Synthetic oil and follow-up oil changes?

[sligoNoSPAMjoe]

Jiffy Lube must be planing on raising the price of synthetic oils soon.

That old story was a little bit true back when it first came out. There were some non-compatable addative packages. That problem is long gone.

I would recommend avoiding those quick lube places like the plague. They all give the staff too little time to do the job right (often the job is not done right) and they have a very bad habbit of selling services that are not needed. The business model dictates that kind of business. They could not make a profit otherwise.

[willshak]

on 9/1/2009 4:10 PM (ET) [e-mail] wrote the following:

I haven't had any bad experiences with my local Jiffy Lube. The mechanic has come out with the air filter and told me that the filter was not that bad and they didn't think it needed replacement. It is a lot cheaper than the local non-Jiffy Lube service stations.

[trader4]

And I would disagree. What makes the one specific oil that the previous owner happened to choose so special? What if he said he used several brands, would you walk away from buying the car because it's gonna blow up soon?

With almost all modern cars, the manufacturer lists many oils of differing viscosity and brands that may be used. At any oil change, you could use any one of them. All oils are tested extensively in actual engines to meet API standards, which are most important and listed on the container. Individual auto manufacturers may have their own specs, which exceed the API ones. But still there are usually many oils, multiple brands that will meet those specs. I'd be suspicious that auto companies that say you can only use Brand X are doing it not because the engine won't last just as long, but because they have some deal with that oil company, eg they get a discount on their purchases by exclusively recommending only that brand.

[clare]

Just my take - but if a vehicle has had the same premium oil used for every oil change, chances are pretty good the owner has been pretty "anal" about maintenance as a whole - ie . you are likely buying something that's been looked after.

If it's had the "flavor of the week" for oil, chances are pretty good the owner was a chiseler who cut corners wherever he could maintenance-wise.

[windcrest]

I have to apologize. I shoudn't have called it Jiffy Lube, that name is becoming like "Xerox" when you go to make a copy "Xerox this please". The outfit I went to is a local shop (Fullers) not a chain, they also give a free car wash with every oil change (interior detail and exterior and vacuum and windows/wheels included). They are good people but apparently are doing a little customer manipulation on their Syntec contract.

My bad for calling it Jiffy Lube, thats just what I tend to call all oil change places.

With the free car wash and $29 for the oil change, I'm coming out ahead over doing both jobs on my own time.

[Tony]

I got over 200,000 on my van using walmart brand cheap oil and it still ran great when I traded it in. There are "chiselers" and there are "suckers" when buying motor oil.

I buy the cheap stuff just so it complies with the factory warranty. Others buy the brand name advertised stuff and pay for their advertising. I choose not to pay for their advertising.

As far as not using the same brand oil all the time, or synthetic all the time... that is simply the dumbest thing I ever heard! The only time that holds true is in older motors that had been run on non detergent oil then changing to HD, high detergent oil.

[George]

And there are folks who understand a statistical sample size of one isn't much to hang your hat on.

[Ed Pawlowski]

You can increase the sample size. I know of a half dozen engines that hit the 200k mark (one that is at 325k) with dino oil. Synthetic oil is a better product, but today's regular oil is quite sufficient for 99% of drivers. Even "cheap oil" that meets the specifications is damned good, far better than the stuff we had in the 60's.

[clare]

Hey, I know guys that have gotten 200,000 and never changed the oil Doesn't mean it's right, or smart. Does mean they are cheap buggers.

Good engine oil, changed often enough, is the cheapest engine insurance you can buy. Oil is the lifeblood of an engine. It cools, lubticates, and cleans the engine.

I don't buy the most expensive I can buy either, but I don't buy the cheapest I can get.

My PT Cruizer was on a synthetic diet when I bought it at 100,000km, and I change it 3 times a year. My Mystique has been on a conventional oil diet all it's life, and it gets changed 4 times a year.

My 88 New Yorker was on a conventional oil diet, changed 4 times a year 'till I sold it with 240,000 on it at 18 years of age - still passing E-test and using no oil (heads had been rebuilt due to Mitsubishi 3 liter guide problems)

Synth change, with filter on the PT is Canadian $42 including taxes, so I'm not paying through the nose.

[clare]

Biggest change is no more Phosphorous scavengers in fuel to handle the lead - whick means no more Phosphoric acid in the oil. Unleaded fuel was the biggest step forward in vehicle longevity in the last 50 years.

That said, yes, oil has improved. But it has also in some ways deteriorated. In any lightweight oil there is no zinc anti-wear additives any more. Still there, apparently, in 20W50 and in racing oil etc. Not in 5w20, 5w30, 10,w30 or 10w40 standard SJ or better oils. Neigbour's Chevy pickup went 700,000km without being opened up at all

- not even a valve cover removed - on dyno oil. All highway miles - mostly 100km at a time.

Highly stressed wrung out 2.4 and 2.5 liter engines demand more of their oil than 5.7 liter low reving V8s.

[Van Chocstraw]

It's the same with generic drugs which are chemically identical to the big name brand drugs, just cheaper. Suckers think higher price is better quality all the time.