Synthetic Oil vs Conventional Oil
One of the easiest ways to ensure your VW consistently operates at peak performance is by keeping up with regular oil and filter changes. Ideally, you should schedule an oil change every 3,000-5,000 miles depending on your Volkswagen’s mileage and current condition. One important thing you’ll be asked is whether you wish to synthetic or conventional motor oil.
At Norm Reeves Volkswagen Superstore Port Charlotte, our state-of-the-art service center is here to help drivers throughout Ft. Myers, Cape Coral, and Venice, FL, make the best decisions when it comes to their VW’s maintenance. To do that, we created this helpful guide explaining the pros and cons of each oil type and the best practices to keep your vehicle in its best condition.
What’s The Difference Between Synthetic vs Conventional?
Synthetic oil is considered by many to be the ideal type of motor oil for any vehicle type. After all, it often costs more (sometimes, a lot more). Some synthetic blends even have the ability to extend the mileage between oil changes from 5,000 up to every 10,000 miles. It just has to be better than conventional oil, right?
Well, not necessarily.
Synthetic Oil
Synthetic oil is derived from crude oil and then goes through a long-distillation process, restructuring its chemical compound and removing impurities that can clog up your engine system. The result is a motor oil that takes a longer period of time to break down, is able to operate at extreme temperature, and helps your engine run smoother.
Due to the longer breakdown time, oil changes are not required as frequently as vehicles which use conventional oil. Another great feature of synthetic oil is that it provides cleansing properties that keep the engine running smoother for a longer duration of time.
To ensure that you’re getting your oil changed correctly, make sure to consult your owner’s manual or speak with a licensed technician who specializes in servicing your vehicle’s particular make and model. These technicians are best found at a dealership that sells the make of your vehicle.
The type of drivers that can benefit from using synthetic oil include:
- Drivers in locations with frequent extreme high temperatures + 90 degrees
- Drivers in locations with frequent extreme low temperatures – 10 degrees
- Performance engines and sports cars
- Frequent stop and go traffic
- Frequent short trips
- Drivers who frequently tow or carry heavy weights
Synthetic oils are essential for hard-working vehicles and those vehicles exposed to extreme weather conditions (and of course, those vehicles whose manuals explicitly require synthetic oil). This is an important note to take seriously – never place conventional oil into an engine that requires synthetic oil.
Conventional Oil
Just like synthetic, conventional oil begins its journey as crude oil derived from the Earth, then gets processed with other additives to make it sustainable for engine use. Conventional oil is most often used in lower mileage vehicles, older vehicles or vehicles with a simple engine design.
Most manufacturers use conventional oil to help a new engine through its first 10,000-mile break-in period. It allows for steady lubrication while the parts grind away at each other until they find their mechanical comfort zone. It’s only after a few thousand miles that some technicians will suggest switching over to synthetic oil to increase the amount of lubrication for superior engine performance.
A major benefit to using conventional oil is that it’s relatively inexpensive. Unless a vehicle’s owner’s manual explicitly states that synthetic oil is required, most experts agree that sticking with conventional oil can save driver money over the long run while still doing a great job upholding engine functionality and performance.
Use of conventional oil is for a typical driver that doesn’t normally deal with extreme heat or cold, keeps away from frequent dirt and dusty road driving, and doesn’t place added strain on an engine from things like heavy towing.
By keeping up with regular oil and filter changes, your engine should continue to run smoothly and with the same type of power, you expect. Still, over time your vehicle’s needs might change, so always consult your owner’s manual and technician as to the type of oil they recommended for your vehicle.
What Type of Oil Does My Volkswagen Require?
One of the benefits of buying or leasing a VW model is for their efficient, performance-inspired engineering. Due to their unique design, it’s required that any Volkswagen model built after 2004 uses synthetic oil.
The reason why is because a VW engine’s valves are designed differently from most other vehicles on the road and run a higher risk of becoming clogged with impurities found in conventional oil. As synthetic oil is thinner and cleaner, it does a much better job at protecting the engine, allowing it to function at full performance.
This is especially true for Volkswagen models that either come standard or offer a turbo engine option like:
As well as the VW Beetle which now boasts a turbocharged 2.0L TSI® engine that’s capable of producing 174 horsepower. Remember, while standard synthetic oil is required, over time you might need to change over to a different synthetic blend or high mileage oil as your vehicle ages. Your local technician will be the best person to make that decision when the time comes.
Schedule Your Next Oil Change at Norm Reeves Volkswagen Superstore Port Charlotte!
For owners of all cars, trucks, and SUVs and in the Ft. Myers, Cape Coral, or Venice area, the best location to find routine maintenance and repairs is as at our convenient service center, located in Port Charlotte, FL.
Our highly skilled service team is dedicated to providing you with honest and dependable care over the lifetime of your vehicle. While the work is being taken care of, why not make the most of your visit and test-drive a brand-new VW Beetle Coupe or Atlas SUV! Simply stop by or go online to schedule an appointment today!