During the 1970s and 1980s, many products began appearing in accessory shops which, when added to engine oil or the fuel tank, could improve performance. These were additives that were developed by companies, many of which specialised in chemicals and having the expertise to formulate such products.
Some of the products worked as advertised while others were what were referred to as ‘snake oil’, a term that originated in the 19th century for products that were not necessarily as effective as said to be. Many often promised to lower fuel consumption or extra power and sometimes backed up their claims with independent test reports.
The promises lured many motorists who bought them and tried them, some swearing that they really did work while others realised they had wasted their money. Perhaps they did make a difference but it was not significant and unless proper and consistent testing was done, it was hard to see the improvements. Occasionally, motoring journalists would be offered samples to test and some found noticeable benefits – or none at all.
Bardahl was an established American company which specialised in such products and over the years, its products were recognised as meeting or exceeding OEM Top Tier Performance requirements for the automotive industry.
The Bardahl Additive Motor Oil, which was (and still is) distributed by Cycle & Carriage entered the market in the 1970s. This product promised to improve engine protection when added to the engine oil, reducing wear by as much as 40%.
To prove it, Bardahl devised a ‘No Oil Run’ test where a car’s engine would have its oil drained and then driven for a considerable distance. But first, it had to be run for about 10 minutes with the Bardahl additive mixed into the oil. Then the oil was drained and the car was driven for up to 300 kms.
After the run, the engine was disassembled and checked for wear and the results usually confirmed what was promised – not to mention the impressive feat of driving without oil! Cycle & Carriage also conducted the ‘No Oil Run’ in Malaysia several times with such results.
Bardahl products are still in the market today, 85 years after the family-owned company started its business. The range extends to various lubricants for motor vehicles, besides the additives, and the company is confident of its products and has Product Liability Insurance to cover claims of up to US$9 million per incident (applicable in Malaysia as well).