I'm cheap!

PJH · Oct 27, 2003

With regular oil changes (5000K or 4months)using a quality "dino oil" (ie Pennzoil,GTX) and quality filter(ie Wix,Tennex) - a car will last as long as it will by using the more expensive synthetic or synthetic blends. In Canada 4L of Pennzoil dino is under $10 while Mobil 1 is around $30!! Sorry, but to me it is over kill - just like using 94 octane gas when your car calls for 87. They charge 10 cents more a litre with an additional cost of only 2 cents
You're just making the oil companies richer!

msparks · Oct 27, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by PJH:

You're just making the oil companies richer!

OH I am? Havn'et changed my oil in over 2 years. I use High quality synthetic, by-pass filtration, and oil analysis.

Sound's to me like your the one making oil companies richer.

Patman · Oct 27, 2003

Sure, you can get long engine life using 3k oil changes with cheap oil, but if you want to go a little bit longer than the average Joe, or if you don't feel like crawling under your car every 3k, synthetics are the way to go.

Plus starting up your engine in -30C weather with cheap dino oil is not fun.

Jelly · Oct 27, 2003

I'd rather change out my Pennz. Long-Life and SuperTech every 5000 miles or so and spend $10 than keep a "high-quality" synthetic in for two years.

To each his own though, right? Even though we go about engine lubrication in completely different ways, both are engines will be better taken care of than the vast majority out there...

Patman · Oct 27, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Jelly:
I'd rather change out my Pennz. Long-Life and SuperTech every 5000 miles or so and spend $10 than keep a "high-quality" synthetic in for two years.

To each his own though, right? Even though we go about engine lubrication in completely different ways, both are engines will be better taken care of than the vast majority out there...

Good points. We still have yet to have a single BITOG member come in here and say that their engine has totally worn out on them due to an oil related issue.

So maybe we should just say that reading this site will ensure your engine a long life, no matter what method you decide to go with!

[ October 27, 2003, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: Patman ]

Ray H · Oct 27, 2003

PJH, I agree with you 100%.

harper · Oct 27, 2003

Are there any studies out there that using synthetic oil at say 7500 mile intervals over dino at 3000 miles will make the engine last any longer? I am a dino (mostly Valvoline by garage) user at 4k-5k miles with a 200k motor never touched internally or externally for that matter beyond maintenance. But this may be due to little city driving, its a Honda, and regular maintenance.

Mystic · Oct 27, 2003

Even if a person prefers conventional motor oil, in a cold climate like Canada synthetic like Mobil 1 would be good in the wintertime. There is simply no getting around the fact that synthetic oil flows better then conventional motor oil in the cold. However, in freezer testing, some conventional motor oil flowed pretty well, such as Pennzoil, Castrol, and Mobil Drive Clean. An oil that flows well in the cold will obviously reduce wear in the wintertime.

Using extended drains and fewer oil filters, you would actually pay less using synthetic oil.

PJH · Oct 27, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by msparks:

quote:

Originally posted by PJH:

You're just making the oil companies richer!

Click to expand...

OH I am? Havn'et changed my oil in over 2 years. I use High quality synthetic, by-pass filtration, and oil analysis.

Sound's to me like your the one making oil companies richer.

Sorry wouldn't leave "any" oil in for 2 years due to acids,condensation,grit..........

Patman · Oct 27, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by harper:
Are there any studies out there that using synthetic oil at say 7500 mile intervals over dino at 3000 miles will make the engine last any longer?

Even if there were, how would we possibly know if the engine that lasted longer would not have lasted longer anyways, even if it had received the opposite oil that it had run in the test?

Nobody knows for sure, although in theory, the synthetic vehicle should have longer engine life. I still get the warm and fuzzies by running synthetics though.

[ October 27, 2003, 05:32 PM: Message edited by: Patman ]

PJH · Oct 27, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Patman:
Sure, you can get long engine life using 3k oil changes with cheap oil, but if you want to go a little bit longer than the average Joe, or if you don't feel like crawling under your car every 3k, synthetics are the way to go.

Plus starting up your engine in -30C weather with cheap dino oil is not fun.

My mannual actually calls for 8000K dino changes -how much longer would you go with $ynthetic

PJH · Oct 27, 2003

Patman - don't get too many -30 days in Simcoe - maybe -20's.
5w30 Pennzoil seems to work fine

TR3-2001SE · Oct 27, 2003

No one is cheaper than I am. Ask all my friends and they will tell you.

I have done what you did for 150,000 miles on my toyota and it is wore out.
I also did this on my TR3 and the rings went at
100,000. I am now using synthetics. I double the oil change interval. I have talked to synthetic users who have 220,000 miles without significant ware. I have faith I will see less ware with synthetics. Each change cost me $20 oil and filter so this is $10 each 3000 miles.

userfriendly · Oct 27, 2003

I'm always entertained by those guys that say they have not changed their oil for two years.
Upon reading further, you find out that they have added an expensive by-pass filter system that doubles the engine's oil capacity, changed the full-flow filter every 3,000 miles adding another quart of oil each time, and added make-up oil due to consumption.
One single quart of the filter replacement oil cost as much as a regular oil change, the by-pass system cost as much as about 30 oil changes, and the filter changes are twice the cost as regular filters.
Then you skip over to the additive discussion section and find out those same frugal salesmen are putting all kinds of expensive remidies for imagined problems into their vehicles engines and fuel tanks.
Now look in your owner's manual.
Where does it mention that anything but SL or XYZ warranty approved engine oil and filters are needed to maintain your extended 70,000 mile warranty?
So whom is making who rich?
I'd say the Amsoil salesmen want us to make them rich.
Its not gonna happen. Not from me.
Because the more they spam discussion boards with regurgitated company spin doctoring, the more turned off their products I get.

Garry · Oct 27, 2003

TR3,

You wore out a Toyota engine at 150K? How did you manage that? Toyota engines are not even going through a midlife crisis at that age? Tell the truth, were you towing a large boat with your Tercel or using it as a snow plow?

--Garry
01 4Runner

GROUCHO MARX · Oct 27, 2003

I can change the oil in my car for less than 10 bucks.

I can't fill up my 4 banger with gas for twice that amount.

medic · Oct 27, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by PJH:

quote:

Originally posted by msparks:

quote:

Originally posted by PJH:

You're just making the oil companies richer!

Click to expand...

OH I am? Havn'et changed my oil in over 2 years. I use High quality synthetic, by-pass filtration, and oil analysis.

Sound's to me like your the one making oil companies richer.

Click to expand...

Sorry wouldn't leave "any" oil in for 2 years due to acids,condensation,grit..........

I think you need to read around here a bit more. msparks is using a bypass filter which removes most anything that may cause damage in your engine. By-pass filtration is an old thing that is simple, yet never really took off with the average consumer.

For people that think bypass filtration is expensive, the initial cost was just quoted to me at around $150 for a toilet paper system. One of the manufacturers states that you change the roll of TP at the vehicle's recommended oil change interval, top off the oil & keep going - change out the full flow stock filter at 20k mile intervals & never change your oil again. This is not impossible! IMHO by-pass filtration should be used on every vehicle.

As far as synthetic at 7500 protecting better than dino at 3000, yes, in the long run. Chances are that you will never see it until 300k or more miles, but pull off the valve cover at 200k after running a dino oil & you'll see what I am talking about. What about the guy that drives 5 miles to work & 5 miles home never letting the car warm up? Yes, a quality synthetic oil will extend engine life here too (at 50 miles per week, he'll have to wait a long time to see it)

Conclusion: For the average person dino with changes at 3 months / 3,000 miles will do fine, but for us oil nuts that consider this a hobby, or want the absolute best for our engine - synthetic is the way to go.

Brett Miller · Oct 27, 2003

Msparks, why are you always confrontational? It is his car and his money.

HOndaGuy · Oct 27, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Brett Miller:
Msparks, why are you always confrontational? It is his car and his money.

Thats true, but he made the claim that synthetics are a waste of money, so msparks had to argue against his statement. One thing is for sure that synthetics will keep your engine cleaner, and you will have colder starts compared to conventional/dino oils. As for cost, I know a lot of ppl that don't change their own oil and pay at least $27 to get their oil changed. Now how is synthetic so expensive compared to getting a conventional oil change done at say the dealer or jiffy lube?

rpn453 · Oct 27, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by PJH:
Sorry, but to me it is over kill - just like using 94 octane gas when your car calls for 87. They charge 10 cents more a litre with an additional cost of only 2 cents

Why is premium fuel usually 10 cents a litre more than regular fuel in Canada? I seem to recall it being way cheaper in the states (compared to regular).

[ October 27, 2003, 06:47 PM: Message edited by: rpn453 ]

I'm cheap!

Similar threads