 "2012-02-01T01:25:03Z")
OK question, As I never really got an answer back in the day. SLICK 50 was the first of these products that I can remember, and I recall the old info’mecials with a Viper with no oil running around a race track, or cars with windows in the oil pan (to prove they were empty) running with no oil, etc… How did they do it? ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/18 "2012-02-01T01:48:07Z")
I don’t know how they did it either but I’ve learned not to pay much attention to all of these demonstrations like at the fairs for cleaning products, or vacuum cleaner demos. Remember the old STP commercial of trying to hang onto a screwdriver dipped in STP? Didn’t prove a thing. I suspect though that if real, you can beat a loose engine up pretty good before it would stall but once you shut it off it would be toast. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-additive/70688/19 "2012-02-01T19:57:51Z")
**OK question, As I never really got an answer back in the day. SLICK 50 was the first of these products that I can remember, and I recall the old info’mecials with a Viper with no oil running around a race track, or cars with windows in the oil pan (to prove they were empty) running with no oil, etc… How did they do it?** It was a trick…and Slick-50 got Sued for it by the FTC and they had to remove the commercial. Just 5 years ago Castrol had a similar commercial. They supposedly removed the oil plug on several engines…one had Castrol Syntec in it. All the engines died in short order…EXCEPT the one that had Castrol. They were also sued by the FTC and had to remove the commercial. The problem is there is no punishment…They are just told to remove the commercial. But the damage is done. Their bogus message has already gotten out there to MILLIONS of potential customers.