When it comes to choosing an oil to use in your car, you have a coupe of options. You can choose synthetic oil or conventional oil. Some people prefer one over the other, but the question is which one is better?
Synthetic Oil
Synthetic oils are more expensive but last a lot longer than non-synthetic oils. Non- Synthetic oils can also fail to lubricate as well assynthetic oils. Some people claim that once you use synthetic oils you should not switch back to conventional oils, but this is not the case. In the early days, synthetics got a bad reputation for leaking. This was because the new synthetics seal-swell characteristics were different from non-synthetics. Fortunately, the situation has improved and you should have no problem switching back and forth. If you read the fine print you will see that a lot of the “synthetics” on the markets are blends themselves containing a substantial proportion of mineral oil. Some cars can only use synthetic oils.
Conventional Oil
Conventional oils have a bad reputation for being hard on the environment as they are refined from naturally occurring crude oils. Though they are usually less expensive than synthetic oils, they usually do not last as long.
Synthetic vs. Conventional Motor Oil
In a nutshell, synthetic oil is thinner, resists temperature extremes better and generally lasts longer. You likely won’t notice any difference in how your car performs, but the durability characteristic is the most important from a car owner’s prospective, as it translates to less frequent oil changes compared to conventional motor oil. Although the recommended oil change intervals vary by vehicle manufacturer, in general, a good rule of thumb to follow is to change conventional motor oil approximately every 3,000 miles, but if you are using synthetic oil, it is recommended to change oil about every 5,00-7,500 miles.
Is Synthetic Oil Worth it?
So how do you know which choice is best for you? It all depends on how often you prefer to change your oil as the biggest factor of using synthetic oil versus conventional oil is the longevity of it.
If you are punctual about getting oil changes and your vehicle doesn’t already require synthetic oil, you may want to just stick to conventional oil. However, if you find yourself not having your car serviced on time and you find yourself always going over the recommended change interval, maybe synthetic is better choice for you.
