Who's using synthetic oil in their vehicles?

[MCChris]

How long are you going between oil changes?

[Jimbilly]

I admit to being one of those who complerely wrings out their cars. I apply what would be my car payment towards my home equity. I have more fun watching what I owe on my house get smaller than driving a newer car. My Scirocco is paying off my house.

[blackfbiv]

How do you drive the same car for that long?!? I get the bug for something else after 20,000 or 30,000 miles.

But then, I only put on about 4000 a year.

Some people get off on squeezing every last drop out of their cars.

I don't understand those people.

As soon as the 'new' smell fades, I get an itchy wallet...

[LordOfTheThighs]

I change the full synthetic in my '07 Mustang GT around every 7000 - 8000 miles. Some ppl think that since

they are using synthetic that it will last 10 of thousands of miles. Well technically it will. Synthetic doesn't break

down like au'natural oil does. But the oil gets "dirty", and the oil circulates all that crud back thru the engine.

The oil filter will need to be changed long before the oil does. So when the filter is saturated with junk, the

oil is just staying dirty, and the particulates of crap will wear your moving parts. (So says my retired diesel mechanic daddy )

[sirDaniel]

I thought Hamers were for working stiffs. Audi, porche, Caddys. WTF.

My minivan gets whatever my guy puts in it whenever i get around to it. I just write the check.

[sirDaniel]

I figure I can buy a lot of gear for what one of those hoity-toity cars depreciated in one year. I can accept a few door dings too (and give some)

[hamerhead]

I can accept a few door dings too (and give some)

So you're the son-of-a b......... That's why I got the Subaru. It takes the day-to-day pounding with minimal maintenance. And for those special times when the giant SUVs park too damn close.

My Mustang gets pampered, though.

[Armitage]

While synthetic oil is clearly a better product... has anyone ever had an oil related engine problem with regular maintanence?

[hamerhead]

To have an oil-related issue, you'd have to run the thing out of oil (plug falls out) or never - ever - change it. It's surprizing how long they'll go on little oil.

One of my first beaters leaked so bad I ran drain oil (oil drained from other cars during oil changes) for about a year, and I flogged that thing mercilessly every day. I actually tried one day to blow it up. It didn't.

As long as it's clean, you should never have a problem. Synthetics might last 3 times longer, but you'll collect 3 times the sh!t if you don't change the filter.

[Armitage]

I just think it's funny, I work in robotics, in the auto-aerospace field and this comes up often. "Does anyone know anyone who has had an oil related engine problem?"

I was in "The Glass Castle" in the '90s, Ford Head Quarters, and I bitched about getting a letter saying it was time to change my oil, at 5000km when my owners manual said 8000km... After getting a sob story "we can't keep track of all the different engines in all our cars" etc which I then pointed out, the card had my cars serial number on it so you do know, I was told "either way, under warranty, do what the manual says or it's a way out for us for warranty work, but after that, the oil is probably good for two to three times that. Engine tolerance is so good now, we don't have all that expanding iron etc, and they're so clean burning you don't get the carbon etc polluting it". They're even better now.

And wasn't California making a legal stink that the recommended oil change on many cars at 7500 MILES was still way to often?

A 2012 Ford Fusion owners manual recommends oil changes at 10,000 miles under regular driving, some cars recommend 15,000+ miles. And while many people argue no one drives under "regular conditions" we actually drive under "severe"... when you send your oil out to be tested (it costs about $20, it's worth doing once for the education) it still has plenty of life left.

Personally, I just follow the manual... car engines far outlast car bodies and other expensive wear parts. And I've never kept a car for 300,000 miles, let alone worried the engine was like new at 300,000 miles. The money would be wiser spent getting the car detailed every year IMHO.

[edgar_allan_poe]

Bill, while I agree with you, I think the bigger point is that doing an oil chance (for most people) is such an inexpensive proceedure that it just isn't worth it to *not* go the extra mile. I am aware of how long the oil will last but it just seems prudent for me to spend 30 minutes a year and $60 to change the oil in my car myself. When I do it, again, it doesn't make sense to save $20 and do it with dino oil. Anyone can get a 5qt jug of Mobile1 at Walmart for about $25 and spend the money for a good filter ($10). I normally use 7.5 qts and get either a Mobile1 filter or a Royal Purple filter.

As stated earlier, I also use Royal Purple oil...I know it is extreme overkill, but it really isn't an expense that breaks the bank.

[Armitage]

I think from what I've been reading more, following the manual is already going the extra mile, by a long shot.

I'm actually sitting in a Ford plant right now and am waiting for one of the guys to stop by and chat, I'll post what he says.

[edgar_allan_poe]

Well...it also make me feel like more of a man if I get under the car once a year and do the maintenence myself!! LOL!!!!

[hamerhead]

Poe, we already know you're a man.

...except for that one time when you got beat up by a girl...........

[edgar_allan_poe]

...except for that one time when you got beat up by a girl...........

ROTFL!!!!! Now you see why I 8Need* to get under the car.

[Armitage]

Well I asked a bunch of V.O. Engineers... none of them use synthetic though they all agree it's a much better oil, but said the engine will far out last the rest of the car with regular oil changes. They pointed out that the first things to go bad for people who keep cars a very long time, beside regular wear parts, are the rubber and plastics, and to get some silicone and do the rubber door seals and boots and hoses, and that will greatly affect how long you can keep a clean regularly maintained car on the road. They said the mileage quotes for oil changes was a hold back from the '60s, engines and oils were very different then, as well as a buffer in the number because a lot of people simply never did it on time... and no one wanted to loose the oil change income... so no one changed the mileage. Lately the government has gotten into looking into it for oil waste reasons and the numbers have been going up the last few years. It was also pointed out some oils that claim a certain mileage in North America is also sold in Europe, same formula, with three times the mileage rating.

I asked two mechanics (Class A, with their Inter Provincial and Truck and Coach licenses) now working in the Ford warranty repair about what they use... and they use regular oil, and they said the same thing. The one has an old car with 400,000 miles on it. But... he said "If you're the kind of dumb-ass who regularly runs your car down a couple quarts of oil, you better have synthetic... but it still leaves you with the bigger problem of being a dumb-ass."

So like I said, I'd still recommend just following the manual, it's more then plenty, and if you want to do it more often or use synthetic, feel free it won't hurt... Do it because it makes you feel you're doing your best... but it won't make a difference throughout the regular life of a car.

[JohnnyB]

I thought Hamers were for working stiffs. Audi, porche, Caddys. WTF.

Uh, no. Squiers, MIM Fenders, Ibanez, and Epiphones are for common working stiffs. Hamers are equivalent to Audi, Porsche, BMW, Caddie. Used USA Hamers are affordable by knowledgeable working stiffs who don't need a celebrity endorsement to validate the name on the headstock. People attracted to Hamer USA recognize how better materials, design, and closer tolerances translate into better performance, just like what you get in cars.

A perfect parallel is HHB's BMW 750iL (or was it a 740iL?). Very expensive when new but still a rockin' sports sedan put together like a fine watch 16 years later.

And for the OP: I use Mobil 1 in our 2002 Lincoln Town Car. So far I've gone a year since the oil change. I intend to change it soon.

[Jimbilly]

The new Costco coupon book shows $10 off a 6 pack of M1 starting June 14th, I think reg price is $36 for a 6 pack? Limit three 6 packs.

[kizanski]

The new Costco coupon book shows $10 off a 6 pack of M1 starting June 14th, I think reg price is $36 for a 6 pack? Limit three 6 packs.

Great price!

[JohnnyB]

...except for that one time when you got beat up by a girl...........

ROTFL!!!!! Now you see why I Need to get under the car.

Yes. To hide from angry girls.