Differences between original ZIC oil and fake. Anti-counterfeiting ZIC oil How to distinguish a zic original from a counterfeit

In a tin container. And so, in 2016, many supporters of this really good oil could not get it. Visiting online stores and offline points of sale, instead of a long-familiar container, customers saw ZIK oil in plastic cans. Naturally, many wondered: what is it, the original or a fake? And what is the reason for this transformation. In this article, we answer these questions and reveal all the secrets of the new ZIC packaging.

Video review of new packagingZIC. The original or a fake?

At the end of 2015, the management of the concern SK Lubricants it was decided to rebrand the packaging of its products. According to the head of the marketing department of the SK concern, this is due to the development of a new own synthetic base oil YUBASE +.

The new plastic canister, which replaced the tin packaging, has got two handles - one on top, the other on the side. Now it is much more convenient to fill in oil. From the end, the container has acquired a measuring scale. In different parts of the canister, we see plastic of different textures.

In order to protect our products from counterfeiting, the following elements have been developed:

		The protective foil with the ZIK logo applied prevents oil spilling when the canister is overturned and serves as an additional protection against counterfeiting.
		The neck of the canister is sealed in thermal foil with the SK logo.
		SK Lubricants patented hologram labeling system. If you tilt the canister at a certain angle, you can see the holographic SK lubricants logo on the yellow stripe, which is not normally visible. Also, the holographic SK logo is placed on the letters of the ZIC brand.
		ZIC engraved on the bottom of the canister.

The identification code is also applied.

Changes have also been made to the color of the packaging: now gold, gray, blue and red colors are used for ZIK canisters. The numbers in the product name help the consumer to easily identify the oil quality level.

Flagship ZIC product line carries TOP mark... These are fully synthetic oils from the best grades of base oils, made according to the most modern formulations with the addition of polyalphaolefins. The oil contains an improved additive package.

Engine oil ZIC TOP 5W-30

X9 - range of synthetic oils based on YUBASE + hydrocracked base oil with the addition of an improved additive package.

X7 - synthetic motor oils made on the basis of YUBASE + hydrocracked base oil with a standard additive package.

X5 - semi-synthetic oils - made on the basis of YUBASE base oil with the addition of additives and mineral oils.

X3 - range of mineral motor oils... ZIC X3 will not be delivered to Ukraine. This oil is specially produced for the markets of some Asian countries.

As you can see, ZIK has optimized its range of engine oils and re-branded. There has been a complete update of ZIC engine oils, not only inside but also outside.

Let's summarize. ZIC oils are now bottled in plastic canisters. They will no longer be delivered in iron containers, with the exception of oils for commercial vehicles in 20 liters packaging, which continue to be poured into cans. All oils in plastic cans are truly original. Just in the future, when buying ZIK oils, pay attention to those features of the canister that we have given in this article.

Last but not least, buy oils only from specialized stores. Enjoy the shopping!

Engine oil plays an important role in engine performance. It provides durability, smooth operation and low level noise, so every car owner is looking for a worthy product of a well-known brand for his car. Unscrupulous sellers take advantage of the reputable reputation of many companies and counterfeit their products. How to distinguish fakes well-known firms such as Shell, Zeke, Castrol, Motul or Mobile, as well as other manufacturers, is described below.

What is the danger of using fake engine oil

To deal with this issue, you need to understand technological process liquid production. At the enterprises of large brands, various additives are added to the initially high-quality engine oil to improve its initial characteristics. Of course, they increase the cost of the process, because of this, indeed good oil will not be cheap.

In the case of counterfeit oil, the situation is reversed. The cheapest base is taken as a basis, mixed with industrial and sent to canisters. The production cost is several times lower, and the selling price is only 10-15 percent.

The specialist of the company "Mitasu" says:

If the price of engine oil is much lower than the market price, then this is a reason to think. The fact is that only large retail outlets can afford to purchase goods at a discount. For example, a 2% discount may be provided when purchasing 3 tons of oil per month or more. Small shops cannot afford this. Therefore, if in a small stall the cost of motor oil is significantly lower than the market average, then you should not make a purchase.

Thus, the use of "dangerous" engine oil can lead to the following consequences:

• Drop in pressure in the oil system. Because of this, engine parts receive less fluid than they need;
• Corrosion of engine parts due to low-quality components and the use of an industrial base that is not intended for car engines;
• The temperature range of operation is reduced - in the cold season, the car may simply not start.

Synthetics and semi-synthetics are more often counterfeited, since "mineral water" is not highly valued in terms of cost.

Authenticity check: how to distinguish a fake from an original

Any fake can be distinguished by the following features:

• Packaging and label. Handicraft manufacturers use cheap glue and do not spend money on decent printing - the label on their products quickly peels off and does not look very presentable. Also on the original oil, the sticker cannot be placed crooked. Pay attention to the lid and shape of the canister;
• The sight and smell of the liquid. Inspect the engine carefully before pouring oil into the engine. In fake oil, you can find sediment, traces of delamination, and its color can be strikingly different from transparent amber. If the oil is pitch black, it is fake;
• Special symbols. Many manufacturers add watermarks, holograms, engravings to their products. Examine the canister for a similar item;
• Unique codes. If the canister has a code on the counter, look at the goods next to it. If the code on all adjacent packages is the same, these are fake products.

These were common features... Individual manufacturers may have their own.

Fake Shell Symptoms (with video)

Signs of counterfeit Shell oil:

• Package. The manufacturer often changes the label design, so if the old version has a recent production date, it is most likely a fake. Check the current version of the label on the Internet;
• Lid. Should be made of good plastic, not different in color from the canister;
• High-quality printing. If letters, numbers or drawings of poor quality are visible on the label or canister, this is most likely a fake;
• Canister. Should be made of the same quality plastic as the lid. Should not have defects, casting flaws;
• Shell cans come in only four colors: yellow, blue, gray and red. In all other cases, it is a fake.

Castrol: how to find out the quality of the purchased product

Original products of this brand must have:

• Castrol logo engraved on the canister lid;
• Manufacturer's emblem on the ring fixing the cover;
• There must be a protective film under the lid;
• Watermark on the back of the container;
• Unique product code;
• Relevant label design.

Motul: how not to run into fake

Signs of the original "Motul":

• The special shape of the canister;
• The canister must have a special opening control system - the ring under the lid must be level and not move away;
• Made in Italy or Made in France labeling;
• Some oils have decals on the caps. For example, Bubble Tag is a small transparent square with bubbles inside.

Mobil: we recognize a low-quality purchase (with a video guide)

The features of the original products from this manufacturer are as follows:

• Same color of front sticker and canister lid;
• The protective ring under the cover is not damaged and is present;
• The canister is silver or graphite;
• The assembly is smooth, there are no casting flaws;
• Clear label printing;
• At the bottom of the canister there is a code indicating the batch (starts with the letter N or G).

Zic: signs of a bad product

Original products have the following characteristics:

• Cover - there should be no traces of glue or soldering;
• High-quality label printing, saturated colors;
• There is an expiration date, certificates, the designation "non-food product" on the bottom;
• Special watermark at the bottom of the front of the canister.

How to determine the quality of oil using the oil stain method

To check the oil in this way, you need:

1. Put oil on a piece of clean paper;
2. Carefully put a piece of paper with a drop in a warm place;
3. Wait two hours for the oil to dry;
4. Check the drop in accordance with the picture below: one to three points - good oil, three to four - normal, five to seven - unsatisfactory, seven to nine or nine to ten - bad.

Diagnostic devices

If visual observations do not inspire confidence, you need to check the oil on a special device. One such instrument is an octane meter. It will help in determining the following factors:

• engine oil manufacturer;
• the presence of water in the oil substance.

Also, special laboratory complexes are used, consisting of several devices.

Using all these devices is quite simple: you just need to turn on the device and drip oil into a special window on it. The main disadvantage is that they are inaccessible to an ordinary car owner and are most often available in specialized service centers.

Quality oil- the guarantee of durability and good engine performance of your pet. Check the purchased product carefully!

There was a lot of noise around the ZIC 5W40 oil. There were rumors that the lubricant would destroy the car's engine and the manufacturer was not credible. But this is just a wave of indignation from a new product on the market, and it is also possible that there were frequent cases of purchasing not the original ZIC 5W40, but a fake, as is often the case with new products. Therefore, you should turn to the facts.

The myriad of lubricants present the consumer with a difficult choice. After all, each manufacturer assures that his car oil for the engine is the best, and it can easily protect the internal combustion engine from all kinds of adverse factors. As a result of the research carried out, the manufacturer of a number of machine oils ZIK has shown excellent results in independent examinations and tests. So all resentment is dust.

Who suits

Engine oil ZIC cars 5W40 is a fully synthetic element. According to the manufacturer's statement, it is considered a quality standard suitable for use:

• In engines of gasoline type of passenger cars;
• Diesel types of light vehicles;
• Powertrains for SUVs and urban crossovers;
• In vehicles with a gas system.

It turns out that ZIK lubricant is contraindicated for use in engines trucks and in motors of two - four-stroke type, installed on motorcycles and scooters.

Original and fake ZIC 5W40

It is not difficult to identify a falsified product, it is enough to be guided by some aspects:

Volume

Real ZIK 5W40 oil from the manufacturer is poured into small containers - 4 liters. This indicator defines a certain standard that is characteristic of most power units.

Canisters not made of plastic

Everything synthetic oil ZIK is produced by the manufacturer only in metal cans. Each engine oil model has a different color scheme. For example, 5W40 is bottled with a golden sheen, while others are red and green.

Lack of label

On genuine cans of ZIK oils, the paper information component (label) is completely absent. The product information is applied directly to the metal base of the canister.

Unique canister configuration

The manufacturer has provided for special ergonomics of metal tanks. The ZIC 5W40 can is made in the form of a watering can. In other words, when the lid is opened, the oil does not flow out in a full stream, but gradually pours out through the spout.

Seal

Original ZIK products are hidden under special branded protection with a sealant.

Foil

Metallized paper with a brand name is hidden under the cover.

Information data

On the front side metal canister the name is indicated lubricating fluid and classification, in our case SN. All other information is printed on the reverse side.

It is worth noting that it is still possible to run into a fake, even taking into account the above precautions. A natural question arises, why? The answer is simple, the manufacturer of a low-quality product has learned how to purchase their own canisters.

Additional options for detecting counterfeit ZIC 5W40

There are several indirect indicators of identifying a poor-quality product:

1. Price. Lubricating fluid ZIK 5W40 does not belong to the cheap segment of fuels and lubricants. Therefore, if the price differs by a quarter, then this is a sign of a fake.
2. Color component. The original oil has a golden or light yellow hue. If the color of the grease is darker, it is counterfeit.
3. Diagnostics for frost resistance. It is necessary to place the product in the freezer and keep it for a while. The original begins to cloud below -32 degrees Celsius, while maintaining fluidity. If the oil freezes above this mark, then this is a clear sign of counterfeit products.
4. Checking the packed containers. To diagnose authenticity lubricant, you must first shake and turn the canister. If the consumer heard a splash, then such a grease is falsified. The ZIC 5W40 will never flop in the original due to its synthetic nature.

The ZIK manufacturer has worked hard on the degrees of protection of its product. Using these tips, the consumer will protect himself from low-quality products. After all, a counterfeit item is two steps forward to overhaul car engine.

High-quality engine oil is the basis for long and problem-free engine operation. Unfortunately, the market today is filled with counterfeit motor oils. This mainly concerns well-known brands that are most in demand. Therefore, the issue of purchasing high-quality engine oil is especially acute today. There are several ways to test engine oil for authenticity.

How to distinguish an original oil from a fake

Leading manufacturers of motor oils are constantly improving ways to protect their products from counterfeiting. No wonder. There is an unspoken statistics according to which about 40% of all sold engine oils are based on Russian markets- counterfeit products.

It will not necessarily be oil that is completely unsuitable for use. Often cheap brands are poured into cans of famous brands mineral oil with the simplest set of additives, which is far from the properties of the original, but is also suitable. But sometimes, instead of oil, a substance comes across that is capable of short time disable the engine.

Consider several protective techniques implemented by leading manufacturers, and also tell you how to check engine oil for authenticity.

How to check engine oil for quality

Today, there is no reliable way to test new engine oil for quality. Even not all laboratories can give an exhaustive conclusion about the properties and durability of the sample taken for research.

But there are a number of techniques that may indirectly indicate the quality of the engine oil used.

1. Oil consistency on the dipstick. On a hot engine, remove the dipstick from the crankcase and position it vertically. High-quality oil will accumulate at the end of the dipstick into a drop up to a certain volume, only then will it separate and fall. Poor quality will simply flow off.
2. You need to drop one drop of oil from the dipstick onto a paper towel. The stain indicates the condition of the engine oil. If the drop spreads as a uniform greasy spot with a slight darkening in the center, the oil is still usable. If the oil does not spread, but remains in the form of a drop, or the stain has obvious delamination, the oil is unusable.

There are many methods among car owners on how to check engine oil for quality. According to the methods considered, the quality of the oil can be judged by comparing the distance traveled and the results of a drop sample. Normal oil should work stably on the order of 10 thousand kilometers. If signs of oil degradation occur earlier, the oil is most likely of poor quality.

A good engine oil today is much more difficult to choose than any mechanical device (for example, child seat in the car), since without a thorough study in laboratory conditions, all verification methods give very conditional results.

In our online store site, only original oils are sold, which is confirmed by quality certificates and the presence of all protection elements from manufacturers.

The pro pro product of Korean origin was mostly always good, since there were no fakes. Now ZIK switched to plastic, earlier cans were made of iron. This is due to the fact that in the European Union any bank must be disposed of. Recycling iron is more expensive. Iron cans were made by printing on iron. The production technology itself iron bank difficult enough to counterfeit. That is, you need to make the jar itself, apply the paint correctly - it's difficult. That is why there were no counterfeit iron cans, which cannot be said now. It is easier and cheaper to counterfeit plastic containers, so sometimes you can find counterfeit on the shelves, and from that complaints about the quality of the lubricant.

The manufacturer approached the plastic quite well in terms of protection against counterfeiting. Knowing that all this is forged in Russia, they made a good defense.

Firstly, the plastic film, and secondly, the can itself is embossed, that is, various points, bulges, edges, irregularities, and so on. Making a mold for such a can is really difficult.

Plus, the front stickers are made by a company - an analogue of our Goznak, the company that prints in South Korea money, she also makes these stickers.

Distinctive features of a counterfeit ZIC

Accordingly, we have in front of us two cans on the right a fake, on the left - the original. What you should pay attention to. When you put them side by side, you can see that the original can is blue, and the fake one has a greenish tint, slightly darker. The manufacturer claims that the can is made according to uniform standards and there can be no shades of blue here.

The next thing to look out for is the top of the jar with the butterfly image. Such a butterfly is available both on the label at the top and on the polyethylene, which is sealed at the neck. It consists of four parts: wing-body-body-wing, and in between short distance, that is, four separate parts plus the letters SK. There are no shadows. On the counterfeit, the butterfly seems to be a single pattern, that is, one-piece and between them some white lines and a shadow, plus arrows on polyethylene. On counterfeit goods, they are thick and there are three of them. There are 5 arrows on the correct bank.

On the front of the can, on the sticker, in the letters ZIC and on the yellow stripe - the SK Lubricants logo is located, but on the correct bank it is only visible from one specific angle. On a fake, this logo can be seen from any angle.

The next difference, on the correct bank is the inscription 10W40, letters are convex, embossed, and on a fake - flat.

The back is the same, the dark stripe and the letters themselves on the original bank have a slight relief. On a fake, there is a frame around the stripes, and the relief is not observed.

The middle measuring bar on the original packaging is thin, and on a fake it is much wider.

In general, when purchasing ZIK oil, always pay attention to these 6 main differences, specially made in order to protect the buyer from counterfeit and the car engine from damage. Also, of course, look at the fonts and print quality and gluing the label on the bottle - fakes are very often "scorched" by this. And if you opened the lid with engine oil, then make sure there is a foil seal under it, on which there are ZIC emblems.