Synthetic Oil Change Guide

Not sure about the difference between conventional motor oil, fully synthetic and synthetic blends? Wondering how often you should change synthetic oil, where to find synthetic oil change coupons and how to get the lowest synthetic oil change price? Learn the advantages and disadvantages of getting a synthetic oil change.

On this guide, we’ll discuss the various types of oil you can choose from as well as the best synthetic oil brands available so you can see what your options are. Taking a step back we’ll also discuss whether or not you really need to go with synthetic motor oil or if you can just save your money – because synthetic oil does cost more – and stick with regular conventional motor oil that you tend to get with a regularly priced oil change.

What Is Synthetic Motor Oil?

Conventional motor oil is produced from crude oil and is obviously the original type of oil used in vehicles and remains today the most widely used type due to its availability and lower price. Since conventional oil comes from the ground there are some natural contaminants in it that simply can’t be removed which is one of the downsides.

The much popularized synthetic motor oil is nothing but a mix of chemical compounds that are artificially or synthetically produced. These have found good ratings overall in the synthetic base stocks.

These motor oils are basically made from the mix of man-made oils like the Polyalphaolefin, Synthetic esters, API specific Group III and base oils, etc. There is also a type known as semi-synthetic oils, which are nothing but more synthetic blends of mineral oils.

It has been noted that lubricants which have the synthetic base stocks that are much lower, or lower than thirty percent of the high performance and additive packs, can be categorized as synthetic motor oil. Also, the ones consisting of esters can also be known or classified as synthetic lubricants.

In a general scenario, however, the ratio of the synthetic base stock can be used to accurately define the actual commodity codes. This can be done amongst the various customs declarations too, majorly for taxation purposes. Thus the benefits of these synthetic oils cannot be overemphasized. You can ask the service centers that provide oil change coupons to make sure they change your oil to synthetic.

Choosing Between Standard Oil and Synthetic Motor Oil

A lot has been said and a lot of comparisons made been the natural oils and the synthetic motor oils available in the markets. Synthetic motor oil tends to provide a number of advantages including better performance at extreme (cold and hot) temperatures and longer engine life among others. Synthetics also tend to offer you the ability to go longer between oil changes which you can balance with the fact that they can cost 2-3 times as much as conventional brands.

These also offer much better chemical lubricants and have more stability. There is also a marginally less evaporative loss. For example, Castrol is known for its resistance to oxidation and thermal breakdown blunders, as well as apparent oil sludge problems.

Quaker state change is another such brand of synthetic motor oil that offers durability and reliability when it comes to good quality oil. When it comes to synthetic motor oil vs. conventional motor oil, there are a lot of pros and cons to look out for. The normal wear and tear of the vehicles and the addition made by the oils have to be considered.

Of course, one can read the reviews of these oils or can ask around to people who use it. Most of the conventional motor oils that are available today are derived from petroleum. However, the synthetic oils are mere duplicates that are manufactured from chemicals. Thus both have an equal hand when it comes to causing or affecting the environmental influences.

Motorcycle oil is needed to be in sync with the various environmental benefits of having less oil waste. There are indeed many brands today that produce synthetic motor oil. This aid improved and much-advanced fuel economy and that too in specific engine configurations.

For example, Pennzoil offers better lubrication, especially during the extreme cold weather. This ensures a longer engine life of the vehicle. When it comes to cost, the prices depend on the company and the blend of the oils, however, not much difference is found in the prices of conventional and synthetic oils. Let’s take a closer look.

Synthetic Oil Benefits

There are a number of synthetic oil benefits that you can achieve when compared to what you get from conventional oil. Here are the main benefits that you can get from synthetic motor oil:

1. Resistance to extreme temperatures: Synthetic oil is very good at resisting both extremely cold and extremely hot temperatures. Compared to conventional oil, synthetics tend not to thin out as much when the oil heats up, something that can cause engine damage in the extreme. Synthetics tend to be very good for cold starting in winter climates as well as on the other end of the spectrum in very hot climates too since they flow easier in cold and hot temperatures than conventional oils.
2. Resistance to sludge: Compared to conventional oils, synthetics tend to be better at resisting the build-up of sludge. Sludge is a build-up of debris that accumulates as the oil gets used over time, debris that gets picked up and can accumulate and impact the oil’s ability to perform. The oil that has sludge build-up cannot perform as well and causes the oil to lose its viscosity which negatively affects its ability to lubricate.
3. Lifespan: One of the major synthetic oil benefits is its ability to often last longer than conventional oil, thus reducing both the number of times you have to have your oil changed and the cost of oil changes since you’re having it done less frequently. In that regard, there is also the environmental benefit since you can potentially reduce the amount of oil that your vehicle uses and thus the waste that it creates. You’ll often read that that synthetic oil change interval is greater because you only need to change your oil every 5,000-7,000 miles or 8,000-11,000 km with synthetic oil compared to perhaps every 3,000-5,000 miles or 5,000-8,000 km with conventional oils.
4. Superior lubrication: The main purpose of oil is to lubricate and synthetics do this better than conventional oils which go back to the lifespan benefit since conventional oil tends to need to be replaced sooner than synthetic motor oil does due to viscosity breakdown. Due to its makeup, synthetic motor oil causes less wear on your engine too which helps to promote engine longevity.
5. Fewer contaminants: Conventional oil comes from the ground from crude oil. Regardless of how well the oil is refined small amounts of contaminants like sulfur and radioactive carbons cannot be completely removed and remain in the oil which of course ends up in your vehicle. Fully synthetic oils are laboratory-made and contain non-conventional fluids which also happen to be high-performance too.
6. Better fuel economy: Synthetics are slicker than conventional oil and can deliver more horsepower along with better fuel economy while also enabling cooler engine operation.

These are some of the main synthetic oil benefits that you can achieve. At the end of the day your vehicle type, age, driving conditions and the amount of existing mileage on your vehicle will help to determine what benefits you effectively achieve in reality.

While there are a number of benefits with synthetic motor oil, there are some drawbacks too.

Synthetic Oil Drawbacks

There are a number of synthetic oil drawbacks that can need to be measured and considered alongside the many synthetic oil benefits that you can achieve. Here are some of the main disadvantages:

1. Cost: This is the most obvious one as synthetics oil price can run 2-3 times as much as conventional motor oil but when you consider that they last longer than conventional oils, the actual net premium is perhaps closer to 50%-60% when you take into consideration the fewer number of oil changes that you’ll need with full synthetic motor oil.
2. May was not appropriate for high mileage engines: If you have a high mileage vehicle, you’ll probably be warned to stay away from synthetics and instead go with conventional oil or perhaps a specially designed high mileage oil instead. Synthetics run slicker than conventional oils which can exacerbate engine oil leaks often found in older, high mileage vehicles. Further to this, some people feel that synthetic usage can make your vehicle more prone to oil leaks over time due to its thinness when compared to conventional oil.
3. May is not appropriate for new engines: Again since synthetics flow easier than conventional oils with less friction, they’re usually not recommended for breaking in a new engine unless the vehicle happens to be designed with synthetic oil in mind, something you can determine by consulting your vehicle owner’s manual. Often turbo-charged vehicles are factory filled with synthetic motor oil.
4. May is not appropriate for rotary automobile engines: Mazda does not recommend using synthetic oil in its rotary engine so not only would you be going against your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation if you own a Mazda, but you might risk voiding your warranty too.
5. Benefits may only be achieved in certain climates and conditions: Specifically, extremely cold or hot temperatures and/or long periods of driving in hot conditions may be the conditions necessary to achieve the stated benefits of using synthetic motor oil. If you tend to live in a moderate climate and tend to only experience moderate driving conditions, the cost of synthetic motor oil may not result in some of the typical benefits you can achieve through its use.
6. Lower oil pressure: Due to the fact that it tends to be thinner than conventional oil, synthetics can produce lower oil pressure which might increase the chances of mechanical problems.

Is Synthetic Oil Change Better Than A Standard One?

The use of synthetic oil is something that many people are beginning to take to because of the numerous benefits that they have realized with the oil. As a result, there are many people who are now making synthetic oil change and beginning to follow the trends.

Using the right kind of synthetic oil will help enhance and increase the eventual mileage between the changes. This synthetic oil usually works very well in conditions that are cold.

Many people wonder whether it is better to do a synthetic oil change but all this depends on a number of issues. First of all, it depends on the age of your car as well as its mileage and the recommendations of the car manufacturer.

Vehicles that are much older with higher mileages will encounter the problem of excessive wear within the engines. This means that there will be more oil leakages within the system. In this case, you will want to make sure to use oil change coupons to save money since most likely you will be going often to get an oil change.

Vehicles that have high mileages are not exactly the best to be subjected to synthetic oil changes because the oil is quite thin and can flow quite freely. If it is used, it might lead to internal oil combustion.

There are also some car makers who have recommendations that instruct the user to stick to using synthetic oil. In such cases, the synthetic oil offers more functionality and it offers the vehicle more ability to perform to its best.

However, if your car does not use synthetic oil and you would like to make the synthetic oil change you ought to first visit your local car motor specialist before you eventually decide on the switch.

How Often To Change Synthetic Oil?

It is important for car owners to know how often they should change the engine oil since the overall car performance greatly lies in the quality of the oil. Generally, the synthetic oil change interval should be considered apart from the mineral oil change interval.

However, remember that the synthetic oil change interval deeply depends on engine usage. Normally, the recommended synthetic oil change interval is between 5,000 and 7,500 miles preferably within 6 months after your prior oil change. Hence, to ensure high-quality fuel economy and engine performance, a synthetic oil change is assumed.

How to Lower the Synthetic Oil Change Price?

The synthetic motor oil is more costly than the standard motor oil but to help consumers on saving more on the synthetic oil change price, many oil manufacturers have developed synthetic blend oil. This type of oil is a combination of both synthetic and standard oil.

So, if you want to save on the synthetic oil change cost, try using the synthetic blend oil since it offers a longer mileage interval between oil changes. However, just make sure to verify first the manufacturer’s recommendations when it comes to the synthetic oil mileage.

Firestone Synthetic Oil Change Price	Synthetic Blend Oil - $19.99
	Full Synthetic Oil - $49.99
Valvoline Synthetic Oil Change Price	Synthetic Blend - $33.99
	Full Synthetic - $49.99
Jiffy Lube Synthetic Oil Change Price	Synthetic Blend - $45.98
	Full Synthetic Oil - $66.98
Sears Synthetic Oil Change Price	Synthetic Blend Oil - $24.99
	Full Synthetic - $51.99
Goodyear Synthetic Oil Change Price	Synthetic blend - $39.95
	Full Synthetic oil change - $59.95
NTB Synthetic Oil Change Price	Synthetic blend - $39.99
	Full Synthetic - $69.95
Pep Boys Synthetic Oil Change Price	Synthetic blend oil change - $44.99
	Full Synthetic oil change - $74.95
Express Oil Synthetic Oil Change Price	Synthetic blend - $41.99
	Full Synthetic - $59.99

Benefits of Using Synthetic Oil Change Coupons

When you intend to use synthetic oil over the conventional oil, you’ll surely save more bucks because it provides your car’s engine superior performance and will allow you to undertake lesser oil change every few months.

Nonetheless, if you really want to save more bucks, you must use synthetic oil change coupons. These deals are very convenient considering that auto maintenance is necessary to carry out.

Thus, for lots of savings in your pocket, gather some synthetic oil change coupons so you can use them for your vehicle’s next synthetic oil change. Many times your local auto centers offer monthly coupons that you can take advantage of. Usually, synthetic oil change coupon includes up to 5 quarts of full synthetic or synthetic blend oil and a discount on oil filter and labor too.

The Best Synthetic Motor Oil Brands

The best synthetic motor oil brands include some well-known names and ones that are not necessarily household names. Either way, there are a number of synthetic oil brands to choose from. Here are some of the best synthetic motor oil brands to choose from in alphabetical order.

Amsoil: Amsoil is widely regarded as having produced the first commercially available synthetic motor oil and in fact uses the slogan “The First In Synthetics” in their promotional material. The founder of Amsoil was a fighter pilot in the US Air Force and noticed that the aircraft flew using synthetic oils which were his first exposure to this sort of product. He then developed the Amsoil synthetic oil for automobile use. Amsoil products are sold through a multi-level marketing network of dealers. Amsoil’s test results lead many to believe that they are one of the best synthetic motor oil brands on the market.

Castrol: Castrol is a global producer of both synthetic and conventional motor oils. Castrol’s motto is “It’s more than just motor oil, it’s liquid engineering.” Castrol EDGE With SYNTEC Power Technology is the new name of the brand formerly known as Castrol SYNTEC.

Mobil 1: First introduced in 1974 as a 5W20 single viscosity fully synthetic motor oil, Mobil 1 is the flagship product of ExxonMobil and is the official motor oil of NASCAR as well as being a supplier of oil to the Formula One series and a longtime sponsor of Australian touring car championships indicating both a long and broad history in auto racing. Mobil 1 is the GM warranty requirement motor oil for the Chevrolet Corvette.

Quaker State: Quaker State’s Ultimate Durability Full Synthetic motor oil is their best known synthetic brand. Quaker State merged with Pennzoil in 1998 to form Pennzoil-Quaker State and in 2002 was purchased to become part of the Royal Dutch Shell Group to form Shell Oil Products US or SOPUS. Quaker State produces a number of automotive products in addition to motor oils including oil filters, transmission fluids and gear lubricants among others. Jiffy Lube is a wholly-owned subsidiary of franchised outlets across both the US and Canada offering oil change and other automotive services in a quick-service style.

Pennzoil: “Not just oil, Pennzoil” is their tagline. You can read the Quaker State entry above to learn more about the Quaker State-Pennzoil relationship but Pennzoil does produce its own brand of fully synthetic motor oils including the Pennzoil Ultra, Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic Oil, and Pennzoil Gold Synthetic Blend. Their Pennzoil Ultra Euro brand is the one used in all Ferrari vehicles exported to North America.

Red Line Oil: Founded in 1979 to provide lubricant to the racing industry, Red Line’s synthetic oils are produced for automobiles, trucks, race cars, boats and other vehicles with gas, diesel, alcohol-powered engines and are sold through a 5,000 strong worldwide dealer network as well as through mail order and retail outlets. They produce a wide range of oil products from 0W20 motor oil up to 15W40 diesel motor oil

Royal Purple: Founded in 1986, Royal Purple is a manufacturer of high-performance synthetic oils for automotive, industrial, marine, motorcycle, and racing vehicles. The company got its name when the founder decided to make his first product a purple color when his original customer claimed that the oil worked so well that it should have a unique coloration different from his competitors. Royal Purple suggests upgrading to its synthetic product at the first scheduled oil change service in new gasoline-powered engines. Royal Purple motor oil contains their proprietary Synerlec additive technology which they claim is the cornerstone of their product line. RP products can be purchased in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, United Kingdom, Australia, and Italy.

Schaeffer Oil: Founded in 1839, Shaeffer produces a full line of specialized lubricants for a wide range of applications including trucking, construction, marine, racing, retail, government and mining among others.

Valvoline: Valvoline is a global producer of fully synthetic motor oil including their SynPower Full Synthetic Motor oil brand. They also produce the MaxLife Full Synthetic Higher Mileage Motor Oil for higher mileage engines as well as racing-specific VR1 synthetic motor oil. Valvoline runs a nationwide chain of automotive centers called Valvoline Instant Oil Change which offers a wide range of services including oil changes featuring the Valvoline line of products. Valvoline has been producing motor oil products for over 140 years making it the oldest motor oil company in existence.

To find the best synthetic motor oil brands that are suitable for you, ask your local trusted mechanic or garage what they’d suggest and of course consult your vehicle owner’s manual in case they specify what synthetic motor oil brands they recommend.