| A few years ago, it was difficult to find synthetic | | | | family car, race cars, motorcycles, chain saws, |
| motor oils, and equally difficult to find someone | | | | and diesel trucks. |
| who admitted to using them. Nowadays, | | | | 4. Because of their ability to lubricate better and |
| however, you can find these items on the shelves | | | | last longer, synthetic motor oils help your engine |
| of Wal-Mart, and other retailers, and the number | | | | operate more efficiently and easily, therefore |
| of people turning to synthetic motor oils, | | | | requiring less fuel to accomplish a given amount of |
| particularly in light of the recent events affecting | | | | work. This is money in your pocket, and, since |
| fuel prices, has risen greatly. | | | | the benefits of the oil's effectiveness extend |
| So why do people choose synthetic, or | | | | longer, this is the gift that keeps on giving. |
| man-made, motor oils rather than sticking with | | | | 5. Regular use of synthetic motor oil means lower |
| the old petroleum based stand-bys which are | | | | maintenance costs across the board, not just in |
| admittedly cheaper? | | | | terms of the oil changes themselves. Engines and |
| 1. Let's start with the cost per quart issue. | | | | engine components simply tend to last longer. It |
| Synthetic motor oils ARE more expensive at | | | | has long been known that one of the most |
| purchase. However, these oils last longer, requiring | | | | important acts a car owner could perform to |
| fewer oil changes. As a synthetic motor oil | | | | prolong the life of his or her car while lowering |
| outlasts several changes of petroleum based | | | | overall maintenance costs was to perform regular |
| lubricants, the ultimate out-of-pocket cost of the | | | | oil changes. When a synthetic process motor oil is |
| lubricant is less. This cost savings becomes even | | | | used and changed on a regular schedule, the |
| greater if you have someone else change your oil | | | | synergistic affect of lower lubrication costs, plus |
| for you rather than doing it yourself! | | | | lower fuel costs, plus lower maintenance costs, |
| 2. They also have a higher initial viscosity index | | | | plus longer engine and component life adds up to |
| and less viscosity breakdown as compared to | | | | a tidy amount, not to mention the sales or trade |
| conventional lubricants. They also have more | | | | value of the vehicle that has been kept in this |
| uniformly sized molecules. This means that over | | | | manner. |
| the period of life of the oil, more lubrication, hence | | | | 6. Due to the lack of ingredients such as wax or |
| less heat and more protection is being provided to | | | | paraffin, which may be found in conventional oils, |
| the engine. In other words, longer engine life. | | | | synthetic motor oils begin flowing effectively |
| 3. Petroleum based oils may contain ingredients | | | | throughout the engine much more rapidly in cold |
| not found in synthetic motor oils. These | | | | weather. Again, this results in lower engine wear |
| ingredients often have nothing to do with the | | | | and longer engine life. |
| lubrication of the engine, but exist simply because | | | | 7. Less dependence on foreign oil. If all cars in |
| it is too expensive or too complicated to remove | | | | America switched to synthetic motor oils, gear |
| them. The breakdown of these ingredients can | | | | lubes, and drive train lubricants, billions of gallons of |
| result in sludge and other contamination. This not | | | | oil could be saved every year. |
| only affects the performance of the engine and | | | | So, use of synthetic motor oils can save you |
| its components, but contributes to pollution as | | | | money by making your engine and other |
| well. While petroleum based lubricants are, as the | | | | components last longer, require less maintenance, |
| words imply, "refined" from a "crude" product, | | | | and use less fuel. Repair costs will be reduced, |
| there is a certain level of variability of product as | | | | your vehicle will last longer and perform more |
| well. Man made motor oils, on the other hand, are | | | | effectively. You will be contributing to the |
| engineered to be of consistent quality. Additionally, | | | | environment while reducing America's dependence |
| they can be designed for specific purposes. For | | | | on foreign oil. |
| example, synthetic varieties can be found for the | | | | |