Conventional v. Synthetic Motor Oils

Conventional v. Synthetic Motor Oils

When you think about car care, you think about oil changes. They are the most frequent and predictable task when it comes to taking care of a car. Yet, it seems like oil changes have become more complex, with different types of oils, different manufacturer requirements and so on.

We’ve decided to write about the different types of oil that are available, the differences between them, and some of the pros and cons for each.

Conventional Motor Oil

Conventional motor oil is the oil that our dads and our dad’s dad put in their cars. It’s derived directly from crude oil and does its part in keeping engine parts lubricated. As most people know, conventional oil lasts for about 3,000 miles at which point it will need to be changed out. It’s also the cheapest type of oil you can put in your car, with some oil change centers offering as little as $30.00 oil changes.

As we’ve discussed previously, you get what you pay for with cheap oil, and while conventional motor oil can help keep your car on the road and there are good conventional motor oils (not for $30.00 though,) it has its drawbacks compared to others types of oils. Additionally, many of the cars on the road today actually require that you move away from it altogether.

Why? Conventional motor oil simply can’t keep up with synthetic motor oils in virtually every respect.

Synthetic Motor Oil

In terms of production, synthetic motor oil starts out as conventional motor oil. However, it is further refined to drastically improve its stability and lubricant qualities. Here are some of the benefits:

It lasts longer: Oil eventually stales. It chemically breaks down and no longer offers the benefits it did when it was new. Synthetic motor oil lasts far longer than conventional motor oil. This is important for a couple of reasons. For one, you don’t have to spend time getting your oil changed as often. Second, it is also better for the environment since you are ultimately using less oil.

It’s less hot: Part of the reason why it lasts as long as it does is because it doesn’t get as hot as conventional motor oil. Heat is an engine’s worst enemy, so the less hot it gets, the better.

It has less sediment: Less sediment and impurities in the oil means less buildup in the engine over time. In older cars, this can be a significant plus.

It offers more lubrication: Better lubrication means more engine efficiency. This equates to less wear and tear and greater fuel mileage. Virtually all new cars require synthetic motor oil, essentially for this reason.

It performs better in the cold: Conventional motor oil needs to warm up a bit to really do its job well. If you take only very short trips in your car, your oil may not get warm enough to provide as much benefit and adding strain to your car engine.

Synthetic motor oil is also a lot more expensive up front. As a general rule of thumb, the difference between conventional and synthetic oil is 2 to 1. For example, is you use a $30.00 conventional motor oil, it will last for roughly 3,000 miles. If you use a $60.00 full synthetic, it will last roughly 6,000 miles. With this in mind, the cost is just about identical. With synthetic, however, you get all the above mentioned benefits which makes synthetic oil the recommended choice for any oil change.

If you want to find a more economic, middle of the road option, synthetic blends exist. As the name suggests, they are a mixture of both synthetic and conventional oils that give you increased performance without the big up front cost of a full synthetic.

BBack Car Care offers premium Kendall motor oil in several varieties to suit your exact needs, including blends, full synthetics and high mileage oils (which help protect seals and reduce the chance of any leakage.) Our technicians will be happy to consult with you and also your owner’s manual to ensure you are getting what you need out of your oil.

Our oil changes also come with a complimentary 21-point inspection to ensure that other key components in your car are operating safely and effectively.

Need an oil change or more information on our oils and what we offer? Schedule an appointment online or give us a call today.