Synthetic Oil v. Conventional Oil

When you change your motor oil, whether at Jiffy Lube or in your garage, you have a choice between synthetic oil and conventional oil. Do you know the difference? What blend is better for your vehicle? Does it really matter? Continue reading to find out!

 

Conventional oil is made directly from crude oil. It provides excellent lubrication at high temperatures and remains stable for long periods of time. It does an excellent job protecting the moving parts in your engine.

Synthetic oil, on the other hand, starts as conventional oil and is modified to improve performance, both in lubrication and protective properties. There are different blends of synthetic oil, but they generally all have the following advantages over conventional motor oil.

• Improved Lubrication: better lubrication reduces the wear and tear of your engine.
• Better Stability: synthetic oil maintains its viscosity better at higher temperatures and over longer periods of time.
• Reduced Breakdown: synthetic oil lasts longer. Go longer between oil changes.
• Fewer Deposits: synthetic oil doesn’t break down as much as conventional oil, which decreases “sludge” deposits from broken down oil.

Synthetic oil is made to perform better, in all aspects. But, it is also more expensive. Unless you have a high performance engine, then synthetic oil is not necessary. Conventional oil does a perfectly good job of protecting your engine. If you want to increase the performance of your oil, which may also lead to improved engine performance and higher MPGs, then consider switching to conventional oil.

Bay Area Jiffy Lube is here for all your oil needs. When you get our Signature Service Oil Change, you can choose between conventional oil, semi-synthetic oil, and synthetic oil. The choice is yours!

Photo Credit: "Dan MacMedan, USA Today"