ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, July 17, 1996 TAG: 9607170031
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
A FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION complaint says that Quaker State's engine treatment claims are unsubstantiated.
A Federal Trade Commission complaint alleges that Quaker State is making false and unsubstantiated advertising claims for Slick 50, the best-selling auto engine treatment in the United States.
``Slick 50's ads claim that compared to motor oil alone, it reduces engine wear, lengthens engine life and provides a host of other benefits,'' said Jodie Bernstein, director of the agency's Bureau of Consumer Protection. ``The claims sound good, but the evidence doesn't back them up.''
The complaint is not a finding that Quaker State Corp. has violated the law. Instead, it marks the beginning of a proceeding in which the allegations will be examined at a hearing.
In Dallas, Stephen Blum, vice president of corporate relations for Quaker State, said four peer-reviewed technical papers and ``a battery of lab engine tests and taxi fleet studies'' support the claim that Slick 50 reduces wear on engines.
``It works, and we think we have overwhelming evidence to substantiate that fact,'' Blum said in a Tuesday telephone interview.
Slick 50 sells for about $18 a quart and Quaker State, the parent company, claims to have about 60 percent of the engine treatment market. Three subsidiaries of Quaker State are named: Slick 50 Management, Inc., Slick 50 Products Corp. and Slick 50 Corp.
Bernstein said the ads exaggerate protection the treatment offers over conventional motor oils.
``All the evidence we've seen so far suggests that the best thing you can do for your car's engine is to get an oil change performed at manufacturer recommended intervals,'' she said. ``People who want to maximize their automobile performance and enhance its long life should read the owner's manual and follow the directions.''
Similar charges last year against STP Corp. and its parent, First Brands Corp., resulted in an $880,000 civil penalty.
The complaint against Slick 50 challenges claims that the product reduces engine wear, extends an engine's life, reduces engine temperatures, lowers toxic emissions and increases gas mileage and horsepower.
It also alleges there was inadequate substantiation for Quaker State's advertising claims that one treatment reduces wear for 50,000 miles and that the product has been used in a significant number of U.S. government vehicles.
LENGTH: Medium: 57 linesby CNB