This is our review for Bobistheoilguy.com.
First off, you may be asking, what is bobistheoilguy (aka BITOG)?
Bob is the oil guy is an internet website/forum that was created back in 2002 by a guy name Bob Winters. Bob was a Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants distributor who started a message board hoping to bring interested lubrication and filtration enthusiasts together to discuss products, issues and oil related topics. The Bobistheoilguy forum also began to attract people that wanted to learn more about oil and to find answers about various products for lubrication, filtration, as well as fuel and oil additives.
Tony Riek, who bought BITOG from Bob Winters, has since passed away and the website is currently owned by his wife, Helen Riek. Bob Winters is currently living in Florida and is no longer associated with the website.
Bobistheoilguy is now referred to as the #1 oil related website. There are over 47,655 Members as of this posting.
Why am I writing about and reviewing BITOG?
Back in the early 2000’s when I was first getting started as an AMSOIL Dealer, I ran across Bobistheoilguy.com and joined as a member. I wanted to learn as much as I could about lubrication and filtration as well as gain some insight into competitive products. This was June of 2002, just one month after the site was started. My BITOG member number is 80. That means I was the 80th person to join.
After a few months, I approached Bob Winters to become an AMSOIL Sponsor of the BITOG website / message board. I saw that many people also desired to learn more about lubrication and that I could help contribute to the board and help keep it alive and growing. I then became the first sponsoring AMSOIL dealer of the forum.
As my AMSOIL business grew, I allowed another dealer in my team to take over as the sponsor so I could focus on a few other things. At the time, BITOG had three AMSOIL Dealer sponsors that covered the US and Canada. Eventually, the current owners of BITOG decided to only have one sponsoring AMSOIL Dealer and I went back to being an active forum member and contributor. I still believe in the value of the forum and that is why I am offering my review today.
My review of Bobistheoilguy
Over the years, I’ve enjoyed meeting many wonderful people that are enthusiastic about oil and lubrication. I’ve had many great discussions and debates on oil, filtration and fuel additives and I’ve learned a lot.
As a member from the very beginning, I’ve seen this website grow and grow and grow. With over 47,000 members, you can imagine the forum contains a wealth of information as well as opinions. Therein lies the first component of my review; it’s very important to determine the difference between facts and opinions.
As part of my review, I took a step back and asked myself some questions:
- If I were looking for the best motor oil, would I seek out someone from a message board?
- How do I know if this person is even a knowledgeable resource?
- How can I determine if what they are telling me is backed up by facts or is simply their opinion?
- Who is this person and what is their background?
As a long time forum member, I’ve seen a lot of misinformation and claims from certain members stating definitively that an oil, additive, etc., is the best. What is backing up that claim?
The most challenging aspect of finding information is determining a credible source. Using message boards can be a resource, if you read carefully and find the supporting source of the information and be able to corroborate that information from other places.
If you use Bobistheoilguy, I would recommend that you consider the information you find as opinion, until you confirm it as fact.
And when you decide that you want to upgrade your oils and lubricants to the best products available, seek out information from a reliable source. Seek out AMSOIL. As an experienced, factory-trained AMSOIL Dealer/Direct Jobber and long time supporter of Bobistheoilguy.com, I would love to show you the facts about why AMSOIL manufactures the best synthetic oils, lubricants and filters available on the market, and help you determine which AMSOIL products are best for your vehicles and equipment.
Contact Michael Sparks, AMSOIL Dealer / Direct Jobber
If you have visited Bobistheoilguy let us know how you feel. Please leave your comments below.
Well said, I to have visited Bob is the oil guy message boards. Some of the posts I have came across have been very helpful, however there have been quite a few post that have been misinformed and just opinions of the every day joe and what they believe to be true. As you said, take what you read and do your research to be sure it is FACT before acting on it.
Thanks for your review of BITOG forum,
Chuck Gutleber
FactorySynthetics.com
267-278-3556
It used to be a great site. But more and more, facts are shouted down for opinions. People have been getting banned, for example, for daring to be critical of Marvel Mystery Oil, a product that is mostly kerosene dyed red.
Even a respected tribologists pointed out that it is unwise to run a quart for an OCI, being that the stuff burns off, leaving you with just the 10w oil, and the people who use it complain and attack.
They all claim that because it’s used means it works, even though the science doesn’t support it.
I spent a lot of time on there in the early 2000’s. Then it became like groundhog day only with children instead of adults. Thanks for the comment.
If you want to learn about motor oil, take an accredited college level general chemistry class taught by a qualified instructor using an accredited textbook. Go to class, read the text, do the homework, do the lab work, take the tests, and pass the class. Then take qualitative/quantitative analysis. Once you know hydrocarbon chemistry basics you are qualified to study tribology to your hearts content. Then you will KNOW a little something about oil. Or you can get your education at BITOG and have nothing but a bunch of: I heard that, my friend said that, my mommy told me that, my brother in law said that, my mechanic told me that, just like most of those that populate BITOG. There are/were a few knowledgeable people there but as soon as they disagree with the current group think they get banned, like me. IMO the site is about spreading misinformation and selling overpriced products and services that, for the most part, you don’t need!
Tom, thanks for your feedback. Is the only way to learn something from a qualified and accredited instructor? Many highly professional people are self taught through years of experience, trial and error. We’ve been at this for over 17 years and the company for over 45 years. AMSOIL knows what they are doing regarding synthetic lubrication and filtration. Now that you have all that off your chest, I hope you have a wonderful day.
This is funny. You complain about BITOG as being more about opinion than fact. Then post this:
“And when you decide that you want to upgrade your oils and lubricants to the best products available, seek out information from a reliable source. Seek out AMSOIL. As an experienced, factory-trained AMSOIL Dealer/Direct Jobber and long time supporter of Bobistheoilguy.com, I would love to show you the facts about why AMSOIL manufactures the best synthetic oils, lubricants and filters available on the market, and help you determine which AMSOIL products are best for your vehicles and equipment.”
as though it is fact and not your opinion. Then you just happen to be an Amsoil representative. Thanks, but should I need facts, I’ll be consulting with someone that has a masters degree (or better) in chemistry who specializes in tribology not some “factory-trained” salesperson.
Tom thanks for stopping by my site. Looks like the SEO is working since you found it. BITOG gets a lot of traffic. Good luck with finding oil company reps that are masters level or better to discuss your selection on oils.