If you own a car, you understand how critical it is to keep your vehicle in good working order. Regular oil changes are one way to ensure your car’s overall health. However, when it comes to automotive lubricants, one question comes to mind, “what’s the difference between synthetic and regular oil?”
Even though it’s a simple question, its answer is more complicated. Deciding whether to use traditional or synthetic oils isn’t always easy.
But first, let us distinguish between these two automobile lubricants to determine which one can offer the most benefits.
Let’s get started!
Conventional Oil
Mineral oil, usually known as conventional oil, is an automotive lubricant derived from crude oil. Conventional oil helps lubricate your engine by covering the critical parts of your engine that run at high speeds and acting as a barrier against engine wear.
Synthetic Oil
Though somewhat artificial, Synthetic oil is nonetheless oil. It’s made artificially using chemical compounds containing some of the best properties in conventional oil. Synthetic motor oils undergo advanced distilling, refining, and purifying techniques, resulting in a higher quality than mineral oils.
Conventional Oil: Pros And Cons
Now that you have an understanding of conventional and synthetic oil, it’s time to discuss some of its pros and cons:
Pros
The pros of conventional motor oils include:
- It is, by nature, designed to act as a reliable lubricant when used in your car and replaced regularly.
- Conventional oil is up to 3 times less expensive than synthetic oil.
- Because synthetic oil is a relatively new engine technology, most automobiles still use conventional oil.
Cons
The disadvantages of conventional motor oils include:
- Conventional engine oil cannot be broken down to the point where it decomposes away and evaporates like an organic waste. Even when used up, it still leaves a toxic sludge behind.
- Conventional oils offer reduced lubrication at freezing temperatures and increased breakdown in hot conditions.
Synthetic Oil: Pros And Cons
Synthetic oil, like conventional oil, has its benefits and drawbacks. Let’s take a look at them:
Pros
Below are a few advantages of using synthetic oils:
- As synthetic oil lasts longer, it does not need to be replaced as frequently as conventional oil and can help increase your car’s fuel economy
- Synthetic oil has fewer contaminants than conventional oil. It helps prevent engine sludge.
- Synthetic oils are designed to provide better lubrication during cold weather.
Cons
Here are a few disadvantages to using synthetic oil:
- A synthetic motor oil change can be three times more expensive than conventional oil.
- Because synthetic oil is meant to last longer than regular oil, you’ll save more money by changing your oil less frequently.
- If discarded incorrectly, synthetic oils can cause a lot of pollution
Conclusion
When determining whether to use synthetic or conventional oil in your car, pricing, performance, and protecting your vehicle’s components are all key factors to consider.
Whichever oil you choose, make sure to keep an oil change schedule, and you’ll have improved engine performance with adequate lubrication.
Now that you have the pros and cons of conventional and synthetic oils on hand, it’s time to buy quality lubricants like Castrol engine oil from distributors like Central Trading Company. Order today!