Is Synthetic Oil Worth The Cost?

Is synthetic oil worth the cost? The answer depends on a number of factors. Many are common sense issues, but the ultimate answer might surprise you.

Synthetic oil has been around since the 1970s. This is one product the name accurately portrays. It is a combination of chemicals created in a laboratory that take the basic benefits of mineral oil [what your grandfather used] and improve on them. The question now being asked is how much better is this synthetic oil and is it worth the cost? Synthetic oil costs two to three times what a quart of traditional oil will run.

Worth It?

Mobil released the first synthetic oil in the 1970s. The company touted it as being so good that you could go between 20,000 and 25,000 miles without changing it. After watching it in the real world, the company backed off this claim. Why? It quickly became apparent that there were a host of factors that needed to be considered when determining if the oil would last a particular number of miles. They included everything from the driving conditions to the type of engine to the temperatures in the area.

Synthetic oil was definitely worth the extra cost in the 1970s and 80s. It was simply superior to regular oil. It provided better lubrication and lasted longer. Then we hit the 1990s and a strange thing happened. The oil companies started improving the non-synthetic oil products they put out. In fact, the improvements have been so significant that many do not feel synthetic oil is worth the cost now.

Consumer Reports did a famous study comparing synthetic oil to regular oil. The study was somewhat limited, but clearly showed that there was little benefit to using synthetic oil within the parameters of the study. The study was criticized for failing to test start up wear, certain types of driving and the impact of very cold and hot temperatures on operating performance. These criticisms are valid, but it is also clear the difference between synthetic and regular oil is not nearly what marketing claims would suggest.

So, is synthetic oil worth the cost? The answer is yes and no. If you live in a mild climate and don’t put your car under stress such as driving in rush hour traffic, there is no empirical evidence suggesting it is worth the extra money. If you drive in stop and start conditions or when temperatures are very high or low, then it probably is. Personally, I’ve used Mobile 1 for years and never had any engine problems.

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