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Jules Vasquez Reporting
The oil is called Ramstein - produced in Mexico exclusively for Caribbean Tire Limited. It's no small venture, they're selling all grades of oil, in all sizes, quarts, gallons and drums - and looking at this warehouse, they don't seem like they'll be running out anytime soon.

Ramiro Custodio - Ramstein oil
"It is the rescue to the economy in Belize in the oil industry. It's going to be a product that will enhance with the situation that we are going through economic wise and the public is demanding for better prices but yet they still want us to keep the standard and the good quality."

And by that they mean the price, it is much cheaper than the product imported from the multinational oil companies:

Judy Perez - Ramstein Oil
"The price is about $3-$4 difference at this time per quart. So it is a big difference for customers on a whole to take a look at what we have here now."

Jules Vasquez
"How can it afford to be so much cheaper than its competitor and still be at the same standard?"

Ramiro Custodio - Ramstein oil
"Jules I can easily tell you and I can really attest that definitely this product is not doing a whole wide market. What we are doing - we are delivering the product within the gallon and not advertising as heavily, so therefore we do not have a much expense on bottling. We don't have much expense on the container itself but we have the product that you are asking for."

Jules Vasquez
"The one gallon container, it is almost 50% less, with the quart its 33% less roughly. I immediately think that well the cheaper product has to be an inferior product and many times the buyers are prepared to live with that, but you are saying that this Ramstein product is comparable both in quality and standards to the imported product?"

Judy Perez - Ramstein Oil
"That's right; we would be having a back-up pretty soon to know what we are talking about. The price wise - you can compare it. You will see the logic behind the whole thing as you have already seen when we poured the oils - you will see that the difference does not make any difference."

Indeed, it looks the same when we poured out the much more expensive Texaco product - but we're no experts and looks don't mean much - still the company says it is willing to go toe to toe any day:

Ramiro Custodio - Ramstein oil
"We are seeing within a month or two, we should have a sophiscated lab in Belize City so as to prove, we will be comparing apples against apples for example a"40" oil from the competition to our Ramstein and we will prove to you that if it's not the same its even better."

Jules Vasquez
"I am saying that your company does not have the corporate profile and responsibility that a multi-national like Texaco has. How do I know that you all have observed the same high standards that I know they must observe in the manufacturing of their product?"

Ramiro Custodio - Ramstein oil
"I agree with you 100%. Nevertheless remember one day they had to have a first time - yesterday it was ours, so today I can attest to you that we can challenge any time that our product is of quality."

Now that may be sales pitch but they say they are willing to put it to the test - now it's left to be seen if vehicle owners will feel as confident:

Jules Vasquez
"Do you think people will have that confidence?"

Ramiro Custodio - Ramstein oil
"Well on my part I could kindly say yes but I leave it to the discretion of the public. We would like you to give it a shot."

Their product is available at Caribbean tire and they say they also intend to sell it at auto parts stores and gas stations. As for the price of gas - it's coming down tonight at midnight by 45 cents for premium, 46 cents for regular and 34 cents for diesel.