‘Don’t cut corners on oil quality to offset costs’, workshops told

28 January 2025  

Workshops are being urged not to be tempted to use poorer quality oils, despite rising costs and decreasing business margins.

The call, from trade body the Verification of Lubricant Specifications (VLS), came as The Motor Ombudsman’s latest annual survey of vehicle repairers revealed profitability was a major challenge for workshops last year.

According to the survey of more than 100 respondents, published this month, nearly 70% of vehicle repairers said increasing prices to stay profitable was their main operational challenge in 2024. Nearly 60% cited higher energy bills and costs reducing business profitability.

In terms of this year, 89% said they expected rising operational costs, taxes and energy bills would be the main challenges for their business.

VLS chairman Harald Oosting said: “Economic pressures are hitting workshops and motorists hard, and the current UK economy has yet to show strong signs of growth. Workshops will be looking to save costs wherever they can, but we urge technicians to ensure they are using quality engine oils and the correct oil for every vehicle they service.”

Cheaper products

Modern vehicle engines require sophisticated lubricants using advanced chemistry and even the slightest change in the formulation has the potential to cause engine damage over the long term, Oosting warned.

When selecting the correct lubricant, technicians must look beyond the viscosity to market standards such as those of ACEA and OEM specifications and be careful with generic OEM claims, such as ‘suitable for use’, without checking the necessary underpinning technical data that supports the claim.

“Compared to standard formulations, cheaper products might contain reduced quality base oils, fewer additives or even untested additives. This can significantly affect the lubricant, resulting in poor or possibly even dangerous performance compared to genuine products.”

Workshops are the front line and can also play an important role in helping customers understand why they should not postpone vital engine oil servicing, Oosting said.