Synthetic vs Conventional Motor Oil: Is It Worth It to Use Synthetic Oil?
Motor oil is crucial for your vehicle’s smooth running and long lasting performance. But the world of motor oils has become a bit more complex. Today, we have three main types of motor oil to choose from: conventional, synthetic, and synthetic blend.
Should you use synthetic oil instead of conventional? If you’re still trying to understand the vast difference between the two, this article will answer your questions.
The Difference Between Conventional and Synthetic Oil
Conventional oil is essentially refined crude oil pumped from the ground. It’s found in nature in areas like underground reservoirs and tar sands.
Synthetic oil is completely man made. That means it has fewer imperfections in its chemical buildup than does conventional oil. Companies that produce synthetic oil have spent a lot of time and money to create a product that can outperform nature’s crude oil counterpart.
Synthetic blends, called semi-synthetics, add synthetic additives to regular oil. While semi-synthetics are not as protective as a full synthetic oil, it does provide some of the benefits. And, it can be a nice compromise between the two.
What is Synthetic Oil Made Of?
First invented in 1929, synthetic oil is made—molecule by molecule—from chemical compounds using some of the best properties found in regular, conventional oil.
To further understand the differences in the two products, you need to know the pros and cons for each.
Conventional Oil: The Pros and Cons
Conventional oil pluses are:
• It is a cheaper solution for motor oil than synthetic
• It’s fairly easy to produce allowing for wide consumer availability
• It’s designed by nature to act as a reliable lubricant
Conventional oil cons are:
• It doesn’t always provide the protection your engine needs in certain conditions
• It doesn’t last as long as synthetic oil prompting more oil changes
• Conventional oil is seen as less eco-friendly than synthetic oil
While it is an affordable option, you potentially have to change the oil more often. This makes conventional oil worse for the environment.
Synthetic Oil: The Pros and Cons
Fans of synthetic oil feel that it is the clear choice because of its benefits. But just like conventional oil, there are pros and cons. Synthetic oil pluses are:
• Designed to provide better all-weather engine protection, and it can stand up to almost anything thrown its way
• Don’t need to change it as often as conventional oil
• It can help improve fuel economy
• It can help clean out deposits and sludge that build up in the engine
Disadvantages of synthetic oil are:
• It costs a lot more than conventional oil. Some synthetic oils can cost as much as four times that of conventional oil
• For newer vehicles that haven’t been broken in, it’s not always the best choice
• When consumers don’t take the time to understand the right way to dispose of it, it can cause a lot of pollution
These are some of the basic differences between synthetic and conventional oil. But it’s worth taking a deeper dive into the world of synthetic oil to understand its deep performance value.
Does Synthetic Oil Last Longer Than Conventional Oil?
Generally, most mechanics will tell you to change your conventional oil between 3,000-5,000 miles. This helps you avoid driving with dirty or low oil.
With synthetic oil, you can go as long as 7,500 miles before replacing the oil. That alone can counteract the cost of purchasing synthetic oil.
Is It OK to Switch from Conventional to Synthetic Oil?
Switching to a synthetic oil can be a smart move. While it does have a higher price tag, it performs in a wide range of temperatures. And, it’s ideal for vehicle engines that have variable valve timing, direct injection, turbochargers, or superchargers.
You don’t have to do anything special to make the switch. In fact, your engine won’t even notice the change. If you decide you want to switch back to conventional oil, you can.
That said, the motor oil that’s best for your vehicle is the one the manufacturer recommends.
Synthetic Oil vs Conventional Oil: Older Cars
Is it okay to use synthetic oil in an older vehicle? And by older, we mean any vehicle manufactured before 1990, or thereabout.
While synthetic oil is safe to use in late model vehicles, exercise caution with older vehicles. Seals and other components aren’t as tight, and the risk is the oil could leak out causing loss of oil or burning.
However, there is one caveat. If the older vehicle has been well-maintained and is in excellent condition, synthetic oil can protect and prolong the vehicle’s life.
If you’re unsure, check with your mechanic for the final say.
Will Synthetic Oil Make Your Engine Last Longer?
Because it has less imperfections, synthetic oil lubricates better than conventional oil. It also improves mileage, taking longer to break down under the engine’s heat.
Synthetic Oil vs. Synthetic Blend: What’s the Difference?
A full synthetic oil is composed of all man made materials while a blend is not. This type of all contains a mix of conventional motor oils and a synthetic base stock.
While a synthetic blend does not provide as much protection as a full synthetic oil, it does offer up more protection than conventional oil. It will help to protect your engine better than conventional oil.
It’s generally agreed that a full synthetic oil is the very best choice with a blend coming in as a second best choice.
Conclusion
In the debate of synthetic vs conventional motor oil, which one to use, the goal is always to make your engine last longer. A synthetic oil solidly delivers on performance by increasing the life of your engine.
A synthetic blend will offer up more protection than conventional but less protection than a full synthetic.
As always, follow what your owner’s manual recommends!
When your vehicle needs servicing, turn to the Chevy certified technicians at Joe Bowman Auto Plaza. Our highly trained technicians work on all kinds of vehicles every day.
Should you use synthetic oil instead of conventional? If you’re still trying to understand the vast difference between the two, this article will answer your questions.
The Difference Between Conventional and Synthetic Oil
Conventional oil is essentially refined crude oil pumped from the ground. It’s found in nature in areas like underground reservoirs and tar sands.
Synthetic oil is completely man made. That means it has fewer imperfections in its chemical buildup than does conventional oil. Companies that produce synthetic oil have spent a lot of time and money to create a product that can outperform nature’s crude oil counterpart.
Synthetic blends, called semi-synthetics, add synthetic additives to regular oil. While semi-synthetics are not as protective as a full synthetic oil, it does provide some of the benefits. And, it can be a nice compromise between the two.
What is Synthetic Oil Made Of?
First invented in 1929, synthetic oil is made—molecule by molecule—from chemical compounds using some of the best properties found in regular, conventional oil.
To further understand the differences in the two products, you need to know the pros and cons for each.
Conventional Oil: The Pros and Cons
Conventional oil pluses are:
• It is a cheaper solution for motor oil than synthetic
• It’s fairly easy to produce allowing for wide consumer availability
• It’s designed by nature to act as a reliable lubricant
Conventional oil cons are:
• It doesn’t always provide the protection your engine needs in certain conditions
• It doesn’t last as long as synthetic oil prompting more oil changes
• Conventional oil is seen as less eco-friendly than synthetic oil
While it is an affordable option, you potentially have to change the oil more often. This makes conventional oil worse for the environment.
Synthetic Oil: The Pros and Cons
Fans of synthetic oil feel that it is the clear choice because of its benefits. But just like conventional oil, there are pros and cons. Synthetic oil pluses are:
• Designed to provide better all-weather engine protection, and it can stand up to almost anything thrown its way
• Don’t need to change it as often as conventional oil
• It can help improve fuel economy
• It can help clean out deposits and sludge that build up in the engine
Disadvantages of synthetic oil are:
• It costs a lot more than conventional oil. Some synthetic oils can cost as much as four times that of conventional oil
• For newer vehicles that haven’t been broken in, it’s not always the best choice
• When consumers don’t take the time to understand the right way to dispose of it, it can cause a lot of pollution
These are some of the basic differences between synthetic and conventional oil. But it’s worth taking a deeper dive into the world of synthetic oil to understand its deep performance value.
Does Synthetic Oil Last Longer Than Conventional Oil?
Generally, most mechanics will tell you to change your conventional oil between 3,000-5,000 miles. This helps you avoid driving with dirty or low oil.
With synthetic oil, you can go as long as 7,500 miles before replacing the oil. That alone can counteract the cost of purchasing synthetic oil.
Is It OK to Switch from Conventional to Synthetic Oil?
Switching to a synthetic oil can be a smart move. While it does have a higher price tag, it performs in a wide range of temperatures. And, it’s ideal for vehicle engines that have variable valve timing, direct injection, turbochargers, or superchargers.
You don’t have to do anything special to make the switch. In fact, your engine won’t even notice the change. If you decide you want to switch back to conventional oil, you can.
That said, the motor oil that’s best for your vehicle is the one the manufacturer recommends.
Synthetic Oil vs Conventional Oil: Older Cars
Is it okay to use synthetic oil in an older vehicle? And by older, we mean any vehicle manufactured before 1990, or thereabout.
While synthetic oil is safe to use in late model vehicles, exercise caution with older vehicles. Seals and other components aren’t as tight, and the risk is the oil could leak out causing loss of oil or burning.
However, there is one caveat. If the older vehicle has been well-maintained and is in excellent condition, synthetic oil can protect and prolong the vehicle’s life.
If you’re unsure, check with your mechanic for the final say.
Will Synthetic Oil Make Your Engine Last Longer?
Because it has less imperfections, synthetic oil lubricates better than conventional oil. It also improves mileage, taking longer to break down under the engine’s heat.
Synthetic Oil vs. Synthetic Blend: What’s the Difference?
A full synthetic oil is composed of all man made materials while a blend is not. This type of all contains a mix of conventional motor oils and a synthetic base stock.
While a synthetic blend does not provide as much protection as a full synthetic oil, it does offer up more protection than conventional oil. It will help to protect your engine better than conventional oil.
It’s generally agreed that a full synthetic oil is the very best choice with a blend coming in as a second best choice.
Conclusion
In the debate of synthetic vs conventional motor oil, which one to use, the goal is always to make your engine last longer. A synthetic oil solidly delivers on performance by increasing the life of your engine.
A synthetic blend will offer up more protection than conventional but less protection than a full synthetic.
As always, follow what your owner’s manual recommends!
When your vehicle needs servicing, turn to the Chevy certified technicians at Joe Bowman Auto Plaza. Our highly trained technicians work on all kinds of vehicles every day.
