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"B A R R Y" <balsapilot@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:BnG6g.27432$NS6.3780@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com...[color=blue]
> Ray O wrote:[color=green]
>> <jrunruh@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1146759105.063351.233590@y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...[color=darkred]
>>> nope i dont! :)
>>>
>>> but is synthetic worth the extra money then?[/color]
>>
>> If you are going to change oil every 3,500 to 5,000 miles, then IMO, .
>> synthetic is not worth the extra money. I've seen many engines with over
>> 300,000 miles that were routinely serviced with conventional oil.[/color]
>
> Ray,
>
> I normally agree with you so let me get your professional opinion on a
> different set of circumstances.
>
> I have cars that see 6-8k a year, which sit for decent periods of time
> (days and weeks)in New England variable weather. When I do drive them,
> most trips are short, surburban driving, with frequent starts and
> shutdowns, and towing and off-roading. I change the synthetic oil every
> spring and fall, mainly to remove moisture and freshen things up. I
> _think_ I see a noticable difference in cold starting these vehicles with
> synthetic over standard lubes.
>
> Since there's always the off-chance I'm imagining the difference, do you
> think I'm not gaining an advantage with synthetic?
>
> Thanks![/color]

I am not an expert in oil and lubricants so the advice I give is what the
product engineers I used to work with told us to give. I believe that
synthetic oil is also made from petroleum products so it is also "dino" oil.

There are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of discussions and articles
on whether synthetic oil is better than conventional oil and under which
circumstances one should use which oil.

I tend to look at things from a cost-benefit point of view, which is why I
recommended that people stick to conventional oil if they are going to
change it every 3,000 or 4,000 miles. That said, there is no harm in using
synthetic oil and changing it every 3 or 4 thousand miles. Since you are
not changing oil that frequently and your vehicle seems to see some harsh
conditions, using synthetic oil is probably a little better than
conventional oil.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)