Group III is "good enough" to be as good as Group IV/V in MOST applications, but it's not as good in extreme heat or cold. That's why Grp. III is NOT "synthetic" in Germany, they require the (big $) real thing.
How something performs should not enter into synthetic or noBut it seems all that matters is if the finished product performs as well as a Group IV or V, then it is by default synthetic.
Many words have multiple definitions and meanings, be they dictionary, technical, legal, religious, etc., and meanings often change by region as well. All are valid in some context. Sometimes definitions change as common use trumps other mor
In 1999 the BBB's NAD, in a non-binding non-legal decision related to advertising standards, decided that C
Today about the only conclusion you can draw from a synthetic label is that the oil most likely has a more stable base oil blend than one not labeled synthetic, assuming the marketer is ethical. A more stable base oil is only part of an oil's performance characteristics as the additives dominate in many performance attributes. If you really want to define an oil's performance, look to the industry and OEM approvals it has. These take into account both the base oil and the additives, and at least they are defined and regulated. The term "synthetic" is not.