Motor Oil?The Synthetic Advantage (Synthetic oil vs Conventional)
February 6, 2022
You’ve probably already heard that regular oil changes are extremely important for the health of your vehicle’s engine. That’s sound advice. But what you might not know is when it comes to motor oil, the real thing may not be the best thing for your engine.
There are different types of motor oil:
- Conventional oil, extracted from the ground and refined.
- Synthetic oil, manufactured from high-quality base oils and artificially-made chemical compounds.
- Synthetic oil blend, a mixture of conventional and synthetic oils.
The first thing you need to know is that most new engines require synthetic oil. If synthetic oil is recommended for your car – you MUST use it.
For the rest, there are many advantages to using synthetic oil over conventional oil.
- Synthetic oil provides better protection for your engine while helping it to perform better.
- Conventional oil breaks down over time, while synthetic oil lasts longer.
- Synthetics can stand higher temperature extremes, both heat, and cold.
Synthetic oil can be a better choice if you live in an extremely hot or cold climate or put a lot of strain on your engine by towing or carrying heavy loads. It also may be good for older engines that sometimes have a tendency to develop sludge.
Synthetic oil is a more expensive option, but you likely won’t have to have your oil changed as often. Some synthetics are recommended to last 10,000-15,000 miles/16,000-24,000 km between changes.
You might also consider a synthetic blend that gives you some of the advantages of synthetic oil at a lower cost. Have a talk with your service adviser about recommendations for what will best suit your vehicle and driving habits.
It’s interesting to note that in recent years, more than one out of two vehicle owners are opting for synthetic oil or a synthetic blend when they get their oil changed. Sounds like they’re on to something. In the long run, if you have fewer oil changes with synthetics, you’ll use less oil, a bonus for our environment.
Sovel's Auto Service
41425 W. 10 Mile Rd.
Novi, Michigan 48375
248-348-7337
Need Service?
More articles from Sovel's Auto Repair Novi
Flat Tire? Three?s the Charm (Tire Repair)
November 17, 2024
For most drivers, at some point youre going to have a flat tire. Depending on how it was damaged, it may have to be replaced. But sometimes, a repair will do the trick, as long as the puncture isnt on the sidewall and the hole is smaller than inch/6.35mm in diameter. Here are the three common w... More
The ?Man-Made? Engine Oil (Synthetic Oil Change)
November 10, 2024
If you own a newer vehicle, your vehicles manufacturer may require that it use synthetic oil instead of conventional oil. Synthetic oils are more stable, dont break down as easily, and provide better engine protection than conventional oil. All those things can prolong the life of your engine an... More
Positive and Negative (Battery Care)
November 3, 2024
You notice when your smartphone's battery starts to go weak on you. It runs out of juice faster than it did when it was new. Bet you pay attention to that pretty closely. Unfortunately, many of us don't pay the same attention to the battery in our vehicles. If your battery got you through the c... More