I've seen enough info to change my belief about syns and dinos. A lot of what convinced me of this is how each oil's base is made. With the Chevron having a hydrocracked base, the same as the non-PAO syns have, the only difference is their additive packages. I haven't seen enough info on the additive packages for the cracked syns to convince me that they're worth the extra $2-$4 per quart.
Another reason I decided to go with the Chevron is that they claim it reduces oil consumption. I experienced a mild consumption problem with my Tercel when I was using the SuperTech syn. Since switching to the Chevron, I haven't noticed a reduction in consumption. I still plan to leave this oil in for 5K miles, then do an analysis.
Once that's done, I'm going to switch to Valvoline's Maxlife (now that I know it's an SL)to see if it will slow or stop my consumption problem. I've heard nothing but good things about this product, and it only costs about $.50 more a quart than regular dinos. It's worth a try.
Two questions: Who do I contact to have an analysis done, and how much do they cost? Thanks.