You pay for what you get. Either you need to take full advantage of all a synthetic has to offer or you don't. "Blends" are a marketing effort. Synthetic is *not* more expensive IF ... you take advantage of the extended drain intervals that you could not otherwise do with a conventional oil. Then again you may have one of those high revving four cylinder engines that carries only 3 qts of oil and you're driving is at sustained high RPM in desert heat. Things you need to evaluate.
It's more than "breaking down", it's the acids and blow-by etc that get into the oil. Extending the interval allows this stuff to build up and as the other poster said defeats the purpose of using this oil. Unless you're using an engine that pushes the temp that dino oil can deal with, there is no reason to use the stuff IMHO.
Just where did you get that 1000 mile figure? Out of thin air? Show me a clinical study that says a quality synthetic can only go 1000 miles more than a dino oil before breaking down.
Are you aware that European oil change intervals are traditionally
5K or more miles on *dino* oil? They don't seem to have any engine reliability related problems.
Eurpean fuels are much lower in sulfur than the US (with the possible exception of California) and the ACEA oil rating system is FAR MORE specific about oil suitability for regular and extended drain intervals. This is NOT to say that Europeans don't get sludged engines. They do.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required