What is Synthetic Oil and How Often Should I Change It

by Garrett User - Posted 2 years ago

Some may say that the engine is the most important part of your vehicle, but the truth is, it isn’t the engine itself, but what runs through it that is the most important part of your vehicle. Engine oil is the most important part of your vehicle, as it protects vital components of your engine that keep your car running right. Through short trips, weekend joy rides, and long cruises, the oil in your engine heats up and cools off multiple times, and must not degrade during this process as that could cause engine wear and tear, and eventual failure. 


To keep engine oil from degrading quickly, oil manufacturers turned to synthetic oil blends which degrade at a slower rate and even provide improved protection to the engine. Synthetic oil is far more refined than traditional oil, resulting in less engine friction, reduced sludge buildup, and even better engine performance. 


If you’re located in Charlotte or the surrounding areas and wondering when you should change your oil, you’ll want to read the rest of this blog!

What is Synthetic Oil?

Synthetic oil is an artificial lubricant that was designed to reduce friction and wear of internal combustion engines, as well as replace traditional motor oil. Developed from chemically modified petroleum instead of crude oil, synthetic oil provides better performance by reducing friction and wear of your engine, far better than a traditional motor oil can. Synthetic oil tends to degrade at a slower rate than traditional motor oil, making it an attractive choice to auto manufacturers attempting to keep their vehicle maintenance costs low. 


One of the best benefits of synthetic oil that often goes overlooked is it’s reduced impact on the environment. With synthetic oil usage on the rise, the world’s reliance on crude oil has decreased, thus reducing the environmental impact that oil has. If you want to reduce your vehicle maintenance costs, wear and tear, and environmental impact, using synthetic oil in your car is the way to go! 

Why Should I Use Synthetic Oil?

The use of synthetic oil isn’t just about reducing your environmental impact or stopping the use of crude oil throughout the world, its best trick is increasing the performance of your engine! Synthetic oil is great to use in your engine, as it can withstand a wider range of temperatures, is more stable, and causes less engine sludge. Using synthetic oil also means your internal engine parts will stay better lubricated, meaning less wear and tear on your engine and better performance too. 


With a longer lifecycle, synthetic oil allows you to stretch the time between changes, as they last anywhere from 7,500 to 15,000 miles. This longer lifecycle means you can save money and not worry about your engine’s performance degrading or being at risk. If you own a newer car with a turbocharged or hybrid engine, using synthetic oil is a must as these engines have higher compression ratios which cause extreme wear and tear.

How Often Should I Change My Oil?

Each vehicle and engine has different requirements for oil change intervals, but its been a general rule of thumb to change your oil every three months or 3,000 miles. These days, however, oil change intervals seem to be growing, with most manufacturers making the switch to synthetic or fully synthetic oil. Since synthetic oil takes far longer to degrade and can withstand higher temperatures, you should be able to stretch out the time you take between oil changes. 


With most synthetic oil manufacturers claiming to get tens of thousands of miles between each oil change, it’s easy to get confused about when you should be swapping out your oil. The best way to know when to get an oil change is to read your car’s owner’s manual, as it will list all the various service intervals needed to maintain your car properly. If you’re unsure of when to change your oil, simply call up the parts and service experts here at Sign & Drive Auto Group, we’ll be happy to provide you with that information.

Where Can I Get Synthetic Oil?

You can purchase synthetic oil from your local auto supply store, or you could stop in here at Sign & Drive Auto Group as we stock the widest variety of synthetic oils around. Not only will we have the exact synthetic oil and filter you’re looking for in stock, but we’ll have it at the best price as well. 


Is it time to change your oil? Have it changed here at Sign & Drive Auto Group, as we have the best team of expert mechanics and the lowest prices in the Charlotte area. Don’t waste your precious weekend beneath your vehicle, let our certified mechanics here at Sign & Drive Auto Group Service Center, located in Charlotte, NC.