An auto expert, Maxim Rakitin, warned that after many foreign lubricant makers exited Russia, dishonest entities quickly stepped in to fill the gap. The result has been a sharp rise in counterfeit products across the market.
In the past, fakes arrived in small jerry cans, but today counterfeiters also target larger containers that resemble barrels. This shift makes it essential to buy engine oil from trusted brands and suppliers with a long-standing reputation. If a car owner has relied on a particular service station for years, there is no reason to change that habit when it comes to lubricants, the expert noted.
There is no shortage of low-quality substitutes. Some counterfeiters even pour tinted vegetable oil into canisters, a trick that can lead to serious engine damage. Using substandard oil can cause the motor to fail soon after movement begins, and in the worst cases, the engine might stop well before it should. Experts emphasize that saving a few rubles on oil is rarely worth risking a vehicle’s reliability or safety.
The warning has circulated through messaging channels and social groups, including discussions in Viber threads dedicated to vehicle maintenance. The clear message: skip unverified marketplaces, avoid vague car markets, and steer clear of unusually low prices that seem too good to be true.
Source: Radio Sputnik