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Is Synthetic Oil the Right Choice for Your New Car?

Author: JasonLancaster
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People often wonder if they should be using synthetic oil in their new vehicles. Synthetic oil is better than regular oil for many different reasons: it's a better lubricant; maintains integrity at high temperatures; is fairly pure; and rarely turns into sludge, even when it's abused. To many people, the obvious benefits of synthetic oil lead them to conclude they should start using it ASAP. However, despite synthetic oil's benefits, it really depends on how you take care of your car.

First of all, consider how regular you are with changing your oil. You car's oil needs to be replaced every 3 to 5K miles, before it breaks down and potentially damages your engine. Synthetic oil is a great option for drivers who tend to forget or delay oil changes, since it is breakdown resistant, even after extended use. Drivers who dutifully change their oil on schedule, however, will probably never get any benefits from synthetic oil's longer lifespan because it'll never be used long enough to make a difference.

One of synthetic oil's biggest perks is that it doesn't deteriorate until after a long time. Regular oil starts to break down after 6 months, and all oils should be replaced after 5K miles. If you're someone who drives less than 5K every 6 months, then mileage-wise, you're replacing your oil more often than you need to. Using synthetic oil will let you change your oil less frequently, so you can get greater mileage out of each oil change. This might save you some money, and definitely will save you on time.

One of the biggest reasons why people use synthetic oil is because of its resistance to heat. Regular oil breaks down in high temperatures, and continue to break down as the heat rises. Drivers who use their vehicles in ways that create a constantly hot engine environment should use synthetic oil. So should people who live in hot climates, such as in the desert, or at high altitudes, like in the mountains. Neither high ambient temperatures nor low air pressure are ideal conditions for keeping your engine cool, so synthetic oil would give you the best performance in these areas. Finally, if you own a high-performance vehicle or just drive like you do, consider synthetic, which is the best choice for these vehicles.

There are lots of people who will recommend synthetic oil to you, even if you don't need it. For instance, synthetic is recommended for drivers who have to drive in stop-and-go traffic. However, almost everyone drives in this type of traffic at some time, and not everyone needs synthetic oil. It's really only necessary if you're stuck in stop-and-go for long periods of time, and on a regular basis. Synthetic might also be recommended to people who only drive on short trips, as a means for protecting the engine. But only driving for short trips will damage your engine regardless of what oil you choose, so the recommendation is redundant. Your engine is designed to perform for 20 minutes or more. There might be a slight benefit to running synthetic for short trips, but the difference is negligible.

If you determine that one of the above situations applies to you, take care when you purchase synthetic oil. Many places will suggest a synthetic blend as a way to save money (instead of full-synthetic), but the "blend" is oftentimes a mystery. Maybe you're getting a 50-50 blend, or maybe you're getting 1% synthetic and 99% regular oil. My recommendation is to go full synthetic or not bother with it - unless the blend suggested is provided and produced by your vehicle's manufacturer.

You might be wondering what your vehicle manufacturer recommends for your vehicle. Most manufacturers will say that "any oil that meets API standard specifications can be used in your vehicle." So normal is perfectly alright for most situations. Drivers will usually enjoy great performance from their new cars for a long time even without the extra benefit of synthetic oil, so long as they take proper care of their vehicles.