Reply To: Synthetic engine oil is better

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#1307608
Ex-CTLawyer
Participant

If you use synthetic oil make sure to carry a spare quart or two in your trunk.
In 2004 I flew to Nashville to drive back a car I bought for my then college age daughter. The dealer sent it out for an oil change to one of the national chains and they put in full synthetic oil. Unfortunately they put in 5 quarts, not the 7.5 required for this model.
Driving back on the Blue Ridge parkway in a small Virginia town the oil light went on. The only gas/convenience store did not stock synthetic oil. I had to put in 4 quarts of regular 5W30 brand name oil. When I hit the first medium size city with a dealer for that car, I stopped for service. Because I had mixed regular oil and fully synthetic I had to have the entire oil system flushed and a new filter. It was not cheap.

I had the car filled with a synthetic blend per the service manager’s recommendations. We run all of out vehicles on the blend with no performance issues. I know if I get stuck needing oil late at night or in the middle of nowhere I can mix regular oil withouy causing damage or having to flush the system.