what if Synthetic was the norm

[wulimaster]

Suppose we all started out using synthetics designed for extended oil change intervals with quality filtration and were used to doing 20k oil changes and 10k filter changes and someone came along and said that they could save you money by using cheap filters and really cheap oil but the only catch was that oyou would have to change it every 3k miles.

How many of you would jump at the chance to save money on the oil that costs 1/3 to 1/4 the price?

I know that those who were paying for the lube places to do the work would probably not go for it as they would end up paying about 7 times the labor costs.

How about $10 dollar tires instead of $70 ones but instead of rotating every 5k miles you replaced them.

How about really cheap brakes that need replacing every 3k miles. And batteries? Or headlights and taillights? Break fluid? Transmission fluid? Belts and hoses?


Personally, I choose to do the following.

20k and 25k oil changes to coincide with chassis lubrication, spark plug changes, air filter changes, brake fluid refresh, power steering refresh.

 

[cryptokid]

well most current oil filters can go 10K. heck on some mazda and hondas the factory recomended filter change interval is every 15K,

so given the choice of syn every 25K for a cost of $35 (25 for 5 quarts 10 for 2 filtes) or $35 for dino (25 for 25 quarts 10 for 2 filters) because most dino oils can go 5K mile oci, and it isnt quite fair to extend the syn drain and not the dino.

its the same price for MY application as this is what the cost would come out to, using generic typical synthetic and dino oil prices. if i really wanted to split hairs, i can get mobil 1 for $3 a quart, and good name brand dino oils for free (maxlife rebate and such).

personally i chose the dino oils, even if cost does come out the same for a 25K oci theirs fairly good odds the syn wont make it to 25K as most dont according to oil alanisis on this website. only the select few operating conditions would allow a syn to go 25K in a typical car under typical conditions.
3mp couldnt make it to 25K using mobil, which brings up another point, make up oil during a 25K oci would probably offset the cost to be in favour of dino.

 

[Matt89]

Even assuming that syn can only go 2X as long as dino oil (very conservative IMO), this would be a DISASTER for the huge infrastructure that has developed in the USA around frequently changing our oil.

1/2 the number of bottles to make, package, transport, put on the shelf, check out at the counter, pour in your engine, and eventually dispose of.

I understand that a lot of guys like to change their own oil frequently (keeps them out of the bars or whatever), and it has nothing to do with cost. The increased cost of syn (if any, when you add it all up) over the life of a vehicle is a rounding error compared to everything else you need to spend money on for a car. Looking at it "big picture", changing oil any more frequently than necessary is sub-optimal behavior, but it keeps a lot of people busy so maybe that's good?

I think that even the poorest person would be better off using a syn for longer OCIs and using the time they save to work more hours or play with their kids...

 

[Eiron]

I agree. But most folks can't get beyond what they think they "know." Oil is oil, right? If it costs more, it's only because there's more profit in it, not because it's worth more. The whole concept of paying more for something that lasts longer, & does its job better the entire time, just hasn't sunk in yet. Maybe we're too used to the whole "fast buck" mentality here in the US? Maybe we're too ignorant to believe it's anything more than just "hype"?

"20,000 miles without changing your oil??" My high-tech co-workers think I'm nuts to even consider it. And you'd think these guys (everything from tool makers with decades of experience to engineers with doctorates) would eat up all the research & statistics & junk.

Among my co-workers, friends & neighbors, I can't find anyone else going 10,000 miles on a good syn, much less a dino oil.

 

[tec97]

quote:

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Originally posted by Eiron:
Among my co-workers, friends & neighbors, I can't find anyone else going 10,000 miles on a good syn, much less a dino oil.

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I actually went 10K on a dino once - no oil usage, but man, the car felt stronger when I changed the oil (but then again, I also replaced the plugs at the same time, so maybe that was what did it) - I don't even blink at going 5K on dino myself.