1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
I doubt there's a huge difference for everyday drivers, but sisnce you want to keep your car for a while, it's probably worth the extra investment to use synthetic. I've been using synthetic (Mobil 1) in my C900 since 30,000 miles, and the turbo is still strong after 12 years.
There is some good debate about using synthetic oil during the break-in period, however. Some have used synthetic since day one, and report no problems; others argue that synmthetic prevents the engine from breaking-in properly. This is how it was explained to me: a freshly machined engine's surfaces contain millions of tiny peaks and valleys from the machining process. For the engine to work best, those peaks need to be worn or shaved off cleanly to provide a smooth surface. It's argued that synthetic oil is slippery enough to prevent this from occuring, so, over time, the tips of those peaks will roll over instead of being shaved off, leaving a bumpy surface. Supposedly, this will prevent the rings from seating properly, and will cause the engine to burn oil, get worse fuel economy, loose power, etc, etc., etc. Make sense?
On the other hand, many cars come new with synthetic installed. I've been told these engines have been through a magical machining process that provides a microscopically smooth surface straight from the factory.
Believe what you want. For me, I think an engine needs to get some good wear before it runs efficiently, anyway. Saab agrees. Dino oil should allow the engine to reach that point sooner. I'm going to keep a close eye on my new Viggen (mileage, power, oil consumption, etc.) and will switch to synthetic when, well, whenever I feel like it - probably in the 5,000-10,000 mile range..
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