YACT - Yet another OIL thread! Why are YOU using synthetic on a car you won't keep very long?

[StageLeft]

This is a variant on the many oil threads. Instead of arguing the merits of syn vs. conventional, my take on it is: Why are you using synthetic (if you do) on a car that you won't likely keep very long? We all know that synthetic is a LITTLE better than conventional. However, let's say that you drive 20k miles/year. You change your oil every 5k miles. A regular conventional oil costs $1.5/quart. A good synthetic costs $4.50 or more. So, that's $3 X 4 quarts (for argument's sake) = $12. That's $48/year. Say you keep your car 4 years, you've just blown $200. And for what? if your engine died before 80k anyway and oil could have played a part, then it was probably a Mitsubishi (heh). Even if you keep your car for 200k miles it's unlikely that synthetic will make a huge difference - and even if it does it's cost you $500 for that difference!

 

[TheBDB]

My dad told me to.

 

[OS]

cause in theory it gives me a couple more HP

 

[MikeMike]

my dad keeps his car for about a year, however he puts on 50K in about 7 months. also, he changes regular oil every 3K miles, syn every 5K. so although a price difference, syn lasts longer and overall becomes slightly less.

MIKE

 

[Ornery]

Probably the same reason they pay mega bucks for interconnect cables... sucked into marketing hype!

 

[poopaskoopa]

I read some good stuff about it on a Prelude forum. It sounded good, and I figured it's worth the extra $18-20 it costs(I get 5 qts of 5-30w Mobil 1) each time I change. I guess this question shouldn't apply to me because I have no plans to get rid of my car any time soon. :heart:

 

[Heisenberg]

I keep my cars for a long time, so it's worth it to me. Plus, one car is supercharged and the other has fairly high-performance V8, so the extra protection synthetic provides makes sense to me anyway.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: nourdmrolNMT1
my dad keeps his car for about a year, however he puts on 50K in about 7 months. also, he changes regular oil every 3K miles, syn every 5K. so although a price difference, syn lasts longer and overall becomes slightly less.

MIKE

Conventional every 3k vs. syn every 5k can definitely pay off in some sense, and saves changing all the time. Course, I would change a conventional every 5k or so anyway, and though a syn can in theory last longer, I just feel "bad", so I still do both at the same time (when I had a car that I fed conventional...I think I'm going to switch my 97 maxima back to it, which was the reason I made the thread. $14 extra an oil change on a car worth $6k just isn't making sense).

 

[dirtboy]

I use Mobil 1 0W40 because if I don't, it will void my warranty. I change it approximately every 7,000 miles. I say approximately, because the car will tell me when it wants its oil changed. This is on a car I'm leasing for 39 mo, so I know I won't have it that long.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I use Mobil 1 0W40 because if I don't, it will void my warranty. I change it approximately every 7,000 miles. I say approximately, because the car will tell me when it wants its oil changed. This is on a car I'm leasing for 39 mo, so I know I won't have it that long.

Another valid reason

 

[wedi42]

because i'm lazy,
i change the oil half as often with synthentic

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Ornery
Probably the same reason they pay mega bucks for interconnect cables... sucked into marketing hype!

While I agree with your overall sentiment, fortunately engine oil is one of the things that there is at least some truth to the marketing claims... most of the time. lol..

The thing people need to realize is that just because it's synthetic doesen't mean it's better. There are certainly ultra-refined conventional oils that are better than cheap synthetics *coughwalmartsupertechfullsyncough*. Just something to think about.

You also have to remember that you absolutely cannot compare oils made by the same company of different weights, let alone oils made by different companies of the same weight. Might have to read that a couple of times.. lol

In the world of oils, "you get what you pay for" is very true. That's just how it works. It costs a lot of money in R&D, and requires a lot of specific knowledge in the additive package formulation areas to make a high end synthetic. That's why they're more expensive.

Whether they're worth it to you or not, depends on you. With the high end synthetics, if you're looking to save money.. they probably aren't for you, because it takes extra effort in the form of oil analysis to really see the $$ savings. Otherwise you have to short change yourself and change the oil early because you just don't know. Either that or you can assume its OK, but risk actually wearing your engine more.

If I ever had a brand new car, I probably would, otherwise.. meh.

I run Mobil Delvac 1300 Super 15W-40 in both my Dad's Camry and my 1/2ton Chevy PU(with fairly high performance V8, as Heisenberg puts it. ).

It's a highly refined conventional oil, meant for diesels. It has excellent shear stability(4.40; resistance to thinning), and a top of the line TBN of 12.. standard stuff for big diesels, which are much more demanding than our gasoline engines.

Best of all, it's less than 6$ a gallon at Wal-Mart. It has the best price/performance ratio I've found in my limited search thus far.

When my dad had this engine built and put into his truck, the guy told him to run Castrol synthetic and just change it every yearroll).

Well, my dad, being.. not so automotive inclined.. didn't change the oil for the first YEAR! :Q That's right. He had break-in oil in that poor engine for about 8,000 miles. I think I nearly shat myself.

There's some nasty sh!t under the valve covers. I'm sure it needs a thorough tuneup and engine flush. I just haven't had the money to do much with it lately.. heh

Oh, but I guess I don't really count since we do plan on keeping our cars for as long as possible, lol..

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I use Mobil 1 0W40 because if I don't, it will void my warranty. I change it approximately every 7,000 miles. I say approximately, because the car will tell me when it wants its oil changed. This is on a car I'm leasing for 39 mo, so I know I won't have it that long.

It will not void your warranty. You could use corn oil, as long as it met API certification.. it wouldn't void your warranty.

I do understand that it's probably easier to just go along with them, but what they are doing is clearly against the law, as stated in the Magnuson-Moss Act.

 

[Shawn]

cause my supercharger manual says to use it.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I use Mobil 1 0W40 because if I don't, it will void my warranty. I change it approximately every 7,000 miles. I say approximately, because the car will tell me when it wants its oil changed. This is on a car I'm leasing for 39 mo, so I know I won't have it that long.

On the Crossfire? Are you sure?

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I use Mobil 1 0W40 because if I don't, it will void my warranty. I change it approximately every 7,000 miles. I say approximately, because the car will tell me when it wants its oil changed. This is on a car I'm leasing for 39 mo, so I know I won't have it that long.

It will not void your warranty. You could use corn oil, as long as it met API certification.. it wouldn't void your warranty.

I do understand that it's probably easier to just go along with them, but what they are doing is clearly against the law, as stated in the Magnuson-Moss Act.

Some manufacturers, like audi and bmw require certain ACEA. A lot of european car makes require ACEA 3 oil.

I thought the API starburst symbol was mainly for the "energy conserving" certification?

 

[TitanDiddly]

I don't, I put NOS and Type R stickers on.

 

[iamwiz82]

Because $200 over 4 years is less than 14 cents a day. Less than the cost to run my computer ffor 24 hours straight. What does it matter, in the long run?

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I use Mobil 1 0W40 because if I don't, it will void my warranty. I change it approximately every 7,000 miles. I say approximately, because the car will tell me when it wants its oil changed. This is on a car I'm leasing for 39 mo, so I know I won't have it that long.

It will not void your warranty. You could use corn oil, as long as it met API certification.. it wouldn't void your warranty.

I do understand that it's probably easier to just go along with them, but what they are doing is clearly against the law, as stated in the Magnuson-Moss Act.

Some manufacturers, like audi and bmw require certain ACEA. A lot of european car makes require ACEA 3 oil.

I thought the API starburst symbol was mainly for the "energy conserving" certification?

I probably just got my terminology mixed up.. maybe it's SAE certified? I dunno, whoever comes up with the certifications.. my mind is numb right now.

But yeah, regardless.. as long as it meets the certification that your manufacturer says you need to use, it won't void your warranty. Technically.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
This is a variant on the many oil threads. Instead of arguing the merits of syn vs. conventional, my take on it is: Why are you using synthetic (if you do) on a car that you won't likely keep very long? We all know that synthetic is a LITTLE better than conventional. However, let's say that you drive 20k miles/year. You change your oil every 5k miles. A regular conventional oil costs $1.5/quart. A good synthetic costs $4.50 or more. So, that's $3 X 4 quarts (for argument's sake) = $12. That's $48/year. Say you keep your car 4 years, you've just blown $200. And for what? if your engine died before 80k anyway and oil could have played a part, then it was probably a Mitsubishi (heh). Even if you keep your car for 200k miles it's unlikely that synthetic will make a huge difference - and even if it does it's cost you $500 for that difference!

Because I'm hard on cars.

And because you never know exactly how long you'll keep a car.

you tight wad!

 

[BooGiMaN]

so what do you use?

and this argument is valid for alot of things on the car...

 

[CTrain]

It sounds better when I sell my car and I list "oil changed with Mobil every 3K miles"

 

[isekii]

i'm on the 7k schedule.
recommended is 7.5k

that's with mobile 1 synth with Denso filter.

 

[Isla]

We use it, but we will also probably drive our cars until we can't anymore. The Mister is a very good mechanic and we bought our cars new in 1999 and 2000, and fully expect to have them for ten more years.

So is that OK?