Well, I've learned a lot. For example, I had no idea how useless an "SN" designation would be by itself (although I doubt you could find an oil that only had this designation). I didn't realize how little difference there is between synthetic and conventional oil at normal drain intervals. I didn't know that Motorcraft was a better than average product. (Yes, I know VW has the most demanding standards). I didn't know that you could experiment with oil viscosity with so little effect. I didn't know that there were big differences in how different makes of engines chewed up the oil. "X engines are easy on oil" is something I've only seen here. I only drive about 7.5K per year, but I thought I had to at least change the oil twice a year with the seasons. BITOG disabused me of that.
Sure, there is some huffing and puffing, this is the internet after all, but most people are polite and helpful and here, in the end, it all comes down to the numbers. That's 10X better than doing what your daddy did, or what 'Jack who takes really good care of his cars' does.
The paradox is, it doesn't matter much. The technology has overtaken your hobby. Looking at UOA after UOA, it appears that 5K oil changes are fine, and 99 percent of the time so are 7K changes. More, if you do significant highway driving. Honestly, I don't know what the attraction is of changing a boutique oil at 5K and ordering an analysis to figure out what everyone knows; its fine and had plenty of life left.
I've come to realize that the best thing I can do for my car ("ROI" as some of you call it) is to take a mildly conservative maintenance plan, but take better care of my car's cosmetics. Its not something that comes naturally to me, but its a realization I owe party to you all. I have also come to realize that I need to be more careful about the quality of gas I put in my car. That's a piece of conventional wisdom that has changed for the worse. I also learned that from this site.
So thank you all.
