have you guys ever heard of zMAX?
04-16-2003, 05:26 PM
#1
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Clinton, MS
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have you guys ever heard of zMAX?
as it says.........have any of you guys heard of a product called zMAX?.......its suppose to be a complete engine treatment system and a fuel system treatment product (two different bottles for the two different things)..........i have some downstairs....and it says it can improve gas milleage or your money back..........plus it has a contract guaranteeing that if anything treated with zMAX breaks on your car they will fix it...............hmmmmmmmm...........i have some, but im hesitant to put it in my car...................just wondering what you guys think?
Thanks.........Scott
Thanks.........Scott
04-16-2003, 06:01 PM
#3
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Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Eastern Seaboard
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I've seen people asking about zMax additives on several message boards I frequent, so I thought I'd post the latest information I got from Lube Report. The entire article can be read HERE, but I will post some of the more interesting informmation (I've added bold for emphasis):
As I've said in the past, there is no reason to run an additive in a good quality oil; it will more than likely upset the balance of the extensive additive package that the oil manufacturer already includes. Take the money you would normally spend on oil additives and use it for oil analysis instead -- it's a much better investment, and you will know how well your oil is protecting your engine.
The marketers of zMax automotive aftermarket lubricant additives have agreed to reimburse customers $1 million to settle a false advertising suit brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
...
The settlement, approved March 21 by a federal judge in Greensboro, N.C., prohibits Speedway Motorsports Inc. and subsidiary Oil-Chem Research Corp. from continuing to make general claims that zMax Power System improves fuel economy, reduces engine wear and corrosion, lowers emissions and extends engine life.
...
According to the commission’s 2001 complaint, Oil-Chem based those claims on results of results of L-38 engine tests (also known as the Sequence VIII) performed by an independent laboratory in 1997. The L-38 is a standard industry test used to measure the bearing corrosion protection properties of motor oils. The commission maintained that the results did not support Oil-Chem’s claims, that they in fact showed zMax causing more than twice as much bearing corrosion as motor oil alone. The suit also claimed that zMax was nothing more than tinted motor oil and that the defendants deleted detrimental information from the lab results before using them in infomercials.
...
The zMax settlement is the latest in a series of penalties that the FTC has obtained since the mid-1990s from engine oil aftermarket additive marketers such as STP, Dura Lube and Slick 50. The penalties, all the result of false advertising suits, ranged from less than $1 million to $10 million. Others, including Prolong, Motor Up and Valvoline, settled without fines after agreeing not to make unsupported performance claims.
...
"There’s two ways to look at all of those suits,” Wilks said. “You could say it gives this class of products a bad reputation. On the other hand, you could conclude that it’s been targeted by the FTC, for whatever reason."
...
The settlement, approved March 21 by a federal judge in Greensboro, N.C., prohibits Speedway Motorsports Inc. and subsidiary Oil-Chem Research Corp. from continuing to make general claims that zMax Power System improves fuel economy, reduces engine wear and corrosion, lowers emissions and extends engine life.
...
According to the commission’s 2001 complaint, Oil-Chem based those claims on results of results of L-38 engine tests (also known as the Sequence VIII) performed by an independent laboratory in 1997. The L-38 is a standard industry test used to measure the bearing corrosion protection properties of motor oils. The commission maintained that the results did not support Oil-Chem’s claims, that they in fact showed zMax causing more than twice as much bearing corrosion as motor oil alone. The suit also claimed that zMax was nothing more than tinted motor oil and that the defendants deleted detrimental information from the lab results before using them in infomercials.
...
The zMax settlement is the latest in a series of penalties that the FTC has obtained since the mid-1990s from engine oil aftermarket additive marketers such as STP, Dura Lube and Slick 50. The penalties, all the result of false advertising suits, ranged from less than $1 million to $10 million. Others, including Prolong, Motor Up and Valvoline, settled without fines after agreeing not to make unsupported performance claims.
...
"There’s two ways to look at all of those suits,” Wilks said. “You could say it gives this class of products a bad reputation. On the other hand, you could conclude that it’s been targeted by the FTC, for whatever reason."
04-16-2003, 06:07 PM
#4
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Originally posted by Curt (pres AAMC & ZAA)
As I've said in the past, there is no reason to run an additive in a good quality oil; it will more than likely upset the balance of the extensive additive package that the oil manufacturer already includes. Take the money you would normally spend on oil additives and use it for oil analysis instead -- it's a much better investment, and you will know how well your oil is protecting your engine.
As I've said in the past, there is no reason to run an additive in a good quality oil; it will more than likely upset the balance of the extensive additive package that the oil manufacturer already includes. Take the money you would normally spend on oil additives and use it for oil analysis instead -- it's a much better investment, and you will know how well your oil is protecting your engine.
Big fan of oil analysis... can save you alot of money and help you determine when you should change your oil in the daily drivers.
-Mindgame
04-16-2003, 06:42 PM
#7
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Originally posted by 95m6
Since you already have it, throw it in!
I wouldn't spend the money to go out and buy some but if I had another bottle laying around I would put it in.
Since you already have it, throw it in!
I wouldn't spend the money to go out and buy some but if I had another bottle laying around I would put it in.
The commission maintained that the results did not support Oil-Chem’s claims, that they in fact showed zMax causing more than twice as much bearing corrosion as motor oil alone.
-Mindgame
04-16-2003, 07:14 PM
#9
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 183
Sorry didn't even read that story. (And will probaly not)
My Z has had every single oil additive added to it since day 1 of its life and its fine. My dad is a sucker for those late night infomercials and buys every single new one that comes out.
My dads Pt ran over half a mile before seazing up without any oil. (Now just so you know, I'm not trying to claim it will make your car go 130+ mph in the desert without any oil in it, or run without fail after dumping pounds of sand into it, all I'm saying is that after it was bottomed out severly and lost ALL oil in it, from the last drop of visual oil on the road to where it eventually died was over .5 mile, whereas from other peoples experience with these cars, most of them seazed up with oil still in the pan. (Puddle of oil under the car after it seazed whereas there was no puddle under my dads pt and the trail had ended over half a mile ago.) A common problem with those cars is weak oil pans and hitting even small animals that can result in a hole in the oil pan.)
And my winter beater (damn K-car..err I mean "type R" car
..haha that car was domestic rice. Should have seen the crap I done to it to make fun of ricers.) got to 246,000 after throwing in some off this stuff and ran a lot better. (Would have been more but I purposefully killed that car.)
But like I said earlier, I wont go out and buy the stuff but if someone has a extra bottle laying around and don't want it, I'm sure I can find some use for it, even if all I do is throw it in my tractor. Hasn't caused any problems yet.
Later
My Z has had every single oil additive added to it since day 1 of its life and its fine. My dad is a sucker for those late night infomercials and buys every single new one that comes out.
My dads Pt ran over half a mile before seazing up without any oil. (Now just so you know, I'm not trying to claim it will make your car go 130+ mph in the desert without any oil in it, or run without fail after dumping pounds of sand into it, all I'm saying is that after it was bottomed out severly and lost ALL oil in it, from the last drop of visual oil on the road to where it eventually died was over .5 mile, whereas from other peoples experience with these cars, most of them seazed up with oil still in the pan. (Puddle of oil under the car after it seazed whereas there was no puddle under my dads pt and the trail had ended over half a mile ago.) A common problem with those cars is weak oil pans and hitting even small animals that can result in a hole in the oil pan.)
And my winter beater (damn K-car..err I mean "type R" car
..haha that car was domestic rice. Should have seen the crap I done to it to make fun of ricers.) got to 246,000 after throwing in some off this stuff and ran a lot better. (Would have been more but I purposefully killed that car.)But like I said earlier, I wont go out and buy the stuff but if someone has a extra bottle laying around and don't want it, I'm sure I can find some use for it, even if all I do is throw it in my tractor. Hasn't caused any problems yet.
Later
04-16-2003, 10:02 PM
#10
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Join Date: Nov 1998
Location: Columbia, SC, USA
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I'm not one to buy into the infomercials either, and I would definitely not put this in any type of performance engine, but I thought Zmax helped out my beater a bit. It could have been the placebo affect, but with actual visible differences, I doubt it, but my CRX had over 200K on it and was smoking horribly. I'm pretty sure the headgasket was blown as well, as it would overheat anytime you would go WOT for more than 10 seconds. Now by smoke, I mean it smoked BAD. It went through about 3 quarts a week. I was gonna junk the car, and I figured, hell, the Zmax can't hurt it, so I threw some in. The thing stopped smoking! Oil level actually stayed constant for over a month. I drove the car for another 3 months and finally sold the car for more than I paid for it. The kid that bought it drove it for another year, and pulled the motor out to put in a Hi-po swap. He sold the motor and its still in another car running strong (well, running at least).
04-16-2003, 10:31 PM
#11
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Clinton, MS
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I TOOK IT BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!........i wanted my 30 bucks back...............................what a crock, i cant believe that..............what a bunch of crooks........anyways.....thanks guys
Scott
Scott
04-18-2003, 12:50 AM
#13
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 2,148
If a regular old oil car can last for 200-500k miles, why in the world are we looking at magic potions? These are just companies hoping to prey on uneducated motorists who latch onto infomercials, like Splitfire, Slick-50, and so on. Simply going by statistics, we can assume they are scammers first and foremost, and not much personally pisses me off more than being taken for a ride by a white collar b!tch trying to get rich AND break my stuff at the same time.
Start buying semi synthetic or full synthetic and leave it at that. Look into WIC for the "best" filters readily available for the car, and with the two items there you will know to be as nice to your car as anyone. Look for an equivalent of the PF35L for another 1/2qt capacity, head to NAPA for the WIC.
Start buying semi synthetic or full synthetic and leave it at that. Look into WIC for the "best" filters readily available for the car, and with the two items there you will know to be as nice to your car as anyone. Look for an equivalent of the PF35L for another 1/2qt capacity, head to NAPA for the WIC.
What a waste of money. Live an learn I guess. thanks guys.
07-04-2004, 12:45 AM
#15
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Yea thats like the 3000 mile oil change mith.
If you look at the hour run change times on a Cat and a Cummings,cut that in half then see how many miles at 60mph it equates to,it is over 5000 and that is cut in half.
A diesel takes more abuse and runs dirter than any car engine made. So figure it out and ask yourself if it isn't a way to get your money.If you want to verify this take a oil sample to the lab and have it tested at 3000 miles and see what the lube quality is,and the amount of trash in it,bet it will surprise you.
If you look at the hour run change times on a Cat and a Cummings,cut that in half then see how many miles at 60mph it equates to,it is over 5000 and that is cut in half.
A diesel takes more abuse and runs dirter than any car engine made. So figure it out and ask yourself if it isn't a way to get your money.If you want to verify this take a oil sample to the lab and have it tested at 3000 miles and see what the lube quality is,and the amount of trash in it,bet it will surprise you.