Oil Change - Synthetic Versus Natural!

When you are servicing your car you want the best, right? Well, when it comes to oil changes, there are many options. Do you go with name brand or generic? This is just one of the options you will be faced with. These days, you might also be asked if you want synthetic or regular. There are pros and cons to both, so decide carefully which one you should choose for your car.

For starters, you're probably asking, "What is the difference between a synthetic and regular oil change?" Well, it all comes down to the type of lubricant you are using. Regular, or natural, is what you would expect: this comes from petroleum products and is processed and manufactured like many other petroleum products. Synthetic, too, is just what you'd think it is. These oils are developed in a lab and are manufactured. Their additives are carefully chosen and strictly controlled. This can be good for your car, and that's because they are specifically designed to be good for your car.

There are other reasons to choose synthetic over natural during an oil change. Naturally occurring additives in petroleum that are not always a desirable additive. Things like hydrocarbon and sulfur often get into the mix, and those don't always agree with your car's engine, especially when it first starts up. They can actually inhibit the flow of lubricants through the engine when it's first started. That means that the moving parts aren't getting lubricated well. Synthetic doesn't have this problem; it lacks those contaminants that might inhibit the flow through the engine. There are also problems that occur at the higher temperatures, such as breakdown and loss of viscosity which can lead to lubrication issues as well.

If you think using synthetic oil instead of regular during an oil change sounds too good to be true, then you're probably right. There are a lot of upsides to having synthetic put in your car, but there is one huge downside: the cost. Synthetic costs a lot more than regular. Why? Because it has to be developed, tested, and manufactured. Natural is just that-- naturally occurring-- which means it's cheaper to refine and process rather than create and synthesize. The cost difference is astounding, actually. Natural oil can cost about $2.75 a bottle, if you're shopping for generic. Synthetic can cost $8.00 or more. That's almost four times the cost for a single bottle of natural. This means, if you do your own servicing, the cost can go from $15 to $40 for five quarts of oil.

Either type will work for an oil change, but in this economy, you might be looking to save a buck and go natural. This is perfectly acceptable and will work well in your car. The thing to remember is that when you go with natural as your choice, you will need to have your car serviced more frequently, about every 3,000 miles. Synthetic options will last you longer, so you won't have to have your car serviced as often.