Genuine oil versus counterfeit: 5 signs to look for
Counterfeit motor oil not only loses its lubricating properties but can also ruin an engine within a few thousand kilometers. The five signs below will help you identify fake products right at the counter.
Counterfeit motor oil does not damage an engine immediately. It causes gradual damage: the oil film is not durable enough, deposits accumulate, piston rings seize, and the vehicle owner only discovers it when the repair costs far exceed the money saved.
1. Check the anti-counterfeit seal and batch code
Every Techtrol product has a tamper-evident seal on the cap and an inkjet-printed batch code on the bottle body. The batch code must be printed directly, sharply, and not pasted over. A seal that has been peeled and reapplied will always leave cracks.
2. Look closely at the cap seam
Genuine caps are tightly sealed and do not wobble when turned. Reused bottles often have scratches around the bottle neck from being pried open.
3. Observe the oil color and clarity
New oil must be clear, free of turbidity and sediment. Tilting the bottle and seeing the oil coat the sides evenly is a good sign; oil that flows down as quickly as water is usually diluted.
4. Compare the standards printed on the label
Genuine labels clearly state the API and JASO grades, for example, API SN / JASO MA2. Counterfeit goods often use vague terms like "high quality" or print the symbols in the wrong order.
5. Purchase from authorized retail outlets
The most reliable method is still to purchase from an official dealer. The list of retail outlets is updated on the Where to Buy page.
If you suspect a product is not genuine, keep the bottle and contact Techtrol to have the batch code verified.
