Synthetic Oil

Is there a benefit to using synthetic oil in a 2010 Forester. It is less than one year old and it has just over 40,000 km already. I figure it will be out of warranty by the time we own 18 months. Will synthetic oil help with the longevity? I do a lot of driving in sub-zero temperatures.

Any thoughts on purchasing extended warranty? Is it worth it?

TIA

Reply to
Wiess
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It's certainly not going to hurt. Now, I don't know, but don't the newer cars come from the factory with synthetic?

I have been using synthetic in my '05 Scion since I bought it in '06, but I don't drive it in the winter. It only has 31,000 miles on it...

Once the factory warranty is up. Try to find a reputable company. A lot of these are either Fly By Nights, or get overextended and go bankrupt. I thin GE offers extended warranties, and I don't expect them to go out of business any time soon...

Reply to
Hachiroku

Sub-zero F temps, go with synthetic. It costs more, and you still need to change it on schedule, but it does not turn to thick syrup in the cold.

I use it in my PT Cruizer year round, but not in my wife's old Mystique.

Reply to
clare

I'd say if you're willing to take the risk, don't buy extended warranties. They are high profit items for the sellers. Why do you think they keep pestering you to buy them?

With your high mileage, I'd probably go synthetic. I don't because my mileage is low and I normally change oil by time, not miles.

I can't quickly google an answer but I would speculate that multigrade oil would thin with time as the additives responsible for increasing viscosity with temperature would probably degrade.

Reply to
Frank

The general thought is, put the money the warranty would cost in the bank and hope you don't need it for a repair. If you feel you MUST have an extended warranty, only get the Subaru one as many folks have had 'issues' with 3rd party warranties.

I use synthetic oil. If you do your own changes, expect syn oil to look darker - particularly on your first change -as it keeps 'varnish' in suspension/dissolved better than regular oil. So, on your first change, it may very well remove varnish from your initial regular oil use and look very dark. I use the Walmart syn 5-30 in winter, the Shell Rotella syn 5-40 in summer here in Texas. I buy my filters from subarugenuineparts.com and, if I put a lot of miles on my vehicles, I would consider a Fumoto oil pan valve.

Reply to
1 Lucky Texan

WAL MART SYNTHETIC?!?!?!

Do you know who makes it, by any chance?

Reply to
Hachiroku

They might know over at bobistheoilguy.com . It may depend on what part of the country you're in and the contract may change occasionally. Best guess seems to be either Penzoil or SOPUS (Shell)

Carl

1 Lucky Texan
Reply to
1 Lucky Texan

I went Googling after reading the OP. Seems it's usually Pennzoil/Quaker State, Texaco or Shell. Fine with me. All the analysis of the oil come up at least as good as the stuff you buy at AutoZone.

For $2 more...

Reply to
Hachiroku

The WALMART Syn is priced well and meets current API so use it. Benn using it for years in my Outback . Will likely use it in my next vehicle too

Reply to
Big Jim

I've heard/read many opinions that synthetic oil in differentials is something to seriously consider as it easily pays for itself with improved gas mileage.

It's difficult to gauge, as the change is small, seems to be in the order of 0.5-1 mpg improvement, or that is what I noticed when I switched my Impreza. I change it every 15-20k miles and consider it worth the added expense.

Engine oil? For cold climates, extremely hot weather, high speed or high rpm driving, definetely a good idea.

For regular driving maybe, maybe not? Who knows.

I am under the impression (have no proof) that more frequent oil changes with regular oil could be better for longevity under normal driving than using a synthetic. There was some info a few years back about a NYC cab driver who supposedly changed oil weekly with regular, and made a million miles or so. Taxis make fewer cold starts so its really difficult to say anything about how it would work for the rest of us, if we were to change oil say every 1000, or 2000 miles. It is a big hassle. With synthetic and good filter you can go 5000 miles between changes.

That's nice.

Basia

Reply to
abjjkst

Yeah, modern oils of ALL types are very good, and usually have decent additive packages. And engines I think may, in general, be better designed for lubrication than in the 'old days'. So, making a case for the 'average' user for syn vs 'dino' oil is difficult. I think if you really pushed the syn to its max, (7500 miles or more) and/or skipped filter changes to every alternate oil change - a good case could be made for saving $ and, if not extending engine life, at least not sacrificing any. Personally, I can afford it, I find it convenient to just do my changes twice a year, that may mean the Outback HAS gone 5 or 6K, but my WRX wagon maybe only 4K or so miles. I also feel, if I had some emergency and had to delay an oil change for a few weeks, it would be fine. I do my own oil changes so, I figure the $$ I save with my own labor, I could put into, arguably, better fluids.

Carl

1 Lucky Texan
Reply to
1 Lucky Texan

After this discussion, and what I have read about it on the Web, lloks like a safe bet...

Reply to
Hachiroku

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