When to change to Synthetic Oil?

[2K2 HAWK]

I've been thinking about changing to synthetic oil. I was always told by friends to wait until 15,000 miles. I have 13,000 miles, so the time to switch is near...right?

Furthermore, which synthetic oil should I use?? Royal Purple, Mobil1, Castrol, ????

[nhraformula]

why do you want to change? alot of the synthetic oil out there isnt even 100% synthetic anymore

[2K2 HAWK]

Two reasons: 1) It's better for the engine (urban legend?) and 2) So I only have to change the oil once a year... I drive approx 2,00 miles per year and don't want to worry about the oil breaking down after 3 months and 1,000 miles. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a mole-hill... My Grandfather told me since I was a little boy, "Changing the oil is the most important thing you can do for your car. It's the secret to making your car last forever!"

[nhraformula]

Two reasons: 1) It's better for the engine (urban legend?) and 2) So I only have to change the oil once a year... I drive approx 2,00 miles per year and don't want to worry about the oil breaking down after 3 months and 1,000 miles. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a mole-hill... My Grandfather told me since I was a little boy, "Changing the oil is the most important thing you can do for your car. It's the secret to making your car last forever!"

i change my oil once a year also because i only drive 3k or so per year.
i use good old conventional oil and all is fine.

[Sarge]

Todays SM rated conventionals are as good as synthetics for 3-5 thousand mile Oil Change Intervals firstly. The only advantages of running a synthetic today for those OCI's would be heat tolerance above 300f and cold starting pumpability....and that is fractional at best....Secondly...you can change to synthetics anytime you wish...day one or 100,000 miles...doesnt matter.....that urban myth comes from in the early days of synthetics...they cleaned seals and gaskets causing leaks that had been prviously plugged by sludge and crap.....that scenario doesnt exist today.....I would rethink Royal Purple as they have been delivering some world class shit results lately for Used Oil Analysis.....

[SLP_WS6]

One thing to be cautious about is the oil filter. Yes, a synthetic will not have as much heat breakdown, and will maintain it original properties much longer than conventional oil, but the filter would be a weak point if you only plan on changing the oil once a year. I would recommend changing your filter at least every 6 months to be safe!

My favorite oil for the cost/benefit factor is Mobile One. Yes, there are some more expensive, marginally better ones out there but it's not worth the expense.

[rbob93]

My favorite oil for the cost/benefit factor is Mobile One. Yes, there are some more expensive, marginally better ones out there but it's not worth the expense.

Pennzoil Platinum kicks Mobil One's ass in cost & performance

[Sarge]

For sure ^^^^^

[Blackout01]

I also use Mobil1

[Anthracis]

+1 Pennzoil Platinum

[Bandit1]

sarge what type of oil and what brand do u recommend?

[Sarge]

Right now ( as formulations change with the wind these days) Pennzoil Platinum 10-30 is about the best oil out there.....

[Jays00ss]

mobil 1 or royal purple with a mobil 1 filter (twice the filtering area as a fram)

[Mr. Luos]

Delco filter.
Pennzoil Platinum 10w-30. At least once the VP runs out.


No more wasting money on Mobil 1. Good oil...just not $6 a quart good.

[MegaMan]

Todays SM rated conventionals are as good as synthetics for 3-5 thousand mile Oil Change Intervals firstly. The only advantages of running a synthetic today for those OCI's would be heat tolerance above 300f and cold starting pumpability....and that is fractional at best....Secondly...you can change to synthetics anytime you wish...day one or 100,000 miles...doesnt matter.....that urban myth comes from in the early days of synthetics...they cleaned seals and gaskets causing leaks that had been prviously plugged by sludge and crap.....that scenario doesnt exist today.....I would rethink Royal Purple as they have been delivering some world class shit results lately for Used Oil Analysis.....

Interesting. Are you saying that a good conventional oil, changed at the proper intervals, will be just as "healthy" for a car as a good full synthetic?

[Stricken1]

Pennzoil Platinum kicks Mobil One's ass in cost & performance

Yeah thats what I heard until I used PP last time...let me tell you the crap came outta my car like black syrup.....M1 has never ever looked that bad. I change my oil every 3k using syn oil I will never use PP again! Oh and I work for Pennzoil if that aint a statement I dont know what is.

[suede]

I talked to the mechanic who works on every kind of car about oils one day and the synthetic came up. His take on it was synthetics are better for the change interval and better viscosity. He also said the one he recomended was mobil one and his least recomended was penzoil. I trust his word, he rebuilds engines for the local racecars and for anyone else too and has seen the results of each

[alkaydenz-28]

i use kn oil filter and mobile 1 full synthetic, but, i dont think there is a "best" oil out there. you can use the most piece of crap of oil out there (not unless your racing), as long as you check / change your oil regularly. i always check my oil every gas fill. if it dont look right to me, even if i just changed my oil 100 mile ago, i would go ahead and change it. and also, like the other members are saying, changing your filter is as important as changing your oil.

[SSTODD]

Yeah thats what I heard until I used PP last time...let me tell you the crap came outta my car like black syrup.....M1 has never ever looked that bad. I change my oil every 3k using syn oil I will never use PP again! Oh and I work for Pennzoil if that aint a statement I dont know what is.

I think that means the oil is working, you do not want it to come out clean looking like it went in.

[Mr. Luos]

I think that means the oil is working, you do not want it to come out clean looking like it went in.

After even just 1,000 miles...my oil better be dirty. Or I am switching oils.