Synthetic vs. Conventional Oil

Drivers in the Freehold, Englishtown and Manalapan area know that regular oil changes are a common and necessary automotive service that helps their car perform at its best. However, there are different types of oil that can go into your car. Synthetic Oil and Conventional Oil are often dissected to determine their value in terms of vehicular performance, so we're going to take a look and see what each one offers to you and your car.

What Does Motor Oil Do?

Oil is necessary to a well-performing vehicle. Oil acts as a lubricant for the moving metal parts underneath your hood. Because these parts rub up against each other, the best way to reduce their friction is with motor oil. Not only does motor oil help keep these parts lubricated, it can also help disperse the heat that's caused by the parts. When oil is nearing its end, it becomes black and sludgy. In this state, it's not as effective as new oil, but, depending on which oil you use, some oil changes might not be that frequent.

Synthetic Motor Oil

Synthetic motor oil is distilled and purified. It's broken down into basic molecules to remove impurities and allow for better performance with modern engines. It's specifically engineered to perform in both high and low temperatures, which goes a long way in protecting the engine. Synthetic oil also features more cleaning properties which help keep your engine clean.

Synthetic oil also lasts longer than conventional oil, given its chemical makeup that is specifically tailored to go above and beyond the traditional standards or motor oil. This oil is also the best choice for people that wind up in stop and go traffic or short driving durations. Overall, synthetic oil is on the pricier side, but that's not a bad thing because changing it out isn't as frequent, so you'll end up saving money and spending less time in the customer lounge.

Conventional Motor Oil

Conventional oil is made from refined crude oil with a little bit of additives to help increase its resistance to heat and breakdowns. These additives also help even out the viscosity. The major advantage that conventional motor oil holds over synthetic oil is the price. Conventional oil is a lot cheaper than synthetic, but conventional oil also needs to be replaced more frequently. Over time, you may actually save money using the more expensive oil.

Synthetic Oil vs. Conventional Oil- Outcome

Conventional oil, although effective, lags in comparison to synthetic oil. It lasts about 1/3 as long as synthetic oil and it doesn't perform as well under varying heat. Synthetic oil is a versatile substance that helps keep your engine cleaner and it also helps protect engines better, specifically turbochargers.

Not sure about switching to synthetic oil? Talk to one of our technicians at Freehold Subaru. They'll gladly help drivers in the Freehold, Englishtown and Manalapan make the right decision when it comes to their car's well-being.

Learn more about motor oil here.