What makes you think 5W-20 oil is synthetic. Like a number of grades, some are synthetic, some aren't. The synthetic oils of course are more expensive. Based on my experience with oil changes at my local Honda dealer, they do not use synthetic.
Actually it depends on the dealer. The dealer I bought my Honda from started using 5W-20 synthetic blend. Spoke to a mechanic at another dealership and he said they just use 5W-30. Guess it depends where you take it.
Most dealers will do as the factory recommends, but some might not. Just ask!
Some parts stores don't stock many 5W-20 choices as it is still relatively uncommon for DIY, but is becoming more common all the time.
Synthetic blend oils are retailing at around $3/quart which should have been about $15 for five quarts. A Honda size oil filter retails for $2-$6 depending on brand and store. $27 for the whole set sounds high.
Your message is a little confusing as you talk about both Synthetic and Synthetic blend oils. Maybe you got sold a synthetic which at a parts store retails for around $6/quart. Do you live in an area with really cold winter weather? If so, running synthetic in the winter wouldn't be a bad idea. Compared to the cost of your '06 Odyssey, or even the cost of one tank of gas, $27 is nothing!
IMHO, it would be prudent to change your 5W-20 oil/filter under the "severe" schedule whereas if you use synthetic oil it can easily last for a "normal" interval. Mobil 1 Extended Performance synthetic (on the shelf at WalMart) should be good for at least 10,000 miles between oil changes and likely 50% more than that. I spend the extra bucks on synthetic to reduce the number of oil changes I do. I consider synthetic's other benefits (easier cold weather starts, no thermal breakdown, a little better mpg) secondary.
yeah, but "synthetic" doesn't mean much. have you noticed how brake fluid is now "synthetic"? it's just like it was before, just more expensive. "synthetic" used to mean something. now it doesn't. even mobil 1 is still mineral oil base.
So in SoCal, some Honda dealers have synthetic blend 5w-20 for their oil changes and others have just conventional....for the same price, roughly between 25-30$. this might be stupid question, but for the same price, would you go with the synthetic blend? like...does it last longer, esp if i follow a severe maintenance schedule?
Synthetic blend labeling is just marketing in this case. I suspect that the dealers who are advertising it are using Kendall or one of the other ConocoPhillips brands.
As long as they are using a major brand 5W-20 it doesn't make a difference.
It is kind of funny that few Honda dealers install Honda branded motor oil :).
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