Is Synthetic Oil Worth the Extra Cost?

You get asked at every oil change: Synthetic or conventional? According to Consumer Reports, there is a 70 percent chance you answered “Conventional”. Then, part of your brain wonders if you should have given the other answer. You may know little more about synthetic motor oil beyond it costs more, and by definition, it is manufactured motor oil. Can the manufactured be better than the real thing? Let Cowboy Kia give you the facts.

Both conventional or mineral oil and most synthetic motor oil have their beginnings as crude oil. But where mineral oil is created in a refinery through separation, conversion, and treatment. Synthetic oil comes out of a lab where it has been broken down to the molecular level and then rebuilt as a completely man-made lubricant that consists of artificially made chemical compounds. There are several different kinds of synthetic oils, but motor oils belong to a group known as polyalphaolefins (PAOs). All further references to “synthetic oil” in this article refer to PAOs. 

Under a strong microscope, mineral oil displays molecules with different shapes, sizes, and structures. In contrast, synthetic oil shows molecules of nearly identical size and structure. One looks like a pile of rocks, and the other a neat stack of golf balls.

Synthetic Oil Advantages

Although synthetic oil was first primarily for high-performance racing vehicles and jet engines, over the past few decades has found application in more mainstream engines, particularly with the widespread availability of turbocharged engines. A highly respected study comparing synthetic and mineral oil conducted by the American Automobile Association has become the gold-standard reference for the mineral vs synthetic debate, and their conclusions did not mince words: :

“Oil protects critical engine components from damage and AAA found that synthetic engine oils performed an average of 47 percent better than conventional oils in a variety of industry-standard tests,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “With its superior resistance to deterioration, AAA’s findings indicate that synthetic oil is particularly beneficial to newer vehicles with turbo-charged engines and for vehicles that frequently drive in stop-and-go traffic, tow heavy loads or operate in extreme hot or cold conditions.” Here are some of the specific synthetic oil advantages:

• Greater Engine Protection
  Both high heat and heat over time will cause mineral oil to break down, which is the prime reason for changing it regularly. Fully synthetic oils maintain their integrity in far higher levels of heat and for a significantly longer period of time, thus will more effectively protect your engine in harsh or high-load conditions and for a longer duration.
• Cleaner Engine
  All mineral oil contains impurities, which over time, form deposits. Debris pickup by the oil clings to these deposits to the point they form a sludge which reduces the oil’s lubricating and cooling effectiveness.. Synthetic oil contains almost no impurities and thus practically eliminates sludge formation. Synthetic oil is also designed to combine with a greater amount of additives that have specific engine-cleaning properties.
• More Stable Viscosity
  Mineral oil is very temperature sensitive, thinning in the heat and thickening in the cold. Synthetic oils maintain their viscosity significantly better than mineral oil as temperatures rise and fall. Thus, it protects your engine more constantly despite changes in ambient and engine temperature. 
• Longer Lasting
  With greater resistance to temperature changes and a tendency to say clean, synthetic oil simply maintains its integrity longer than mineral oil. If you change oil promptly every 3000 miles, the difference is likely negligible. But if you are more likely to wait until 10,000 miles, which is at the upper end of Kia’s recommendation, synthetics will be performing more effectively at the end of the period. Some synthetic brands tout change intervals as long as 15,000 to 25,000 miles. But Kia still recommends oil changes every 7,500 to 10,000 miles. It is important to have a high-quality oil filter if you wish to extend your miles between changes.
• Turbocharger Protection
  Turbochargers are powered by the flow of hot exhaust, so they and related components become very heated, which brings a challenge to the oil trying to cool and lubricate the moving parts. Being more heat resistant, synthetic oil is more effective in protecting turbocharged engines.

  Synthetic Oil Disadvantages

  • Higher Cost
    Synthetic oil can cost twice as much as conventional oil. Even with longer durations between oil changes, the overall cost will be higher. 

  An important myth to dispel is the idea that once you have synthetic oil in your engine, you never go back to mineral oil. This is indeed a complete myth, and it is perfectly safe to switch between or mix synthetic and conventional oil at any time. In fact, 70% of new cars leave the dealership with synthetic oil in them. Also, mineral / synthetic blends are available, which bridge the gap in increased effectiveness and higher cost.

  The single-word answer as to whether synthetic oil is better for your engine is:” Yes”. The single-phrase answer is: “Yes, but it will cost more”. Many of the advantages of synthetic oil are in helping your engine last longer. If you plan to keep the car for a long time, possibly passing it down through the family, synthetic oil would be a good first step in that goal. If you don’t plan on keeping your car for 4-5 years, it may not be worth it to you, though it would be something to point to on your maintenance records at resale. If you still have questions regarding synthetic oil, our Cowboy Kia service professionals are here to help.