Only real advantage of synthetic blend oil is the cost
Dear Car Talk:
Sometime in the 1970s, Mobil One became the first widely available synthetic motor oil. Synthetic oils also have been improved over the years. Then there is what’s called a synthetic blend, which is the material your leisure suit was made out of in 1979, Al. Actually, a blend is exactly what it sounds like: It’s a mix of synthetic oil and conventional oil. And the only real advantage of a synthetic blend is that it’s a little cheaper than a pure synthetic.
In terms of its longevity and its ability to lubricate, conventional oil is the least effective, a blend would be next best, and a synthetic would be best of all. And, in fact, over the past decade in particular, we’ve seen car manufacturers really embrace synthetic oils because, since they help engines last longer, they cut down on warranty costs. And bad Yelp reviews.
And even though synthetic oils are more expensive, since you change them about half as often, we’ve found that it’s pretty close to a wash. So you’ll only pay for half has many oil changes, half as many oil disposal fees, and half as many oil filters. So, technically, there’s no problem with you switching back to a synthetic blend, Al, but there’s no real advantage to it. Unless you really enjoy the coffee and vending machines at your oil-change place.
(c) 2018 by Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.