Oil additives and Prolong

[brett@kodak.com (Brett VanSprewenburg)]

This message is making the rounds of the VW related mailings lists, and there's been
some talk about this kind of crap in the past. Here's yet another data point...

==Brett


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To: "'A-2_16V@connecticom.com'" <A-2_16V@connecticom.com>
Subject: Oil additives and Prolong

Occasionally someone on the list asks about the benefits of using an
oil-additive such as Slick-50.  Not surprisingly, the same thing happens on
the BMW digest. The below was posted recently. I found it funny and thought
that you might too.

	I saw post asking about oil additives (specifically SLICK 50), 
	here is another good one.

	Forwarded from NSX Digest.
	>In the October issue of Consumer Reports they made a note
	>about "Prolong engine treatment".
	>
	>(This is directly from the article)
	>
	>Prolong claims: "Creates a low-friction surface one molecule thick"
	>
	> The bond is supposed to last even when the oil is drained. In the
	>infomercial, Unser and others drive along a racetrack in the
	>Mojave Desert without oil or oil drain plugs. The same ad,
	>broadcast nationally, pictures a woman who, thanks to "Prolong"
	>supposedly drove from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles without oil.
	>(the reason she stopped after 4 hours,40 minutes, and 7 seconds?
	>...She was hungry.)
	>
	> We didn't test the other claims, but we did see whether "Prolong"
	>would protect an engine after the oil was drained.
	>
	> We installed a factory-rebuilt GM 4.3-liter V6 engine into each
	>of two Chevrolet Caprices. We broke them in with Pennzoil motor
	>oil, changed the oil and oil filter in each car, and added
"Prolong"
	>to one of them. "Prolong" claims to work immediately. We drove
	>more than 100 miles, then drained the oil and started driving
again.
	>After  only 13 minutes and  five miles,  BOTH engines failed
	>SIMULTANEOUSLY.
	>
	> Today's high-quality oils don't need extra additives. The Federal
	>Trade Commission has told the makers of other additives to stop
	>making false claims. We have notified the FTC about this test.


Chris Williams
1990 GLI
chris_williams@ml.com

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