BennyL, I'm guess I'm just old-fashioned. To me, Group III is highly processed conventional oil. I could use some analogies, but I think you probably know the differences in how all the groups are made. I think Group III oils have come a long way and are better in some respects than Group IV oils, but still, for the most part Group IV oils are superior. To the average DIY consumer, a synthetic oil is a synthetic oil, superior to conventional, priced more and "worth" more performance-wise. They have no clue about "groups" and Syntec Castrol is more-or-less the same as Redline. We know that's not that case because the oils are formulated for different purposes to different markets.
I think it is ethically wrong for oil companies to portray that all Group III, IV, and V oils are "synthetic", when consumers think they are essentially getting the same thing, regardless of the group. Of course, this type of thing is done all the time, everyday. Ethics become blurred when "everyone else is doing it" and the behavior becomes rationalized. What does "organic" meat mean? No cages, no hormones/steroids? Or does it mean open range, corn-fed, etc.? Different people will interpret it differently. I interpret an oil company calling Group III "synthetic" as an attempt to maximize profits with a bait-and-switch approach.
Some will argue that it doesn't really matter because the engine will last longer than the car, or that what's important is performance. Good points, and probably true. However, I like to get what I think I'm buying. If the consumer knew what they were buying along with any real or perceived differences, that consumer is in a better position to make an educated purchasing decision. I would like to see a better description than just the broad label "synthetic" slapped on the bottles.
Rant over, sorry so long.
