PSA: Beware Of Fake Engine Oil In The Market! Tips To Avoid Being Scammed!

Although this raid happened a couple of years ago in 2019, it is a good reminder for all bikers that when you see a deal that is too good to be true, it most probably is. With the COVID-19 restrictions in place, more and more consumers are turning to online marketplaces such as Lazada, Shopee, Qoo10 and other platforms to make their purchases. While this technology is certainly the future and not something that we can ignore, we must practice prudency when making such purchases and not be lured by their low prices.

Tests by Shell Malaysia found that over 30 percent of engine lubricants sold in hypermarkets and unofficial online stores are fake. This is a SHOCKING statistic.

Among the counterfeit products being found during the raid, it seems that the more popular brands that are being replicate are those from Shell, Castrol, Petronas, and Honda.

Retailers selling counterfeit engine oils has been ongoing in the industry for a long time. Unlike other tangible goods, it is almost impossible to tell a 'real' engine oil from a 'fake' product as trying to tell the difference from one liquid to another is next to impossible.

From the pictures below, you can see that such factories (usually based in Malaysia or other South-East Asian countries) fill up what seems to be authentic looking bottles with huge tanks of what we can only assume is subpar quality oil, and we're not even sure if it's engine oil to begin with! These subpar quality oils can be bought for as low as USD2 per 4-litre bottle, and is then on sold to the unsuspecting customer for many more times the price.

While you might think you are getting a good deal, in the long-run, this can be very detrimental to your engine and might cost you even more when you start to face engine troubles. The issue is consumers are usually drawn in by their ultra-low pricing and at first glance would be unable to identify if the product that they have just purchased is authentic or not.

Here are 3 tips to ensure that you do not be duped by retailers when making your next engine oil purchase:

1. If it's too cheap to be true, it probably is. This goes without saying. Discount levels of between 10-20% is reasonable in the engine oil industry, especially if you are buying a package that consist of engine oil, transmission oil, and other products that are made by the manufacturer. If you are looking at discounts of 50-80%, that should raise a red flag.
2. Buy from a reputable shop or retailer. Visit your favourite local retailer or purchase from "official" shops in the various shopping platforms. This can ensure that you will be getting authentic products as such businesses would be less likely to risk their reputation selling counterfeit products.
3. Verify your purchase via online checking tools, manufacturer websites, and being generally educated by reading websites such as SingaporeBikes.com! More often than not, most manufacturers websites have a info page to distinguish their real products from the counterfeit ones. This might help you save your engine by not running unknown oil through it in the long run!

As long as you go through the above steps, you should be safe in making your purchase and also keeping your motorcycle's engine happy for a long time to come!

Last but not least, if you are due for an engine oil change or any other lubricant within your motorcycle, we highly recommend the most popular lubricant brand for motorcycles in Singapore - Liqui Moly!

You can find a full list of their authorised workshop partners here and you can be sure that what you are purchasing is 100% authentic!