Continued from page 59
The survey also asked respondents about industry bodies they had heard of
As expected, the data showed a high degree of awareness of Trading Standards, with whom VLS has a Primary Authority relationship and ACEA, the European Association, which sets engine oil specifications.
Figure 2: Question 9: Thinking about your workshop and the oil you purchase, how would you rank these considerations?
“We know that workshops are under pressure, trying to save money wherever possible. However, using cheaper, poorer quality oils or ones that do not meet the correct specification risks the protection needed for owners’ vehicles.
Poor quality or the wrong oil can cause damage to emission control systems, accelerated wear in gears and bearings, and the formation of piston deposits, leading to increased maintenance costs and, if left unchecked, eventual engine failure.
Modern vehicle engines require sophisticated lubricants using advanced chemistry. Even the slightest change in the formulation has the potential to reduce performance over the short term and cause engine damage over the long term. 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.” Harald Oosting, Chairman, VLS
Motor Factors: An essential route to market
Most workshops (over 80%) source their engine oils from motor factors. Whilst some workshops were stocking 60L drums and barrels, 37% kept 10 or more 5L packs on site at any one time, highlighting the complexity of product requirements and the dominance of the smaller pack size to cater to different engine requirements.
60 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.187 JUNE 2025 Figure 3: Prompted Awareness
Twelve years ago, VLS did not even exist. Now, over 33% of survey respondents have heard of VLS, representing a significant shift.
Work continues through events like Automechanika and key industry publications to reach the rest of the workshop audience so that all technicians become aware of VLS’s role in protecting and upholding standards in the lubricants industry.
Our thanks to Comma© for their support in
completing the survey. We hope to repeat the survey in the future to see how attitudes change in the complex and evolving lubricants market.
You can find out more about VLS and keep up to date with the latest case investigations at the VLS website:
https://ukla-vls.org.uk/
Does an oil sound too good to be true? If you have any concerns about a lubricant’s ability to deliver what it claims, you can report your concerns to VLS by calling 01442 01442 875922 or emailing
admin@ukla-vls.org.uk.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
