The company behind it, Syntek Global, was founded in 2008, although its re-sellers claim the group has been anything from 20 to 10 years in business. Witness Wheels have checked for proof to back the claims made by the many ambassadors of this company; and came up empty-handed for all but the claim that this product could be sold by anyone.
On the main website, Syntek president and CEO John Winterholler states: “Syntek Global was created to be a company for EVERYONE and is committed to providing a way for those that want to, to break out of their fear and negative thinking, and achieve their goals.”
Those who have broken out of their negative thinking — and there are many throughout Africa — argue vehemenly this is not a pyramid scheme but a real magic-bullet cure all for all types of vehicles. As one of several African websites states: “Buy XFT and you’ll be extending the life of your engine. Xtreme Fuel Treatment cleans out your engine and improves engine performance with every use.
“The system is automatic and it works every single time. It doesn’t matter whether you are using diesel or petrol. Xtreme Fuel Treatment prolongs engine life.”
The multi-level resellers do not limit themselves with such dry statements when they can use neologisms. Chisom Ohuaka, “Poet, Brand Administrator, Entrepreneur at Orange Academy” said: “XFT is based on organo-metallic chemistry that have been tested and works!”
A South African website states: “This organometallic compound acts as a catalyst to reduce ignition delay. Another plus is that it is convenient, easy to use and perfectly packaged for even the busiest people.”
As with all dubious products, big names are invoked to convince the new resellers as much as the users about the product.
“Its technology is based on Nobel Prize winning Organo metallic chemistry used by Nasa,” states one claim, while at another re-seller in the Underberg area claims that Toyota endorsed the product.
Nasa did not respond to queries at the time of going to print.
Leo Kok, senior manager of corporate communications at Toyota South Africa Motors told Witness Wheels in no uncertain terms Toyota has not tested, nor approved, any additives in their engines other than what South Africa’s major fuel retailers premix in the fuel retailed at forecourts in the country.
Another claim often repeated by the resellers is that the Xtreme Fuel Treatment “reduces the amount of harmful emissions produced by your vehicle by almost one-third because of its patented burn rate modifier” or that “the product prevents and reverses sludge build-up, inhibits rust and corrosion and keeps water from forming in fuel”.
The only way to check such a claim would be to open up the fuel injectors.
John Bamber of Diesel Works in Pietermaritzburg said the group has not as yet found any fuel additives that they could recommend. This from a company that opens up and repairs 60 to 100 fuel injectors per month. Bamber said specific fuel treatments was a different matter.
These treatments are available off the shelf but are not cheap and as Jens Denk of Denks Motors, who also opens up engines on a daily basis, said: “In my experience, most after-market gizmos and additives only have a limited benefit — if any — and if you look at the time and cost taken to procure these and add or install them, then the real benefit is often five percent or less.”
