by Tammy Williams
VehicleMD Staff Writer
Originally published in Fall 2010 Issue

Has your wife ever asked you to stop on your way home and pick up a package of diapers? You make your way to the aisle, trying your hardest to remember what that last package of diapers looked like. Once you round the corner all you see are two long shelves full of diapers—packages of every color, shape and size, it seems. You just stand there, for what seems like hours, in awe, but eventually your eye lands on that purple package with the baby on the front that you recognize. You grab it and run as fast as you can away from the diaper aisle. (Well not really, but you sure wanted to, didn’t you?)

Or maybe you found yourself on the receiving end of a call from your husband, who is about to head out on his annual golf trip and is short of golf balls. Just like your counterpart, you make your way through unfamiliar territory—this time the sporting goods store—to that aisle of golf balls. Who would have imagined there would be so many different kinds? You are in shock and just stand there looking. Luckily, a salesman walks by, you get his attention and he gets you the ones your husband needs. And you, too, feel like you must run far away from this uncomfortable place.

It seems today that there are a hundred choices for everything you need to buy, from diapers to golf balls to motor oil. But don’t worry, the next time your automotive technician asks you what kind of oil change you would like, you won’t have to sit there with a blank look on your face. Here are some easy ways to discern between the different choices you have in motor oil, so you can simply choose which one is right for your vehicle.

To meet the needs of modern drivers, most motor oil manufacturers offer four major types of engine oil: conventional, synthetic-blend, full synthetic or high-mileage.

Conventional Motor Oil
Like its name states, conventional motor oil is petroleum-based oil that has been refined into a base lubricating oil. That oil is then blended with chemicals called additives that serve different functions, with most motor oils having 10 or so separate additives in a single formulation. Additives keep motor oil liquid at low temperatures; keep contaminants, such as dirt, held in suspension until they can be filtered out or drained out with the old oil; and keep engine parts clean, among other things. A typical quart of motor oil might consist of 75 to 80 percent base oil, with the remainder consisting of the additives package.

“If you take a look at the quality levels of different types of motor oils, you don’t have ‘better,’ ‘good’ and ‘bad;’ you have ‘good,’ ‘better’ and ‘best,’” said John Frick, automotive product line manager at CITGO. “Conventional oil fits into the ‘good’ category.

“Conventional oil is not a third-class citizen. Today’s conventional oil is an exceptionally good product, and it meets all the necessary requirements.”

For most drivers, conventional motor oil will do the trick as far as meeting the needs of their vehicle and driving style. However, there are certain driving styles that will put extra stress on motor oil, which is where the next product on the list comes into play.

Synthetic-Blend Motor Oil
As its name suggests, synthetic blend motor oil is a mixture of conventional petroleum base oil and a highly refined synthetic base oil that is specially formulated to achieve certain characteristics. Synthetic-blend motor oil offers a little more insurance than conventional oil, as it is able to protect vehicles that are driven in severe conditions.

“I usually drive from my house to the office or from my house to the airport, and it is 95 percent highway,” Frick said. “This type of driving does not stress an engine as much as severe driving. Severe driving includes stop-and-go driving or frequent short trips. So, if you usually drive in the city, then you most likely fall into the severe driving category.”

Also, if you routinely carry heavy loads—like filling your SUV with a group of kids going to soccer practice—or tow a trailer, a synthetic-blend motor oil would be ideal. After all, the heavier you load your vehicle, the harder it has to work.

Many companies market synthetic-blend motor oils as “SUV, Truck & Minivan” or “Enhanced Durability” formulations.

Full Synthetic Motor Oil
Full synthetic motor oil is really the best that money can buy. There’s nothing that protects better than full synthetic oil. Like synthetic-blends, a full synthetic motor oil features a highly refined synthetic base oil. Unlike the blend, however, a full synthetic motor oil is not blended with conventional petroleum base oil—it is made exclusively from synthetic base oil.

The advantages of synthetic motor oil are many, especially for those who want the ultimate in protection for their vehicle. Synthetic oil is very good at protecting engines in extreme conditions. Plus it has superior low temperature flow, which helps your vehicle start better and remain protected in cold weather.

As automakers work to bring more horsepower out of smaller and lighter engines, even more strain is being put on motor oil. This is just one of the reasons that several vehicles on the market—including many European models and most new Cadillacs—actually require synthetic oil.

High Mileage Motor Oil
Older vehicles should not feel left out. There’s a special formulation for them, too. They’re called high-mileage motor oils, and they’re formulated for those older vehicles—usually with 75,000 miles or more on the odometer—that might be feeling the strain from years of use.

High-mileage oils have special additives that give extra care to older engines. These additives help condition the rubber and plastic seals inside the engine that may have become brittle and inflexible with age, and they also help protect against oil burn-off.

These specially formulated high-mileage motor oils work a little harder than conventional motor oils at meeting the special protective needs older vehicles have. That should be reason enough to choose them if you drive an older vehicle.

KISS
When choosing what motor oil is right for you, Frick suggests using the KISS—keep it super simple—policy.

“Selecting the proper oil for your vehicle is not rocket science,” Frick said. “Make sure you understand what grade of oil the vehicle calls for—like a 5W-30. You can usually find this information printed on your oil filler cap under the hood or in your owners manual. Also, in your mind, determine what you want to get out of your vehicle. If you are going to change your oil at the recommended intervals, you don’t drive in severe service conditions, and you’re not hauling anything, then conventional oil should meet your needs. However, if you want a little more peace of mind, extra protection or if you have a specialty engine, then you might want to upgrade to one of the other types of oil.”

Next time you pull up to the bay to get your car serviced, you can say “adios” to those diaper- or golf ball-choosing flashbacks. There’s nothing scary about choosing which motor oil is best for you, as long as you keep it super simple.