Dear Tom and Ray:

Please advise regarding the best oil for my Volvo 240GL. The dealer recommended only Valvoline when I bought the car four years ago. Now the dealer is recommending only Quaker State. Please advise on the quality of Quaker State motor oil as compared to Valvoline or other brands. Charles

Ray: Well, Charles, our man Paul Murky of Murky Research¨ has done extensive investigation in this area. And his conclusion is that a dealer's perception of the quality of a motor oil is directly proportional to the mark-up he gets from the manufacturer.

Tom: Yeah. This guy was perfectly happy with Valvoline, until Quaker State gave him a better deal. Now he recommends Quaker State, because he makes a few more cents on each quart.

Ray: As far as we're concerned, there are a number of good quality, name brand motor oils, and they are all equivalent in quality. We happen to especially like Valvoline, because they sponsor our radio show, and we think they're pretty nice guys. But as long as you're using an SG rated oil at the weight recommended in your owner's manual, either one of these brands is fine.

It's NEVER cheaper in the long run to buy a new car. Want proof? Order Tom and Ray's pamphlet How to Buy a Used Car: Things That Detroit and Tokyo Don't Want You to Know. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1993 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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