opinions on synthetic oil

And that means they should be scrap in 3 to 7 years????

When a car is sold at 7 years of age, it should still have a lot of ,life left in it. When you trade it in you want to get a good trade-in allowance. And when I buy that used car, I want a car in good operating condition.

Reply to
clare
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They have another advantage. Chemists are more able to choose which compounds are in the oil. This gives the oil better characteristics.

In addition, because synthetic oil is more expensive, oil makers are able to afford to put additives in the oil.

Reply to
dr_jeff

I am not sure that it will make that much of a difference in most cars. Most cars don't have major problems that could have been prevented by using synthetic oil. When I got rid of my old Contour, with only 165,000 mi on the odometer, the engine was running perfectly. Unfortunately, the tie rods ends, springs, brakes, and cats were wearing out. I am sure that had I kept the car, there would have been problems with other components, too, like front shocks, alternator and A/C fixes. Plus, I tend to put a lot of highway miles my car. I don't want to get stuck out of state. Once was enough when the tie rod broke on my new Focus. (That happened after some lady decided that it was fine to back up real fast in a Staples parking lot without the benefit of a clear view out the rear view mirror thanks to all the stuff in the rear seat - she hit the wheel causing the damage to the suspension.)

I don't know if people who keep their cars for a long time (mine was 11 years) really benefit from synthetic oil.

Nonetheless, it does a better job of lubricating and protecting the engine that conventional oils.

Jeff

Reply to
dr_jeff

The better charachteristics are almost totally related to maintaining viscosity.

There are LESS additives in the average synthetic oil because it needs less. It needs less additives BECAUSE it is a more expensive oil.

Now that is a generalization, because there are different kinds of "synthetic" oils. However, there need be NO viscosity index improvers or pour point depressants added to a good synthetic. Therefore the oil is closer to "all oil" than a regular oil with longchain hydrocarbon and polymer viscosity index improvers added.

Reply to
clare

Who said they are scraped?

The problem is when one buys a used car they can never know for sure how it was used or abused or if it was given the proper preventive maintenance or not.

Reply to
Mike Hunter

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