Pretend you have an N/A engine with 90,000+ miles. You want the best motor oil for a daily driver. You religiously change quality filter and oil every 3000-5000 miles.

Do you go with:
A) Plain old every day motor oil?
B) Synthetic blended motor oil?
C) Pure Synthetic motor oil?
D) the newer 'Max-Life' products by Castrol and Valvoline for higher mileage engines?

If you say pure synthetic, is it honestly worth the extra cost?
What brand do you use and why?
Cost per Quart?
What brand filter?

For the record...
My past 2 years have been Valvoline DuraBlend ($2.19-$2.45qt)with a WIX filter.

No problems with current setup, but just wondering if there is something to the maxlife products that I need to investigate, or should I go pure Synth, or keep the same setup?

-edit-spealngi
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If life gives you lemons, squeeze the juice into a water pistol and squirt it into other peoples eyes.
It will especially burn if they recently had LASIK.

[This message has been edited by blakeinspace (edited 04-16-2002).]

The choice is yours!!! But I would recommend going with the best, as oil and filter are the cheapest expenses you have to consider and the pay off the greatest.

If you aren't having any problems, keep doing what you are doing.

My 1999 3800 s/c Buick get Mobil 1 10-30, the weight specified. PF 47 or 52 AC filter

Mt 1988 GT with a new 3.4 engine gets Mobil 1 10-30 recommended by mechanic. PF 52 AC filter.

My 1987 GT gets Pennzoil or other 5-30 oil recommended by Pontiac. PF 52 AC filter.

The 87 was bought new by me, engine all original working fine with 88K miles.

Mobil 1 all the way, all the time.

WIX are good filters, I use a K&N oil filter (yeah) on the red car, Silver is getting an oversize remote WIX Racing filter.

Best!
Ben.

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Ben Cannon
88 Formula, T-top, Metalic Red. (2:13.138 at Sears Point) "Every Man Dies, not every man really Lives"
88 Formula, Northstar, Silver, In-Progreess. -Mel Gibson, "Braveheart"

I used Valvoline in the first 10,000 miles or so. It used about a quart of oil every 1500 miles or so, no smoke. I changed to Castrol Synthetic (whether its synthetic or partly I dont know, immaterial to me) It immediately stopped using any at all. I generally go to around 7000 before a change because all my use is hiways. I never have to add any between changes. I use Fram filter. I drive pretty hard. I maintain at least 65 pnd oil pressure all the time 45 or so hot/idle. I also run a turbo. I havent had a single oil related problem and going on almost 100K now.

I just changed my work car (87 Sable 120,000 miles) to Maxlife last month. It felt a little better and it seems to get a bit better gas milage, but I haven't check it yet.

Changed my 84 SE 207,400 miles to Mobil 1 last month and it dosen't feel any different, but gets 2-3 more mils to the tankful. No drawbacks yet.

I've used Castrol Syntec in the wife's Grand Prix since 10,000 miles. It's now got 75,000 on it, still doesn't use any oil between changes. I like it because it has a lower pour point temp...in other words, it flows better at cold temps. Most of your engine wear comes from cold startups, and that alone convinced me to go with Synthetic. I also just changed my "new used" truck with 30,000 miles on it over to Syntec. The GT gets Castrol Synthetic blend. It's got 103,000 miles on it, and I'm still not past that "synthetic leaks in older engines" story. The story DOES have a bit of merit to it...the synthetic has better detergent packages in it, which can clean the gunk that is keeping an otherwise marginal seal from leaking. So far, so good...no new leaks, so I may just go full synthetic on the next change. I think that you'll find that most of the "maxlife" oils out there are either full synthetic or synthetic blend oils...not sure of that, but I think the Quaker State maxlife was a synthetic blend. I've also read some studies on oil filters, and Wix filters always seem to do very well in the tests. I've been running AC Delco PF 52 filters on the Grand Prix and the Fiero. I'm 5 minutes from Walmart, and 15 minutes from NAPA. Walmart has Castrol Syntec, and no Wix filters...just AC. NAPA has the Wix filters, but I don't know if they carry Syntec or not...but if they do, it's more expensive than at Wallyworld..

[This message has been edited by litespd (edited 04-17-2002).]

So are there any "rate the oil" type tests on some consumer website somewhere you guys have run across?

For all my V6 Fieros, I use the cheapest SAE 5W-30 oil, usually Quaker State because it's on sale, changed every 3000 miles. The brand means nothing when changing the oil that often.

That's been my practice for 28 years, and it works well, getting over 150,000 miles on my vehicles, and then getting rid of them for non engine related reasons. The rest of the car is shot, but the motor stays in fine condition.

I'm convinced synthetic buys nothing but poverty and leaks.

There are always exceptions to every rule though. I think the newer Vettes require synthetic, and ultra hi performance cars and performance upgraded cars, might benefit from synthetics. But again, very unique circumstances.

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Ron Dittmer
88 Fiero-GT Automatic
86 Fiero-GT 4-speed "For Sale"
Chicago Northwest Suburban Area

I've been using Valvoline Synthetic in my Trans Am for 5 years now. No ill effects. Everything is noticeably cleaner. Even the dipstick lost it's tan color and looks almost brand new.

I haven't had the Fiero long enough to do an oil change yet

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1988 Fiero Coupe 2.5L
1990 Trans Am GTA 5.7L

The only reason to use synthetic is if you're either using VERY long oil change intervals (8-10k miles) or if you have extreme temperatures it is being subjected to (turbochargers). With our stock motors and normal oil changes and use, the synthetic has no advantage. It uses the same additives as regular oil, just takes more abuse before breaking down.

Save your money, regular oil with regular changes (3k for me, just for safety factor...5k is acceptable unless the motor is very worn).

Bryce
88 GT