Scientists scoff at device touted as gasoline saver

shemp · 25th January 2005, 01:40 PM

link

Quote:

A new "money-saving" device for your car won't clean the air or improve your mileage, but it might clean out your checkbook.

The MPT SmogBuster Fuel Disc is promoted across the country through multilevel marketing - a sales technique that relies on layers of distributors. But scientists at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden say the device is a waste of money.

The fuel disc is a quarter-size piece of plastic. Its promoter, OceanCity Network of Thousand Oaks, Calif., is advising its network of salespeople to stock up on the stickers.

Yaotl · 25th January 2005, 01:46 PM

Quote:

"holographic frequencies into the gas tank and changes the molecular structure of the gasoline."

That makes no sense on so many levels

Goshawk · 25th January 2005, 01:47 PM

Quote:

it sends "holographic frequencies into the gas tank and changes the molecular structure of the gasoline."

[root beer on keyboard]
[not good]

Goshawk · 25th January 2005, 01:52 PM

How long till we're looking at the FTC getting involved? Seems like obvious fraud to me.

CFLarsen · 25th January 2005, 01:58 PM

Quote:

changes the molecular structure of the gasoline.

Wouldn't this mean that the gasoline wouldn't be able to drive the car forward??

Sniff test. Claim failed.

Goshawk · 25th January 2005, 02:06 PM

If you go look at their own official test results, you'll see that their own test results show "no change" across the board, before and after.

Only the N02 changes, and I don't know anything about internal combustion engines, but I would assume that it's normal for a running engine to experience a decline in NO2 emissions over time. I don't see anything about their test protocols, but I would assume that they just started the engine for Test 1, dropped in the disk, and continued sampling the running engine for Tests 2 and 3.

http://shopfemina.oceancitynetwork.c...estResults.asp

And, they've got people faxing in their own experiences:

This guy has a Chevy Celebrity with 250,000 miles on it; wouldn't pass the emissions test. So he put in the Smogbuster--and it still didn't pass.

The mechanic changed the catalytic converter--and it passed.

And the guy gives the credit to the Smogbuster.

Oy.

And this guy also had a 1987 Toyota that failed the emissions test. He changed the air filter and put in a Smogbuster--and it passed the emissions test. Obviously it was due to the Smogbuster.

I'm not making these up, folks.

That is completely bizarre...

Luke T. · 25th January 2005, 02:24 PM

Quote:

They retail for $299 each but are discounted for people who persuade others to sell them. Upper-level members - one of whom is based in Boulder - have to buy a minimum of 10 SmogBusters for about $1,400.

The disc is to be taped or glued to the bottom of your car's gas tank.

And it sends holographic signals...

$299 retail.

Not only does the device stretch my belief to the limit, the idea that this is an actual item actually being sold and bought is almost beyond belief. Are we sure this isn't a hoax story?

From the Smogbuster FAQs:

Quote:

The OCN SmogBusterâ„¢ Disc is a custom holographic disc that is able to store and project proprietary programming that affects the properties of the gasoline or diesel fuel, causing it to burn cleaner and more efficiently.

Quote:

Originally posted by CFLarsen
Sniff test. Claim failed.

Quote:

First of all, whenever you put an OCN SmogBusterâ„¢ Disc on for a client, always start the vehicle and allow it to run for 15 -20 minutes in order to allow the engine to warm up. This will allow all the emissions systems to start to function properly. Have them smell the exhaust as you are cleaning a spot on the tank to affix the OCN SmogBusterâ„¢ Disc on.

Quote:

What do you do if the exhaust still stinks after applying the SmogBusterâ„¢ Disc?

A) There is the rare occasion where even after applying the OCN SmogBusterâ„¢ Disc there still has a nasty exhaust smell. Most of those few vehicles did show a change in the smell however over time. There are going to be a few discs that are defective or have been damaged in some way. The â€œsmell testâ€ is a quick way to verify you have a functioning disc before the customer drives away.

If this is an actual product actually being sold and bought by real people, I can't help but think about a Jerry Seinfeld interview I once saw. One of the tabloids, National Enquirer or somesuch rag, had printed an uncomplimentary story about Seinfeld which he said during the TV interview was a complete fabrication but it didn't bother him. When the reporter asked him why not, he responded along the lines of, "Anyone who buys those tabloids deserves to be lied to."

Anyone who pays 299 bucks for a Smogbuster deserves to be robbed.

Ashles · 26th January 2005, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Anyone who pays 299 bucks for a Smogbuster deserves to be robbed.

Good point.

We could run around getting media interest, lawyers, consumer and retailer groups involved and forming an elaborate and detailed investigation of statutory consumer rights.
We could take the evidence to the courts who might then find against this company and order them to repay all these people their money back.

The trial finishes and they all come up to us, not to thank us, but to borrow a dollar.

"Why do you want a dollar?" we might ask.

"Well there's a guy over there whio looks really like the guy in that court. Anyway he's selling magic beans. They're fifty dollars a bean and it's six per bag. So, you got a dollar?"

Luke T. · 26th January 2005, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ashles
Good point.

We could run around getting media interest, lawyers, consumer and retailer groups involved and forming an elaborate and detailed investigation of statutory consumer rights.
We could take the evidence to the courts who might then find against this company and order them to repay all these people their money back.

The trial finishes and they all come up to us, not to thank us, but to borrow a dollar.

"Why do you want a dollar?" we might ask.

"Well there's a guy over there whio looks really like the guy in that court. Anyway he's selling magic beans. They're fifty dollars a bean and it's six per bag. So, you got a dollar?"

My wife's best friend was one of those people who believed civilization was going to collapse on January 1, 2000. She stocked her garage with water, rice and other survival items. No amount of skeptical debate on my part was able to dissuade her.

On January 2, 2000 I gleefully called her to gloat. Her response was that a slight miscalculation had been made and civilization was going to end in a few months on May 15th.

She continues to this day to fall for one scam after another. Homeopathy, reiki, you name it. I don't even want to think about how much money she has thrown away.

There is only so much protection you can provide for people like that. After a certain point, the responsibility falls squarely on their own shoulders.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

25th January 2005, 01:40 PM	#1
shemp Timothy, Timothy, where on earth did you go? Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: trapped in a cave-in with Joe Posts: 12,953	Scientists scoff at device touted as gasoline saver link Quote: A new "money-saving" device for your car won't clean the air or improve your mileage, but it might clean out your checkbook. The MPT SmogBuster Fuel Disc is promoted across the country through multilevel marketing - a sales technique that relies on layers of distributors. But scientists at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden say the device is a waste of money. The fuel disc is a quarter-size piece of plastic. Its promoter, OceanCity Network of Thousand Oaks, Calif., is advising its network of salespeople to stock up on the stickers.

25th January 2005, 01:46 PM	#2
Yaotl Critical Thinker Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 430	Quote: "holographic frequencies into the gas tank and changes the molecular structure of the gasoline." That makes no sense on so many levels
Yaotl Critical Thinker Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 430	__________________ Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.

25th January 2005, 01:58 PM	#5
CFLarsen Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 42,804	Quote: changes the molecular structure of the gasoline. Wouldn't this mean that the gasoline wouldn't be able to drive the car forward?? Sniff test. Claim failed.
	__________________ SkepticReport.com

25th January 2005, 02:24 PM	#7
Luke T. Guest Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 14,759	Quote: They retail for $299 each but are discounted for people who persuade others to sell them. Upper-level members - one of whom is based in Boulder - have to buy a minimum of 10 SmogBusters for about $1,400. The disc is to be taped or glued to the bottom of your car's gas tank. And it sends holographic signals... $299 retail. Not only does the device stretch my belief to the limit, the idea that this is an actual item actually being sold and bought is almost beyond belief. Are we sure this isn't a hoax story? From the Smogbuster FAQs: Quote: The OCN SmogBusterâ„¢ Disc is a custom holographic disc that is able to store and project proprietary programming that affects the properties of the gasoline or diesel fuel, causing it to burn cleaner and more efficiently. Quote: Originally posted by CFLarsen Sniff test. Claim failed. Quote: First of all, whenever you put an OCN SmogBusterâ„¢ Disc on for a client, always start the vehicle and allow it to run for 15 -20 minutes in order to allow the engine to warm up. This will allow all the emissions systems to start to function properly. Have them smell the exhaust as you are cleaning a spot on the tank to affix the OCN SmogBusterâ„¢ Disc on. Quote: What do you do if the exhaust still stinks after applying the SmogBusterâ„¢ Disc? A) There is the rare occasion where even after applying the OCN SmogBusterâ„¢ Disc there still has a nasty exhaust smell. Most of those few vehicles did show a change in the smell however over time. There are going to be a few discs that are defective or have been damaged in some way. The â€œsmell testâ€ is a quick way to verify you have a functioning disc before the customer drives away. If this is an actual product actually being sold and bought by real people, I can't help but think about a Jerry Seinfeld interview I once saw. One of the tabloids, National Enquirer or somesuch rag, had printed an uncomplimentary story about Seinfeld which he said during the TV interview was a complete fabrication but it didn't bother him. When the reporter asked him why not, he responded along the lines of, "Anyone who buys those tabloids deserves to be lied to." Anyone who pays 299 bucks for a Smogbuster deserves to be robbed.
Luke T. Guest Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 14,759

26th January 2005, 10:13 AM	#8
Ashles Pith Artist Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The '80s Posts: 8,711	Quote: Anyone who pays 299 bucks for a Smogbuster deserves to be robbed. Good point. We could run around getting media interest, lawyers, consumer and retailer groups involved and forming an elaborate and detailed investigation of statutory consumer rights. We could take the evidence to the courts who might then find against this company and order them to repay all these people their money back. The trial finishes and they all come up to us, not to thank us, but to borrow a dollar. "Why do you want a dollar?" we might ask. "Well there's a guy over there whio looks really like the guy in that court. Anyway he's selling magic beans. They're fifty dollars a bean and it's six per bag. So, you got a dollar?"
	__________________ With extraordinary few exceptions no educated person in the history of Western Civilization from the third century B.C. onward believed that the earth was flat. - Jeffrey Burton Russell No one "proved" that a bumblebee can't fly. What was shown was that a certain simple mathematical model wasn't adequate or appropriate - Ivars Peterson

25th January 2005, 01:47 PM	#3
Goshawk Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Decatur, Illinois, USA Posts: 1,453	Quote: it sends "holographic frequencies into the gas tank and changes the molecular structure of the gasoline." [root beer on keyboard] [not good]

25th January 2005, 01:52 PM	#4
Goshawk Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Decatur, Illinois, USA Posts: 1,453	How long till we're looking at the FTC getting involved? Seems like obvious fraud to me.

25th January 2005, 02:06 PM	#6
Goshawk Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Decatur, Illinois, USA Posts: 1,453	If you go look at their own official test results, you'll see that their own test results show "no change" across the board, before and after. Only the N02 changes, and I don't know anything about internal combustion engines, but I would assume that it's normal for a running engine to experience a decline in NO2 emissions over time. I don't see anything about their test protocols, but I would assume that they just started the engine for Test 1, dropped in the disk, and continued sampling the running engine for Tests 2 and 3. http://shopfemina.oceancitynetwork.c...estResults.asp And, they've got people faxing in their own experiences: This guy has a Chevy Celebrity with 250,000 miles on it; wouldn't pass the emissions test. So he put in the Smogbuster--and it still didn't pass. The mechanic changed the catalytic converter--and it passed. And the guy gives the credit to the Smogbuster. Oy. And this guy also had a 1987 Toyota that failed the emissions test. He changed the air filter and put in a Smogbuster--and it passed the emissions test. Obviously it was due to the Smogbuster. I'm not making these up, folks. That is completely bizarre...

26th January 2005, 10:25 AM	#9
Luke T. Guest Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 14,759	Quote: Originally posted by Ashles Good point. We could run around getting media interest, lawyers, consumer and retailer groups involved and forming an elaborate and detailed investigation of statutory consumer rights. We could take the evidence to the courts who might then find against this company and order them to repay all these people their money back. The trial finishes and they all come up to us, not to thank us, but to borrow a dollar. "Why do you want a dollar?" we might ask. "Well there's a guy over there whio looks really like the guy in that court. Anyway he's selling magic beans. They're fifty dollars a bean and it's six per bag. So, you got a dollar?" My wife's best friend was one of those people who believed civilization was going to collapse on January 1, 2000. She stocked her garage with water, rice and other survival items. No amount of skeptical debate on my part was able to dissuade her. On January 2, 2000 I gleefully called her to gloat. Her response was that a slight miscalculation had been made and civilization was going to end in a few months on May 15th. She continues to this day to fall for one scam after another. Homeopathy, reiki, you name it. I don't even want to think about how much money she has thrown away. There is only so much protection you can provide for people like that. After a certain point, the responsibility falls squarely on their own shoulders. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
Luke T. Guest Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 14,759