Why many cars use synthetic oil
More than a few of us have hit this brick wall — you take your new car to the dealer for its first oil change, but you feel a bit of sticker-shock when you pay the bill because they used full synthetic engine oil. Sometimes, there are clues that prevent these surprises, such as labels in the engine bay or fine-print in the owner’s manual, but most of us miss this.
More and more new vehicles — even mainstream models — use fully synthetic oil. So, what do you do if you don’t want to pay the premium price?
CONSIDER THE WA R R A N T Y
If the engine is labelled for synthetic and it’s listed as such in the owner’s manual, moving to conventional oil may risk your coverage for a major engine failure. Carmakers can, and often do, demand proof of maintenance according to their recommendations, especially when faced with covering a major engine fault. If those records don’t detail synthetic oil usage when required, warranty coverage may be denied.
WHY SYNTHETIC OIL?
Why is synthetic oil recommended by automakers? No, it’s it’s not to boost profits. New engine designs often entail lighter weight construction, not just in the engine, but in other components as well. Often oil lubricates things such as variable valve-timing systems and cylinder-deactivation controls, and lighter weight synthetic oil helps reduce the risk of sludge buildup, especially during high-temperature operations.
In addition, automakers moved to lighter-weight oils to improve fuel economy. It’s unlikely an individual owner would see any difference in monthly fuel bills because of this, but measured over an entire production fleet, it can help achieve government-mandated fuel-economy standards.
COMPARE THE COST
Almost all carmakers have extended their oil-change intervals when synthetic oil is recommended, so those higher costs actually come down over the long run. And as with any consumer good or service, it pays to shop around — repair facilities that purchase their synthetics in bulk can offer substantially lower costs, compared to bottled products. And as all individual oil bottles are made of plastic, buying from a bulk tank makes more environmental sense.
Retail prices will vary, but on average, bulk synthetics can be around 30 per cent less expensive. Synthetic oils can contribute to engine longevity, and because we are keeping our vehicles for the better part of a decade, any steps taken to improve reliability will certainly pay off.