To Use or Not to Use: Synthetic Oil and Your New Car | Auto Finance

By JasonLancaster
Total views: 3
Word Count: 679

Many drivers are unsure whether they should use synthetic oil in their new cars. Synthetic oil has a number of pluses over regular oil: it can maintain integrity in heat; lubricates better; has fairly good purity; and rarely ever becomes sludge, even after abuse. Most drivers will see the obvious benefits synthetic oil has to offer and decide to use it in their car. However, even with the synthetic oil's numerous benefits, the real difference is made in how you care for your car.

To start with, do you change your oil regularly? Oil needs to be changed before it breaks down and puts your engine at risk. But if you're good at changing your oil on time every 3-5k miles, you'll never experience one of the benefits of synthetic oil. Synthetic is resistant to breaking down, even after extended use. For instance, if you forget an oil change, or even if you just put one off for a few weeks, synthetic is the best oil to have in your engine. But if you're changing your oil regularly and at the proper mileage, you'll never be in a situation where your engine is at risk from worn-out oil.

Another benefit of synthetic is that it will last a long time without deteriorating. Let's say you drive 7k miles per year. At this rate, assuming a 5k mile oil change interval, you're only going to need an oil change every 9 months, based on mileage. Since regular oil starts to wear out after 6 months, you should either change your oil sooner than necessary or you should think about using synthetic. It may save you money to pay for one synthetic oil change a year instead of two regular oil changes, and it will definitely save you time.

Synthetic oil can withstand heat better than regular, which is one of the most common reasons people have for switching to synthetic. Regular oil starts to break down as the temperature increases, and continues to deteriorate as it gets hotter. If you regularly put your engine into situations where it will be in high heat, synthetic will help protect your engine against damage. Idling your engine for long periods of time and driving in high temperatures or altitudes will overheat your engine. Hot climates and thin mountain air won't cool your vehicle's engine very well, so people living in these climates should definitely consider synthetic oil. High performance vehicles will also benefit from synthetic oil.

Synthetic oil is often recommended even to people who don't especially need it. Synthetic is recommended for people driving in stop-and-go traffic, but that's everyone at some point in time. The recommendation should only really apply to those who drive everyday in stop-and-go traffic for long enough for the car engine's cooling fan to turn on. Drivers who only use their cars only for short trips are also advised to use synthetic oil in order to protect. However, short trips will be bad for your engine no matter what oil you decide to do, since your engine was really designed to run for at least 20 minutes at a time. Using synthetic instead of regular oil in this situation might make a difference, but it'll be a very minor change.

If you determine that one of the above situations applies to you, take care when you purchase synthetic oil. Many places will suggest a synthetic blend as a way to save money (instead of full-synthetic), but the "blend" is oftentimes a mystery. Maybe you're getting a 50-50 blend, or maybe you're getting 1% synthetic and 99% regular oil. My recommendation is to go full synthetic or not bother with it - unless the blend suggested is provided and produced by your vehicle's manufacturer.

Most car manufacturers will tell you that "any oil that meets API standard specifications can be used in your vehicle." For most people, normal oil will be absolutely fine. As long as they are maintained regularly and cared for, most new cars won't need synthetic oil to perform well for a long time.

About the Author

Author Jason Lancaster, an auto industry veteran, created AccurateAutoAdvice.com. You'll find accurate car buying tips and car advice.

You are here Articles > Cars and Trucks > Auto Finance