The real deal on synthetic oil
By David Menzies for MSN Autos
I was cringing the other day. An acquaintance of mine who owns a high-performance, six-figure ride was bragging about the el-cheapo oil change he just scored down at the local quickie-lube. Amazingly, despite his ride’s pedigree, he goes for value-priced conventional oil over synthetic. This is, as they say in Bonnie Scotland, “Penny-wise and pound foolish.”
Granted, the synthetic product is more than double the cost of conventional oil. Guess what? You get what you pay for.
Oil is the lifeblood of any vehicle. It winds its way through all the moving parts of the internal combustion engine, lubricating those parts in the process. Oil cleans the engine and cools the engine (thanks to transferring heat away from moving parts.) Oil improves sealing while inhibiting corrosion. No other fluid is as vitally important for a vehicle as those precious few litres of Texas Tea.
And make no mistake: no oil performs as well as the synthetic variety.
Essentially, synthetic oil is a lubricant consisting of chemical compounds which are artificially synthesized using chemically-modified petroleum components rather than whole crude oil. As such, synthetic oil is better formulated to withstand rigorous and lengthy engine operation without suffering from viscosity breakdown.
So the question arises: how is it that a consumer who doesn’t bat an eyelash when it comes to spending $5 for a daily dose of designer java will gasp with incredulity when told that a synthetic oil change is going to set him back $90?
Synthetic oil is costly in the short term. But just consider the long-term benefits:
Synthetic isn’t really as costly as you may think: On average, a conventional oil change costs anywhere from $30 to $45 whereas a synthetic oil change is in the $75 to $100 ballpark. At first blush, the numbers indicate synthetic oil is double or even triple the cost of conventional oil. Not so fast: because synthetic oil lasts longer it doesn’t have to be changed as frequently as conventional oil. Instead of changing the oil every 5,000 km using the conventional product, experts say the synthetic alternative is good for at least 8,000 km.
“Extreme driving conditions” is essentially daily driving: Synthetic oil truly excels in extreme driving conditions because it doesn’t congeal as fast as conventional oil. But extreme driving conditions don’t exclusively pertain to those found in the Daytona 500 or the Jeep Jamboree. Rather, commuting in stop-and-go traffic, idling the car for long periods of time, and towing a trailer all amount to “extreme driving conditions” – especially during extremely hot or cold temperatures.
Longevity: Because synthetic oil is so slippery, it will reduce engine wear; reduced engine wear ultimately leads to greater mechanical longevity.
Bottom line: if you subscribe to the wise philosophy of preventative maintenance, then get real by going synthetic.
Justin Couture
Mark Atkinson
John LeBlanc
Posted by: Synthetic Oil : Fan for Decades | 2013-01-02 8:57:56 AM
This is a great summary of the advantages of Synthetic Oil.
If you need even more information, just search for Oil Forums on the web and read.
More vehicles are factory filled with Synthetic Oil. My 2012 Sienna is factory filled with it. Gratefully, the Toyota suppliers have brought better value to the oil change as my last "Fast Lane" oil change cost $70 all in. To me, that is good value.
Fuel Economy is becoming more and more important. That last 5% can make a huge difference in the bragging rights for fuel economy. More importantly, the manufacturer can optimize the engineering design of the engine for even better performance. Just ask the engineers at Chevy, where the Corvette has had factory Mobil 1 Synthetic for two decades.
Extended Oil Change Intervals are a reality with synthetic oil. In my daily driver, I change the oil once a year, after about 20,000 kms. Use the best synthetic oil you can buy, buy the best oil filter you can find (I use the Mobil 1 branded Premium Oil Filter). Check the oil level regularly and look at the colour of the oil over time on the dipstick and you'll be good. The extended oil change interval makes synthetic oil much less impactful on the environment, as used oil and used oil filters are reduced. (4 oil changes of conventional, versus 1 oil change of synthetic)
How expensive is synthetic oil? Really, it's not that much more. Look at your favourite retailers flyers for sales. My favourite retailer has my favourite oil on sale at least 40% off, twice a year. Same with my favourite Mobil 1 Premium Oil Filter, I can get this on sale twice a year for 25% off.
David, you do miss one important point. For the chemical engineers out there, the synthetics that are used now are 5W0 grades of low friction, viscosity modified oils. You can't get a conventional oil to perform to the same standard.
Posted by: ed | 2013-01-05 9:00:32 PM
my gm minivan oil life monitor usually tells me about 10 k to change the oil i use convenctional oil and its usually dark brown at that point.well this past summer i towed a boat 3500lbs for 1800km with no problem on a trip with high outside temps and van loaded down this time i used synthitic and at the 10k oil change time the oil was much clearer light brown with extreme use now im really sold on this u can buy a 5 litre jug of synthic oil at that big box giant store on sale for 19 to23 dollars.