Blue DEF Platinum Reviews and Problems: Is Platinum Worth It?
When a manufacturer or retail outlet puts a link in their ads that says click to get a quote or something similar. That is always one red flag letting you know that the price may be a bit high. But that is what one DEF retailer has done on their website
The jury may still be out on this upgraded DEF solution. Some people worry that any new additives may harm the sensors while others think it is needed because the traditional DEF leaves deposits behind. It may or may not be any good and the ads are just hype.
To learn more about this product, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about to see if this product is okay for your truck’s DEF system. All that glitters is not gold and platinum may just be an ad device to hook you
Is Blue DEF Platinum Better?
As you know Blue DEF is designed to reduce the pollution your vehicle produces. It is also designed to protect your Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system. Now, it seems that some manufacturers have produced a better DEF product.
It is hard to say if this new DEF fluid is better or not because it has the same urea and distilled water ratio as the regular Blue DEF. One review site says it is cheaper than the old version but that remains to be seen.
Also, this new and improved DEF is supposed to have a far greater range than the old formula. Instead of just 10,000 miles, you should be able to use it for 11,000 to 12,000 miles.
Then the Platinum option is supposed to be compatible with all SCR models while the traditional or regular option is only compatible with the U42 systems.
But given that the platinum is supposed to clean up deposits one could conclude that the newer updated version is better than the old one. That is hard to say until we find out what other ingredients are included in the new DEF platinum.
The big question to be answered would be, will those extra cleaning ingredients harm the NOx sensors or not?
BlueDEF Platinum vs BlueDEF
We will provide a side-by-side comparison of the key points in this discussion so you have a clear view of what each version does or doesn’t do.
| Platinum DEF | Regular DEF |
| Reduces future deposits in the fuel exhaust system | Does not reduce future deposits in the fuel exhaust system |
| Does not reduce engine power | Can reduce engine power |
| Saves money over time | Does not save money over time |
| Expensive to buy per gallon | Cheaper in cost per gallon |
| Does not crystalize | Crystalizes quickly |
| Less waste produced | More waste |
| Less fuel used per mile | More fuel used per mile |
| Less noticeable smell of the final exhaust | More typical smell of exhaust |
** Information for table taken from this website- https://theautoguider.com/blue-def-platinum-vs-regular/
It is interesting to note that one review site said it was cheaper than the regular DEF and another says it is more expensive. This contradiction must mean that they either bought it at a discount somewhere or one got a special deal to review it.
Other differences include the platinum version is supposed to have a shelf life that is twice as long as the regular DEF. That is 24 months compared to 12 months.
Then the purity level for the Platinum option is 99.9% while the regular DEF is said t be 99.5% pure. The final difference and which may explain the upgrade is that the platinum version is made for advanced emission control systems requiring the highest performance level.
The regular DEF is said to not meet those requirements and is only for less advanced emission systems.
Blue DEF Platinum Reviews
The reviews, as expected, are mixed. One owner was told he was using expired DEF which is why he got a few fault codes on his screen. He was not that happy about that. But others have said that they do not like the cost of the upgraded version.
He paid $42 for one 2-gallon order and the next time he had to pay $70 for the same amount. The professional review sites had nothing but glowing remarks about this upgraded option.
They felt it was better for diesel engine’s SCRs and provided better fuel mileage. One Amazon reviewer confirmed that he got better fuel mileage but not enough to offset the price of the DEF.
What bothers us a bit about one of those professional reviewers is that he said ‘ there is a massive difference between these two products’. We do not know where that massive difference is as the ingredients on the package only state the standard urea and distilled water ratio as well as the words “Proprietary additive package”.
What that means is we have not found out yet but it doesn’t seem to make a massive difference between the two products. Most people did not like the new platinum DEF because it is very expensive.
It is not cheaper like one reviewer claimed but about 3 to 5 times more expensive than regular DEF.
Blue DEF Platinum Problems
There are several problems that we can see from our research. The number one problem is that this new DEF platinum is very expensive. Just about everyone has complained about the price.
Some have done so very emphatically. We do not blame them when you are used to paying between $7 and $11 per 2.5 gallons and now you have to pay between $18 and $37+ per 2.5 gallons.
The second major problem is the hype surrounding this new DEF solution. No one is buying what the companies are saying. They are making the point that the old DEF has worked fine for a long time now so they felt there was no need for an upgrade.
The professional reviewers we read had nothing bad to say about this upgraded option. They had nothing but good to say with a lot of great positive adjectives thrown in. It will be hard for this platinum DEF to live up to the praise it is getting.
A third problem is the claim that it cleans out the deposits that the regular DEF cannot do. However, we have found out that there are no definitive studies out there proving that claim true.
If there are it would be good to hear about them. But in one owner’s words, the best DEF is the cheapest and the freshest.
Is Blue DEF Platinum Good For Duramax?
It is doubtful that it is harmful even though one owner did get an amber light telling him the DEF quality was low after putting the platinum in his DEF tank. Most people do not think it is good for any vehicle because it is not DEF if there are additives.
Here is what one GM owner had to say: “All DEF is the same. All brands, every one of them, are the same formula. They HAVE to be for it to be called DEF/Diesel Exhaust Fluid. There are API and ISO standards that define a very specific formula for DEF and if the product does not match that formula then it cannot be called DEF.” (source)
That is backed up by what Cummins had to say on this issue: “The urea content of DEF solution must be 32.5 percent ± 0.7 percent by weight. It must meet the International Standard ISO 22241-1 for diesel engines.
There is no acceptable substitute. For engines using SCR operating in the United States and Canada, DEF certified by the American Petroleum Institute (API) is recommended for use. A symbol on the container or dispensing system will indicate certification” (source)
What they are saying is, that if there are additives in the DEF fluid then it does not meet the standards set for DEF and cannot be considered DEF.
Is BlueDEF Platinum Worth It?
Some owners have said it is worth buying this product as they did see some upgrades to their vehicle’s performance. However. Some of those owners who said they received some improvement did not agree that their increase was worth the higher cost of the platinum DEF.
Another owner said the Peak brand is the brand they are having the most trouble with. That seems to be the brand that is selling DEF platinum. The key to this discussion would be an itemized list of those proprietary additives in the package Peak places on its box in the ingredients section.
Who knows what those are and if they will eventually ruin some parts in your DEF system and engine? Right now, all we are seeing is a lot of hype and some fantastic claims that may not hold to be true.
The product is relatively new so it remains to be seen what the long-term effects will be. According to the professional reviewers we read, this new DEF platinum is the next best invention since sliced bread.
We just do not think it is worth paying double to triple or higher the cost of the regular DEF for essentially the same product. Both products contain the same 32.5% Urea and 67.5% deionized water.
Those supposed additives do not warrant the heavy price increase.
Can You Mix Blue DEF With Blue DEF Platinum?
It is said that you can mix these two products. That is if you want to take advantage of the ‘cleaning power’ of the Platinum while saving a little money. The big difference will be in how long the remaining mixture will have to sit before you use it.
Platinum lasts up to 2 years before it goes bad while the regular only lasts for 1. Then you have to worry about the quality of both DEF options. Low-quality DEF will trigger a code or a warning light and you would have to flush the tank and system to get the inferior DEF out before replacing it with a better brand.
That is the biggest worry you will have if you decide to mix these two DEF options. Before you do that, you have to decide if you want to pay the higher cost for the upgraded DEF solution. It is not going to be a cheap mixture.
Where To Buy DEF Platinum
We are finding it listed at several auto parts outlets like NAPA and O’Reilly’s but what we do not like is the fact that these companies are saying ‘contact us for a quote’.
If companies are that scared to show the actual price upfront, maybe they should not stock the product. Old World Industries’ Blue DEF web page does the same thing. But we have found the price of this product and it is not encouraging to say the least.
One review site has prices of $36 on sale for $33 approx. Showing an Amazon price just for the 2.5-gallon 1 pack and $66 approx for the 2-pack option. But when we checked Amazon they do not list the price there.
Some people who bought from that vendor stated it was advertised as a 2-pack but they only received the 1-pack when it was delivered. You may also be able to find DEF platinum at Home Depot and Lowes. But their price was roughly $23 for the 2.5-gallon platinum option.
Walmart is selling this upgraded version for $23 approx as well. It used to be $33 approx. But they lowered their price on this product.
Some Final Words
Whether the Platinum DEF is better than the regular or not remains to be seen. But if there are additives to this new product then it may not be considered true DEF.
The base ingredients are the same and some owners reported receiving improvement in their vehicle’s performance. Those improvements certainly do not justify the higher price tag.
As far as we can see, you are not missing out on anything if you save money and stick with the regular DEF version.
