Using synthetic versus regular oil - the car counselor weighs in
Posted Jul 29, 2010 By Brian Turner
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Tweet ThisEMC Lifestyle - "Brian,
I was wondering what your opinion is of using 'synthetic oil' vs regular oil? We have a 2007 Lincoln and it has been suggested that we change to synthetic, however some say it's not worth the expense of changing."
Thanks for your input
Gerald
It's a matter of financial benefit and personal preferences. First, don't let anyone try to convince you that a switch to synthetic oil means you can double your maintenance intervals. You need to change engine oil because it gets contaminated with the byproducts of burning fuel in a cast metal engine, and synthetic oil gets just as dirty as regular oil. At the best you can stretch your intervals by roughly 25 per cent. So that means you'll do 25 per cent less oil changes over the life of the vehicle, maybe five or six in total. By using synthetic oil of a mid-level price range, your regular $40 or so oil changes will shoot up to at least $90 or more. Over the course of a 200,000 km lifespan you'll be spending at least $1,000 more (over at least 20 oil changes). Will you get improvements in cold weather start up, or improved engine economy, or prolonged engine life equal to $1,000? It depends on how long you hang onto the car and how many kilometers you put on in a year. When you trade in the Lincoln, will a sales rep allow you more value because of synthetic oil use? Not likely. As long as regular oil stays around the $3 to $4 per litre range and synthetic is over $10, a strict business case won't strongly support synthetic. Then why do many people use synthetic? Some believe they can go twice as far between oil changes. Some believe they'll keep their car long enough to reap the benefits, and for some it's just treating their wheels to some TLC. As a last note, stay away from semi-synthetic brands, they don't contain enough synthetic oil to justify the higher price.
"Hi Brian,
I have a loud rattle problem in the front of a 2009 Cobalt 4 door sedan with 25,000 km on it. The rattle has been around since 4,000 km and two GM dealers have tried a lot of solutions some of which did appear to help for a while and then the rattle comes back. I have had lower control arm bushings replaced, stabilizer bar links replaced as late as last week, two steering columns replaced @ 4,000 km and 22,000 km, and an intermediate shaft @ 23,000 km, and a new power steering motor on recall last week. (Well the rattle is still there and I believe it to be a mechanical problem due to excessive clearance between two mating surfaces and it is not going to get better, only louder as time goes on. I have had a GM tech say, 'I hear the rattle but it is going to be hard to find' and I don't buy that comment. As a non-mechanic I feel it is coming from either the steering column or the rack. I can't believe that GM does not have a permanent solution to this problem, I have been a loyal GM owner for 36 years. Any suggestions as to how or where to solve this issue would be appreciated."
George
What I read between the lines here is that we have a case that may have to travel some distance to find resolution. George, as the vehicle owner, is unwilling to accept the present condition of his Cobalt (and as I couldn't hear the noise from his letter, I'm not in much of a position to argue with him). His dealer tech's statement probably stems from the frustration that many mechanics face when they spend hours to diagnose and repair something under warranty, only to find out the manufacturer is unwilling to pay them for anything more than a fraction of the time they have spent. It's a common refrain in shops where techs are compensated on a 'flat-rate' or 'by-the-job' piece-meal basis. And warranty time schedules that the factory uses to reimburse techs are always less than competitive retail time charts no matter which auto maker you're dealing with.
For the most part these payment systems don't provide much of a barrier to customer satisfaction, but in the cases of difficult and time consuming diagnostics, they may become a real irritant, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
First, stop dealing with different shops and go back to the selling dealer (they have a vested interest in keeping you happy). You need to start by asking for a road-test with the service manager. If he or she says it's normal, ask them to demonstrate it on another vehicle on their lot. If another vehicle has a similar noise, you may have to rethink your options. If the manager agrees it's not normal, then ask what they plan to do to rectify the situation. If you can't get anywhere at this stage, you will need to speak with the dealership owner. Having copies of relevant work-orders outlining the previous steps taken to eliminate the noise will be helpful. If this can't be resolved at the dealership level, then the next phase is to deal with GM directly through their customer assistance line (keeping written notes of all these steps is crucial in case you end up in arbitration).
If GM can't resolve this, then the last step would be arbitration, a free service that all automakers must provide in Canada. GM uses CAMVAP as their arbitration agent and you can find out all about the process at www.camvap.ca. When it comes to noises, in order to get action, you'll need to convince someone that the noise is absolutely unusual, unbearable, and likely to represent a real fault with the vehicle. That's easier said than done. One person's noise may be another person's normal. This journey may sound like a long one, but fortunately few need to take it as the overwhelming majority of vehicle concerns are handled successfully at the dealership level.
This Civic Holiday weekend marks the return of the annual Auto-Motion Car Show at Blockhouse Island in Brockville on Sunday, August 1. The show runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. rain or shine and spectator admission is $5 (children under 12 accompanied by an adult get in for free). A cruise and poker run take place on Saturday evening. For more details check out www.tisma.ca
If you have any questions, opinions, or stories on anything automotive please drop me a line, (By email to emc@perfprint.ca listing 'Question for the Car Counselor' on the subject line or by post to Record News Communications, 5 Lorne St., P.O. Box 158, Smiths Falls, Ont. K7A 4T1).
Yours in service,
Brian Turner
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