Motorists warned against use of cheap engine oil

The high price of motor oil has led to a thriving trade in illegally reprocessed and re-refined oil that had been cast off by commercial garages, according to a local newspaper.
The price of one container of the re-refined motor oil is 7 riyals, 400 percent cheaper than new motor oil.
Those with limited incomes have found these prices agreeable despite despite the potential havoc the oil can wreak on engines. The doctored oil is sold under fake trade names and trademarks.
Kamal Al-Etyani, head of the Car Maintenance Committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, warned against using re –refined motor oil. “This will lead to damaging the engine in no time, as the oil itself evaporates quickly, resulting in very poor viscosity,” he said.
Mohammad Kabli, an engineer, said that re-refining oils occurs worldwide but the resulting produce is used only in heavy equipment and heating. “But if the factory managed to rebuild the original specifications of the oil, it can be used in cars, again,” he said.
“International companies were badly damaged by these factories that use primitive methods of production,” said Bashir Alwan, head of customer relations at Shell. He referred to their selling their products at prices 50 percent less than the authentic product. “They are taking advantage of the recent hikes in the price of materials that add extra viscosity,” he said, explaining that companies such as Aramco have raised the price of raw material three times since 2012.
“There are two types of fraudulent motor oil. The first is branded as Original, with the original international name of the company added,” said Ministry of Commerce branch manager in Madinah, Khalid Qumeqji. He added that the international company can sue the factory for fraud. “The other type does not meet specifications and is manufactured in neighboring countries, but both types fall under commercial fraud,” he said.
He demanded that citizens report any fraud or cheating, emphasizing at the same time of the importance of awareness campaigns to boycott such products.