Ditching the whole synthetic rave...

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: brsmith
With Pennzoil Platinum at $20.50 for 5 quarts at Wal-Mart, there is no way I would go back to dino.

I have an '06 Corolla S 1ZZ-FE, Auto and I have used PP until the last two changes where I am using PU now.

I use a Fram XG-3600 filter on it which has more volume than the stock filters and fits perfect. Bypass is within a lb or 2 of the stock filter.

I am also using a Filtermag MB-300 (300lb pull force) magnet on the filter.

I just changed the oil tonight at 78,438 miles and 6,200 on the PU. You could still see through the oil on the stick and it was still dead on the full mark.

As good as the engine looks inside the valve cover and how well it is running, I just don't have a problem spending $40 for what would be 2 severe service oil changes. I have a Fram Sure Drain plug on it and I changed the oil in 20 minutes and didn't spill a drop on the driveway.

Best of all, I will take the used oil back to Wal-Mart in a spare PP bottle and they will recycle it for free.

The peace of mind that my engine is protected and as clean as it is just seems worth it. I add 10 oz. of Motorkote engine treatment every fourth oil change. I bought a gallon of it awhile back and I don't see it hurting anything.

I will be surprised if this engine doesn't go 300K before it is tired. It is only supposed to have 128 Hp, but I have put many a car to shame with it on the highway.


I'e got the same car as the OP and you. I'm at 172k and will be TICKED if I don't see at least 400k.

And I will with no problems. 7-8k OCIs with any 5w30 bought on sale.

Bill

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
[ Protection is the same.


Well, lets see: Mobil claims 5000 for their conventional, 15,000 for M-EP... And you think they will "protect the same?"

 

[Trav]

IMO for the extremely low almost fire sale price that synthetic oil can had for in the U.S.
it makes no sense at all to spend big bucks on the car and cheap out on the life blood of the engine.

Penny wise pound foolish comes to mind.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
[ Protection is the same.


Well, lets see: Mobil claims 5000 for their conventional, 15,000 for M-EP... And you think they will "protect the same?"

for a 5k OCI yes. Without question. And since we ARE talking about a 5k OCI...

And you should check out Mobil's site. Mobil 5000 is good for LONGER than 5,000 miles. It is their BEST value oil.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: Trav
IMO for the extremely low almost fire sale price that synthetic oil can had for in the U.S.
it makes no sense at all to spend big bucks on the car and cheap out on the life blood of the engine.

Penny wise pound foolish comes to mind.
Very few people are buying their oils on the "fire sale" prices.

So since that is a fact, lets go with normal EVERYDAY prices. That is what most oil is sold at.

Bill

 

[cp3]

How about up here north of the border, where non-sale synthetic is almost twice the price? If I'm not going to extend the OCI, is it worth it? If you were paying that price would you still have the same opinion?

 

[1999nick]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
[ Protection is the same.


Well, lets see: Mobil claims 5000 for their conventional, 15,000 for M-EP... And you think they will "protect the same?"

I agree that protection is the same. I would expect engine life to be the same if you used the Mobil Clean 5000 at its recommended interval as the Mobil 1 Extended Performance at its recommended interval.

 

[frmtbiker]

I too was a huge synthetic fan, but the fact is I have never run my oil long enough to warrant it's use. I just can't go much past 5000 miles, except for once on an overland trip deep into Mexico when I did 8,000 miles on Mobil 1.

Your 1ZZ will run 400K with 5-6k OCI's on dino just fine. My favorites include Castrol GTX, Valvoline conventional, and Mobil 5000, but get whatever quality conventional you want,

 

[AuthorEditor]

Quote:
3% MPG impovement? Not a chance. Protection is the same.


Says you, despite abundant evidence the other way. As I said earlier, just a 1% improvement in mpg would make synthetic break even in cost with dino, and you'd still have the benefits of better cold flow (less wear at start up), better extreme heat resistance, and better cleaning properties, even if you don't believe that synthetics provide superior protection through better lubrication. It's a no brainer.

 

[Trav]

Compared to most other countries $28 for 5 qts Pennzoil Ultra is really a "fire sale price"
Try 75-100 Euros in Europe for synthetic that's $100-130
Their pay scale is not much different than here.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: cp3
How about up here north of the border, where non-sale synthetic is almost twice the price? If I'm not going to extend the OCI, is it worth it? If you were paying that price would you still have the same opinion?


When i go home in the summer it cost me a lot more than twice the price to change the oil.Even though its only once a year its still a lot of money.
High prices for oil are the norm in other countries,here in the U.S. the prices are dirt cheap in comparison.

 

[Mau]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: cp3
How about up here north of the border, where non-sale synthetic is almost twice the price? If I'm not going to extend the OCI, is it worth it? If you were paying that price would you still have the same opinion?


When i go home in the summer it cost me a lot more than twice the price to change the oil.Even though its only once a year its still a lot of money.
High prices for oil are the norm in other countries,here in the U.S. the prices are dirt cheap in comparison.


Yet people still complain about gas and oil prices

I'm happy thoe, I only pay 20-22 bucks for 4.4L of PP up here and order my filters online so my oil change for my RDX and Prelude is about 30 bucks a change and the Accord is a bit cheaper when using Conventional oil.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Quote:
3% MPG impovement? Not a chance. Protection is the same.


Says you, despite abundant evidence the other way. As I said earlier, just a 1% improvement in mpg would make synthetic break even in cost with dino, and you'd still have the benefits of better cold flow (less wear at start up), better extreme heat resistance, and better cleaning properties, even if you don't believe that synthetics provide superior protection through better lubrication. It's a no brainer.


Can we see a link to this evidence of yours, everybody just assumes that synthetics will give you better gas mileage, I have yet to see apples to apples (i.e same viscosity grade synthetic vs dino) comparison.

 

[daman]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ

Can we see a link to this evidence of yours, everybody just assumes that synthetics will give you better gas mileage, I have yet to see apples to apples (i.e same viscosity grade synthetic vs dino) comparison.

Can we see YOUR posted documented evidence that it does not?

 

[Mark72]

"Ditching the whole synthetic rave.."

Now you all must know I like this thread
I think too many of you feel you are getting something better, or gaining something when you aren't. And I know many of you think my opinion stinks, but do you really think these oil companies are going to tell you that conventional oil does a superb job at making any vehicle last just as long as any synthetic can? I doubt that.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: daman
Originally Posted By: KrisZ

Can we see a link to this evidence of yours, everybody just assumes that synthetics will give you better gas mileage, I have yet to see apples to apples (i.e same viscosity grade synthetic vs dino) comparison.

Can we see YOUR posted documented evidence that it does not?



I never said that there is evidence that synthetics don't increase gas mileage, but if someone is proclaiming that there is "abundant evidence" that synthetics increase gas mileage, then I would like to see it.

 

[daman]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: daman
Originally Posted By: KrisZ

Can we see a link to this evidence of yours, everybody just assumes that synthetics will give you better gas mileage, I have yet to see apples to apples (i.e same viscosity grade synthetic vs dino) comparison.

Can we see YOUR posted documented evidence that it does not?



I never said that there is evidence that synthetics don't increase gas mileage, but if someone is proclaiming that there is "abundant evidence" that synthetics increase gas mileage, then I would like to see it.

Just checking,thought you had a report you holdong out on.

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
...but if someone is proclaiming that there is "abundant evidence" that synthetics increase gas mileage, then I would like to see it.


I would too. Even something like a 3% improvement would translate to less than a half of one MPG. Variations in the weather can make more of an impact than that.

 

[sangyup81]

Originally Posted By: css9450
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
...but if someone is proclaiming that there is "abundant evidence" that synthetics increase gas mileage, then I would like to see it.


I would too. Even something like a 3% improvement would translate to less than a half of one MPG. Variations in the weather can make more of an impact than that.


I find 1% more believable and only for 0w grades

 

[AuthorEditor]

OK, if you don't believe there is any mpg or wear and tear savings with synthetic, how about modestly increasing your OCI from say 5000 to 7500? Over 120,000 miles that would mean 24 oil changes at 5000 intervals or only 16 at 7500. With Pennzoil conventional costing $12.50 a jug around here and PP at $20.50, and throwing in $4 for a filter, the costs are nearly equal for the number of changes required to go 120,000 miles, but I've saved myself eight weekend days, dumped 40 less gallons of oil to be recycled, and probably spilled at least a couple of gallons less on the driveway and my clean shirts (my wife really doesn't like that). Get to 10,000 OCIs on synthetic, like many do around here, and you're looking at a savings of about $100 and half the oil changes.

But, I do agree that you can drive a car for a long time with any old [censored] oil and filter on there and most of us would probably never notice the difference.