When are synthetics really needed?

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Right now I'm using Castrol Syntec 5W-20 with a OCI of 5K.I could if I want save a little money and Switch back to Castrol GTX 5W-20 and run a OCI of 3-5K.Under what conditions would most people use a synthetic oil.I'm not trying to start a war but if you change your oil every 3-5K miles your car/truck should last atleast 200K.I plan on keeping my 2006 Jeep atleast 10 years and either conventional or synthetic oil will suffice.Thanks Joe
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It is all preference. I run Motorcraft 5w20 because it is proven and is actually cheaper or almost as much as Valvoline dino. Valvoline is my choice of dino juice.
 
1. In any engine for which the manufacturer REQUIRES synthetic for warranty purposes.

2. When running extended OCIs. Although the definition of "extended" is a matter of debate, I consider "extended" to be anything beyond the manufacturer's recommended interval.

3. In any engine that is a known "sludger" due to design faults.
 
The general opinion is that nearly all 5W-20's are very good. Most are some sort of inexpensive synthetic blend.

When would you need a premium synthetic like Castrol Syntec...etc.?

In my opinion, premium synthetics are 'needed' when you face very high temps, very low temps, hard driving, bumper to bumper driving, longer OCI's likd 7000 miles.
 
q: When are synthetics really needed?
a: Never

Conventional oil (in current SAE formulations) work great. Even the cheap stuff. At 3-5k OCI's you're flushing the oil WELL before it's going bad, so you're not taking advantage of synthetic's major selling point - it's longer OCI's. So, it's only going to be marginally better than conventional oil for you (might provide a little better protection on startup for example).

I'm going to make up some ballpark numbers - change them according to your driving / OCI / preferred brand of oil:
4 annual oil changes + $3 more per quart x 5 quarts = $60

The question you should be asking yourself is, "Do I believe marginally superior engine protection justifies the $60 more a year for oil changes?"

Some will answer "yes" some will answer "no", but it's all personal prefrence.
 
To be really strict about it I think synthetic motor oil is needed only for certain situations and conditions. Some vehicles (such as the Corvette) require synthetic oil. And there are conditions where synthetic oil is preferable, such as extreme cold, extreme heat, heavy duty towing, and auto racing. Otherwise, if a person is changing their oil every 3000-5000 miles or three months they could probably use any decent brand of conventional motor oil and do just fine. But if synthetic oil is available for about the same price as conventional motor oil, why not use the synthetic?
 
I'm thinking the blends are almost as good as the full synthetics without having to spend the full price of a synthetic. People are always giving up on their synthetic regiment and going to dino while forgetting about the nice economical blends out there.
 
Syns are needed when required by the mfg or in freezing climates or if you are going to push the oil changes 10,000 miles " a reasonable mileage for the top syn oils" To save money use a syn for the 10,000 miles .Amsoil ,M1 ,Redline oil and Castrol Syntech should give safe 10,000 oil changes . Changing syn oil every 5,000 miles is a waste of money and no real benefits over petro oil at that mileage.
 
The last time I saw Castrol GTX in the store it was nearly $3/quart. That puts much less of a cost gap between it and Syntec than their used to be. It seems that with the SM generation and now higher crude oil price we have seen "conventional" oil prices go up while at the same time synthetics have stayed in the $4-$6/quart price band they have been in for several years. If you do the bargain hunter thing then you can pay even less. Even without special sales, some excellent synthetics in 5 quart jugs are sold at WalMart in the ~$4/quart range.

Now if the choice is between $1 GTX and $6 Syntec that it one thing, but if the choice is between $3 GTX and $3 synthetics thanks to BOGO offers and the like then it is an easy decision.

That said, cost aside, the reasons for using a synthetic would be:

1) Known sludge or other trouble prone engine design.
2) Turbocharger/supercharger equipped engine
3) Extreme cold or hot use conditions.
4) Highly modified engines.
5) Mfg. specs (i.e. Corvette, Acura RDX, etc.)
6) Desire to run longer OCIs than conventional oils support.
7) Just a bit of extra safety margin.
 
If you're looking for justification of synthetics, you'll have to look for that answer within your own wants and equipment needs.

I use synthetics because I don't want an oil made to the specs of the common denominator and done by committee.

I don't need synthetics, I choose to buy synthetics because in my 26 years of experience using them in the proper scenario they have returned a benefit.

Trying to justify their existance by comparing them to conventional oils won't really offer much of an answer.
 
Quote:

If you're looking for justification of synthetics, you'll have to look for that answer within your own wants and equipment needs.

I use synthetics because I don't want an oil made to the specs of the common denominator and done by committee.

I don't need synthetics, I choose to buy synthetics because in my 26 years of experience using them in the proper scenario they have returned a benefit.

Trying to justify their existance by comparing them to conventional oils won't really offer much of an answer.

Click to expand...


I'm going back to a blend from a synthetic tomorrow. Allready got the stock filter waiting. Matter of fact, I am returning the Mobil 1 and getting the MC and using the credit voucher for 10 bucks that I will get to buy some Mickey Dees and then people will love to see me smile.
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I chirped my tires this evening going home from a friends while waiting at a red light. It's not like it's complete Life in #@$%! but I believe I can accomplish the same sheat with a blend and get better FE for slightly less protection. whoop dee doo.
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I use synthetic Castrol Edge in my Corolla which I buy on special for very little more than the cost of a good dino or blend. I am finishing off my stash of Mobil 1 for my Kluger/Highlander and then I will use the Castrol or any other synthetic I can buy cheap. I also use Redline synthetics in all gear trains of both Toyotas apart from Type 1V auto trans fluid in the Kluger. Extra protection in extreme climate is my reason for using and I want my cars to last a long time.
Roger
Roger
 
Well, I have recently decided I am going to use GTX from now on. I buy the 5 quart jugs from WWorld. Since my truck hold 6 quarts, I use the jug of GTX and then add in a quart of Syntec. My own blend, but all Castrol.
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Quote:

q: When are synthetics really needed?
a: Never



Click to expand...


With respect, I have to disagree. A number of vehicles specify synthetic only, including my BMW 740. The 4.4 litre V-8 in these cars runs very hot, and I have to believe BMW has done their homework when they recommend a long-life synthetic (BMW LL-01 spec is ''long-life'') which only a few select synthetics meet.

I live in Canada, and we got some brutally cold mornings and the superior ability of synthetic to flow at very low temps is another plus. As is the extra protection in high operating temperatures.

My BMW hold 8 quarts of oil, so if I just used the price per quart as a determining factor...dino would be the way to go. Dino is cheaper per quart, but synthetic offers better value: better protection even with extended oil change intervals.

A number of BMW V-8's have suffered from severe sludge build up when dino oil is used. I am not aware of any sludging issues on any vehicle when a quality synthetic oil is used.

I hate to fall back on the old "it's cheap insurance" but that's how I feel about synthetic. I have also switched my Ford Explorer over to it and the persistent "rattle" from the overhead cam chains has almost been eliminated.

Going forward, I won't use anything but synthetic. Just my opinion.
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I have had several vehicles that I've had/owned for over 10yrs, every one of them was ran on Havoline dino oil, never a problem in any of them. Only had 1 vehicle in all of those years/miles that blew 3 headgaskets, due to the design of the engine. But, the first one blew at, get this, 199k miles - it was a toyota none-the-less.

All others have easily gone 200k miles.
 
Quote:

Re: When are synthetics really needed?

Click to expand...


Extreme temps
Poor engine design that creates sludge pockets.
Subpar engine manufacuring/parts quality
Over-extended OCIs.

Issues aside, I basically use it because I'm first & last owner of my vehicles. Otherwise, I would never go beyond a dino or minimum percentage blend.
 
I agree with wgtoys. I would add another reason:

- if the person hates (or is lazy about) having the oil change done.

My brother-in-law is very busy and just can't find the time to even take it to a lube-change place. I recommended synthetic for his car.
 
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