Synthetic or Dino for short trips - new Sonata?

[martyi]

A lady just bought a new Hyundai Sonata 3.3L V6. She asked me to help her and I told her for her kind of short trip driving a 4cy might be better. However, she liked the Sonata Limited and it was a V6. It calls for OCI every 7500 (less if "severe") and uses 5w20.

She drives 1/2 mile each day to visit a friend down the street and 1/2 mile back. Once a week she goes to town (9 miles each way). Every once in a while she'll go to the "city" which is 40 miles away. That is about the extent of her driving. We are in Texas where it gets darn hot but can also be a chilly in winter.

I would advise her to change oil every 4000 miles (which might take her close to a year). The question is would a synthetic such as PP be better than lets say Havoline dino for her conditions and driving habits? How about Havoline and LC20?

 

[Titan]

For once a year oil changes, I'd go synthetic. I seriously doubt many people driving such few miles would go to the trouble of adding LC20 to their car. At 5000 miles a year, the engine will last for 20 years with minimal care. Exhaust system, belts, hoses, etc....they won't last that long.

 

[Mike_dup1]

Thats about how my mother drove her '93 Lumina. Back in 1993 I put in synthetic XL5W-30 and changed the oil once per year ever since. Still have the car with 72,000 miles and its running great, never uses oil. Last year it only got 3,100 miles on it. Some years she put on more miles but I don't recall is being more the 7 or 8,000.

She could easily go a year on just Havoline and does not need any additives which are just a waste of her money IMO. Tell her to change oil every spring before the extreme warm weather hits. If she really wants to splurge, tell her to use Mobil 1 or Amsoil synthetic oils.

 

[Quest]

4~5kmiles OCI with regular non-syn 5W20 works out fine (GTX,Havoline, Chevron, etc.)

I wouldn't push it beyond 7500miles OCI, even with LC in it (I'm using LC on my dad's 7th gen civic with 8000kms OCI with formula shell, no problems so far (took off the valve cover about 3kms ago for valve lash adjustments, with no deposits and very minor varnish on the underside of the valve cover).

 

[blupupher]

Short trip driving = severe service, and for Hyundai that means 3250 miles or 6 month interval for warranty (gotta keep that 10 yr 100k good).

 

[ARB1977]

I do more short trips myself but still perfer synthetics, why who knows.

 

[Ray H]

Quote:

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Short trip driving = severe service, and for Hyundai that means 3250 miles or 6 month interval for warranty (gotta keep that 10 yr 100k good).

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You're the only poster who got it right for the level of abuse this new car's owner intends to dish out. (except Hyundai's severe service mileage recommendation is 3,000, not 3,250 miles). Hyundai may advertise "America's Best Warranty", but if posts on other sites are any indication, the company also plays, "America's Hardest Ball" where big-ticket claims are concerned.

 

[martyi]

Thanks guys for the responses. Let me ask you all this - is there something inherent about synthetic that would make it more suitable for this kind of driving? For some reason I seem to recall a post here that indicated just the opposite, that dino is better for short trips. I don't know why that would be, if it is true.

 

[Ray H]

Quote:

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Short trip driving = severe service, and for Hyundai that means 3250 miles or 6 month interval for warranty (gotta keep that 10 yr 100k good).

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You're the only poster who got it right for the level of abuse this new car's owner intends to dish out. (except Hyundai's severe service recommendation is 3 mos./3,000 miles, not 6 mos./3,250 miles). Hyundai may advertise "America's Best Warranty", but if posts on other sites are any indication, the company also plays, "America's Hardest Ball" where big-ticket claims are concerned.

 

[Ray H]

Quote:

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Thanks guys for the responses. Let me ask you all this - is there something inherent about synthetic that would make it more suitable for this kind of driving? For some reason I seem to recall a post here that indicated just the opposite, that dino is better for short trips. I don't know why that would be, if it is true.

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Given the frequency this car's owner should be changing the oil and oil filter, a full synthetic brings nothing to the table except, A> added expense, and B> the irrelevant "feel good" factor - UNLESS she lives in an area of the country subject to very cold temperatures. Hyundai does NOT recognize extended oil change intervals while repairs are on their corporate nickel. (There've been posts that Hyundai is using Quaker State Full Synthetic as factory fill in these 3.3L V6 motors. I would like to see verifiable evidence instead of 2nd and 3rd party claims presented as solumn fact by unidentifiable posting "handles".)

 

[blupupher]

Quote:

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... (except Hyundai's severe service mileage recommendation is 3,000, not 3,250 miles). ...

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Well, my 2004 Elantra's & 2005 Tucson Service cards say 3750 (not 3250, sorry) for severe, 7500 for normal.

 

[JHZR2]

warranty is one thing... otherwise M1 with an occasional long trip of 50--75 miles will let you extend OCIs even with extremely short trips.

JMH

 

[Cutehumor]

1/2 mile trip to see her friend? tell her to get some exercise and ride a bike over there!

 

[Gary Allan]

The only advantage a synth may have is in fuel economy for the short tripper. It will probably be outpaced by the added cost.

 

[BlazerLT]

one year old changes with even dino should be enough.

It is texas so short trips aren't as bad as the short trips in cold weather like up in the north.

Kind of neurotic to change out good oil at 2000 miles just becuase "it is over 6 months"

Some people need to give their head a shake.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I agree with Blazer.. go 5k miles regardless with any brand name oil and sleep easy.

 

[elsmacko]

Originally most of us were not keeping in mind the warranty factor; which meant change it once a yr. with Synth.

Now with the warranty factor in mind; change it based on service schedule they provide (are we sure that is severe service, I mean 9 miles once a week, and occasional 40 trip shold be ok..? it's kinda boderline).

If you ever have warranty claim, just don't tell them about the short trips, or else you better go by severe service (up to you to decide).

While in warranty: dino every 3k (or 5k, whatever hyundai says). And after the warranty, change it every 6 months w/dino, or annually with synth.

 

[Thatwouldbegreat]

Very short trips....under warranty.....use Motorcraft, Havoline, TropArtic, Castrol etc. 5w-20 and change every 3000 miles or 6 months.

 

[martyi]

Quote:

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Originally most of us were not keeping in mind the warranty factor; which meant change it once a yr. with Synth.

Now with the warranty factor in mind; change it based on service schedule they provide (are we sure that is severe service, I mean 9 miles once a week, and occasional 40 trip shold be ok..? it's kinda boderline).

If you ever have warranty claim, just don't tell them about the short trips, or else you better go by severe service (up to you to decide).

While in warranty: dino every 3k (or 5k, whatever hyundai says). And after the warranty, change it every 6 months w/dino, or annually with synth.

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That's a good question. When I posted my original question, I was assuming that her driving habits constituted "severe" driving. But maybe it does not. I mean, that is the only thing she does. She does not tow or even get close to redline or have dusty conditions or anything else that is "severe". She just does not drive very far, thats all.

 

[Titan]

I'm thinking the Severity of her driving is all the water produced in the engine from condensation, but, the oil not getting hot enough to evaporate it away. Therefore, my recommendation of once a year synthetic...I could be wrong thinking that a synthetic will fight the acids from the water better than a mineral oil. If she were to change it twice a year, I'd certainly recommend a mineral oil.