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Oil is a sponge for contaminates - it suspends them and the filter collects them. Synth lasts longer because it doesn't break down like dino oil does, but the filter still needs to be changed.
It really only the heat that breaks down srude based oil. I have read the reaso that manufacturers do not recoomend prolonged oil changes with synthetic oil is that the additive poackage is what wears out in oil and its no better with synthetic oil has with crude based. bascially that is what causes the oil to alos keep teh engine clean. That is why few recommend synthetic over crude based. Too many people thought they could get away with longer spns between oil changes.Filters only collect the particles and do nothing for the additive package that keeps engines clean.
I didn't read all the posts to here - just to comment - Jiffy Lube and similar should be avoided, the screwups you note here are just the least of what they can and will screw up.
DIY or go to a quality-oriented indy shop.
Do not think that just because you have driven 3000 you just have to change the oil RIGHT NOW. Not true. A few hundred more miles won't make any real difference. A lady from our town had a 1980 MG-B, drove over to Seattle and went past the "magic 3000" miles, headed straight to JL like a bug to a bug zapper. Sure enough, the numbskulls lost her dipstick (NLA part, hard to find). She's not the sharpest tool in the shed. Would have been way ahead to drive the 200 +/- miles back home.
Although, if you are using a quality oil in an engine thats in good shape, you don't need to change at 3000 anyway.
Is it really cheaper to use regular oil? Oil change at $2.00/quart every 3000 miles or $6.00/quart every 10,000 miles seems about the same. My manual lists approved oil brands/weights, the garage only uses Mobil 1, and I don't see any reason to change, but I was just wondering. Also, even a $20 difference every 10,000 miles doesn't seem like a big a deal if that's what the manufacturer recommends.
Is it really cheaper to use regular oil? Oil change at $2.00/quart every 3000 miles or $6.00/quart every 10,000 miles seems about the same. My manual lists approved oil brands/weights, the garage only uses Mobil 1, and I don't see any reason to change, but I was just wondering. Also, even a $20 difference every 10,000 miles doesn't seem like a big a deal if that's what the manufacturer recommends.
I agree with you, if the engine does not leak or burn oil, you can run the synthetic longer, typically it will save you something on fuel, usually more than enough to pay for the difference in the cost of the synthetic oil.
Although, to get back to the original question, you can change from synthetic to conventional and back again, as far as I know, as often as you want with no problems. Most if not all synthetics can be mixed with petroleum oil without problems, too.
But, I still like synthetics, and I still don't like any kind of "quick lube" chain outfit.
Is it really cheaper to use regular oil? Oil change at $2.00/quart every 3000 miles or $6.00/quart every 10,000 miles seems about the same. My manual lists approved oil brands/weights, the garage only uses Mobil 1, and I don't see any reason to change, but I was just wondering. Also, even a $20 difference every 10,000 miles doesn't seem like a big a deal if that's what the manufacturer recommends.
Who changes oil at 3k mi anymore? Every car I can think of has oil change intervals of 6k mi or more these days, and even cars built 10 years ago now had 5k mi recommended intervals.
Manufactures did that because they wanted to show the public they had less hassle mx plans on their cars. There's been a lot of guys running tests on oil at various mileage points and the consensus on bob is the oil guy.com is most dino oils start breaking down around 3k or so. Synthetic depending on the driving style generally goes 8k-10k and holds up its original qualitites.
My 14 year old car shows 5k intervals but I do it at around 3k. @ 150k miles my compression is still within new specs. This is using dino oil.
Personally, I drive a rather new Benz and an 08 Beamer.
Mercedes Benz calls for a synthetic oil change every 13,000 miles, while BMW is more variable with a 15-17,000 synthetic change.
Considering that each of these cars engines (in all modesty) probably cost more than an entire new Ford or Chevy, I am sure they know what they are talking about. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.
BTW, I have a friend who is "corporate" for Jaguar, he tells me that Jaguar and others are currently working on a 40,000 mile synthetic oil.
Apparently, they have a statistic where a new owner buys and keep a Jaguar for like five years and puts approx. 50,000 to 75,000 on the vehicle. Based on this, a new owner would change the oil ONCE while they own the car!!!!
A BMW car is a 'Bimmer.'
A BMW bike is a 'Beemer.'
So what's a 'Beamer?' An old Sunbeam?
Hey - you buy me a nice Sun"beamer", and I'll drive it! Shoot, I won't even argue about what kind of oil to run in it.
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