Foo - oil...part II

So, who here uses synthetic oil in their car? You know, to conserve dinosaur oil...

And if you dont, why not?

From the start, this isnt a YOU SHOULDNT BE DRIVING A CAR thread....its a synthetic oil thread.....keep the content relative to the topic....

I do....the warranties void if I dont, thats irrelevant though....in my previous car I used it as well.

Hi,
1) A lot of scientists don't think oil comes from dinosaurs now.
2)Synthetic oil (which I use) is a petroleum product. Motor Oil has a wide range of viscosities. Synthetic is treated so there is only the viscosity it is rated to be. It is also treated to stay that way. It's best to think of it as a high quality oil; rather than something different.
3)having said that, I use it in my cars. I typically buy a car at 100,000 miles and drive it until I get up to 200,000 miles.
4) When sythetic oil ges bad, it goes real bad fast. I change oil 4 times a year. Once a season.

What about the re-cycled oil ? It seems ok ,sadly here its the same price as the new ! it should be subsidised as it saves foreign currency, conserves a re-source & stops the dumping of old oil .

late, I suppose I should have called it 'conventional' oil versus dinasaur oil.

greywolf, while re-cycled is nice because your re-using previously used oil I dont think it has anywhere near the pretection properties as a good quality 'new' oil.

While synthetics do originate from the ground they last considerably longer therefore less product is used.

As an example the manufacturer of my car recommends 10K mile oil changes because of synthetic useage. Over 100k miles thats 70 quarts versus 210 quarts if I followed the propoganda 3K mile change interval for conventional oil.

If your paying someone to change it, like I do the cost difference is negligable.

70 quarts@$4.50=$315 + $20per change X 10=$200 for a total of $515 over 100K miles

IF you use conventional oil its 210quartsX$1 per quart = $210 pls 33changesX20 per change= $660 for a total of $870 over 100k miles.

Throw in 23 extra filters @ $4 and thers a difference of $450 over 100K miles.

Obviously if you change it yourself or bring it to a discount oil change buisness the numbers can change significantly.

So, who here uses synthetic oil in their car?
And if you dont, why not?

From the start, this isnt a YOU SHOULDNT BE DRIVING A CAR thread


This isn't a you shouldn't be driving a car answere. I do wonder what the choice of motor oils one uses in their Society-destruction Machines has to do with bicycle advocacy, however. Is it the posibility that oil type might make a significant difference in the huge amount of pollution that cars produce?

So, who here uses synthetic oil in their car? You know, to conserve dinosaur oil...
And if you dont, why not?

I think that people who use synthetics do so not so much to "conserve dinosaur oil" as to improve the life of their car's engine.

Synthetic oils today provide better lubrication, cooler engine temperatures, less wear and a cleaner engine. Mineral oil has corrosive acids, paraffins, other waxes, and heavy metals, as well as countless compounds of sulfur, chlorine, and nitrogen, that remain in the finished product which causes sludge and carbon build up in the engine. No amount of processing of mineral oils will eliminate these elements entirely.

Mineral oil is essential to initial engine break-in, especially in high performance and high revving engines, as the increased friction allows the rings and bearings to seat properly.

I would use synthetic oil after the engine has been broken-in.

We would all be better served if we just bought cars that got one mile per gallon more.

For the average driver that will save about 400 quarts of dino-oil a year.

Using a K&N air filter can do the same thing, not to mention keeping your car tuned up, tires inflated to proper pressure and a host of other things.

Mineral oil is essential to initial engine break-in, especially in high performance and high revving engines, as the increased friction allows the rings and bearings to seat properly.

In the past the above was true. With todays higher tolerances many high performance cars come with synthetics spec'd from the factory, as did mine.

ehenz, I agree with you statements....I use a K&N as well as low restriction exhaust....

icerats quote:
in their Society-destruction Machines has to do with bicycle

I believe that makes this is a you shouldnt be driving a car thread.

Where did this thread come from? Well the other oil thread went on forever and I really didnt its relevance to the advocacy of cycling....

If oil production has 'peaked' it can be conserved by using less of whats there (synthetics)...theres tie in.

If we stop using transportation that needs oil how are we going to get out handmade Italian bikes to the U.S.? Row?

In regards to peaking, everyone switching to synthetic motor oil has no impact. Also as others have said, synthetic motor oil uses regular crude as the base stock so the issue is mute.

That said, nothing but Mobil1 in my cars! I need to keep my society destruction machines on the road as long as possible because I never want to buy another one.

Whats a K&N air filter? A brand? What makes it better than any other air filter?

Whats a K&N air filter? A brand? What makes it better than any other air filter?

It is a Brand Name. They run about 50 bucks and last forever (cheaper over time). They allow more air to flow and catches more dirt. They will increase your horse power too.

Yes it's a brand. It's reusable, instead of throwing it out when it gets dirty you clean and re-oil it. I think the performance gains are negligable. Also note that if you are not religions with cleaning and oiling them sever engine wear can result. I'll stick with OE filters for my cars.

I can afford not to care of this oil issue. I sold my car and carfree now.

It is not the solution for everyone, as not in every place there is more or less reliable public transportation.

Still I believe that this should belong to the professionals, to the professional drivers. I mean dealing with engine, oil change, accidents, etc. is better done by the professionals.

So I can not advise on which oil is better. But since both, mineral and synthetic, are made from the good old crude earth oil, it seems to me that the word "synthetic" is more like the shrewd marketing name. It was not synthesized from, say, air, or carbon and hydrogen. It is still the good old natural carbohydrate.

Around here 'oil change' professionals are zit-faced highschool kids. I'll do it myself thank you very much. :D

How is this a bicycle topic?

How is this a bicycle topic?

I agree!.
Ar`nt there motoring forums for this kind of debate? :(

I agree!.
Ar`nt there motoring forums for this kind of debate? :(

There is Foo.

How is this a bicycle topic?

Off-Topic chit chat with no general subject.

Off-Topic chit chat with no general subject.

In defence of Raiyn, I should point out that this had originally been posted in the Advocacy and Safety area prior to being moved into Foo.