When I first heard about synthetic oil changes that last a full year, I thought “Are we really getting that lazy?”
I decided to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of a synthetic oil change versus a conventional oil change.
The areas I researched were as follows:
- Time between oil changes.
- Cost
- Wear and tear on the engine
- Harm to the environment.
Time between oil changes
The time between oil changes for a conventional oil change is recommended on average for 3,000 miles or 3 months. For synthetic oil changes, they recommend up to one year or 10,000 miles. I would not recommend that long, but 5,000 to 7,000 miles would be what I would recommend and at least two to four times a year depends on the miles driven.
Cost
The cost of a conventional oil change is around $25-$35 on average. The cost for a synthetic oil change is $75-$85 on average.
Wear and tear on the engine
When examining the wear and tear on the engine, conventional oil has more impurities and can gum up internal engine parts. Synthetic oil has better longevity and is able to handle extreme temperatures without breaking down.
Harm to the environment
Harm to the environment is about equal for the two types of oil. The major difference is that you would be changing conventional oil more frequently.
Much of the information in the blog was gathered at the website howstuffworks.com
I have presented some facts. You decide based on your driving habits, budget, and choices which type of oil change is best for you, synthetic or conventional.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention synthetic blends, but that’s a story for another blog.