Oil Change: Should I Switch to Synthetic?

Posted: Apr 25, 2012
Author: Country Town Tire & Auto Service Center

Should you switch to using synthetic oil? Before answering this question, it’s important to understand what synthetic motor oils are. Traditional motor oils, also known as mineral motor oils, are taken from the ground – the stuff that comes from oil fields in places like Saudi Arabia and Texas. Synthetic motor oil is made by human beings.

If you looked at a puddle of traditional motor oil and a puddle of synthetic motor oil on the floor, you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart – and you’d slip on both of them! If an oil change was done on two cars with the same mileage (one of which had synthetic motor oil and the other conventional motor oil), you would notice a difference when the oil was drained. The conventional oil would be considerably thicker.

Synthetic oils have been around for decades – since 1929, in fact. However, it has taken many years for synthetic oil to gain momentum in the automotive industry. The turning point came when vehicle manufacturers realized the two major benefits of synthetic motor oils:

• Fewer emissions
• Longer periods between oil changes

They now recommend the use of synthetic oil in newly built cars.

So, back to the question: When I have my next oil change done, should I switch to synthetic? The answer depends on your car’s mileage, its age and the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Older cars with high mileage are prone to engine wear, which leads to internal oil leaks. For such vehicles, the use of synthetic oil is usually not recommended because, as mentioned already, synthetic oil is thinner and can adversely affect the engine. To read more on this topic, go here.