Should I use synthetic?

[dr3z]

Before I start, I did search before posting but got lost in a bog of oil brands and how often to change your oil and other semi related topic matter. In the interest of brevity; upon purchase on my Kizashi I honestly assumed it took regular oil as I had assumed synthetic oil when hand in hand with premium fuel. I brought my car in for oil change, they asked me what I wanted and I went with Castrol GTX i usually use. In hindsight I learned the manual calls for Semi-Synthetic...a middle ground I also was blind to. So to the point...

Is regular oil fine? (Im pretty good about 5000km oil changes (~3000mi))?
Do I need to go to synthetic?
Is this middle ground of "semi" synthetic even a worthwhile discussion?
Help please...

[KuroNekko]

You don't need synthetic oil. No normal car really does, but it's simply better. It's better for your Kizashi too. Unlike Premium fuel, any car can benefit from synthetic motor oil because the benefits apply to any car's engine. As for Premium fuel, the higher octane is really to prevent detonation before optimal timing in the engine. This then yields greater performance and efficiency... if your engine was tuned for it. Basically, Premium fuel and Synthetic oils aren't comparable and shouldn't be regarded in a similar fashion.

I use full synthetic oil because it's a far superior product in many ways. It better protects the engine, it keeps the engine cleaner from sludge build-up, lasts longer, and has better performance in temperature extremes whether very cold or very hot. Consider that you can also extend your oil change interval with many synthetics so it may cost a little bit more but save you time and hassle.

Also, the 3000 mile oil change is a thing of the past, much like warming up an engine for while in the winter. Technological advances in engines and oils have made both unnecessary. I believe the oil change interval for the Kizashi is over 6,000 miles even on the specified non-full synthetic oil.

Lastly, Semi-synthetics may sound like a smart compromise but they aren't. It's basically a dilution of synthetic oil that costs more than a conventional oil. A compromise, basically. Either go cheap with conventional or pay more to get the full benefits of a full synthetic oil. Semi-synthetics don't really make sense for the consumer, IMO.

I personally use Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic 5W-30 and change my oil every 7500 miles on average. I know Mobil 1 is also popular with members here. Both are very good full synthetic motor oils. That being said, don't rush to flush out your Castrol GTX. That's totally fine to use. At the next oil change, you just might want to upgrade to synthetic if you plan to keep the car a long time.

[dslatsh]

So are you saying you have the manual tranny then? Because I use conventional oil in my suzuki buy mine is cvt and manual calls for anything as long as it's approved by the American oil or whatever company it is with that Starburst symbol. I called suzuki America and asked though and they said oem comes.with conventional oil so I stuck with it and recommends a 7500 mile change. I debated between synthetic and conventional but I don't like the prices of synthetic and also all my cars have been older with regular oil so. Just be sure to decide which one so aren't going back and forth I can't remember which way they say is bad I think it's changing from motor.oil to synthetic since synthetic is thinner can find leak paths easier....of course meaning if ya ran the car.on conventional for like 120,000 miles and then changing not meaning can't chnage if wanted but just need to pick.one. I may have that backwards though....

[WESHOOT2]

Bottom line: Use quality oil (and filter). Change regularly. Don't allow the oil level get low.

[KuroNekko]

So are you saying you have the manual tranny then? Because I use conventional oil in my suzuki buy mine is cvt and manual calls for anything as long as it's approved by the American oil or whatever company it is with that Starburst symbol. I called suzuki America and asked though and they said oem comes.with conventional oil so I stuck with it and recommends a 7500 mile change. I debated between synthetic and conventional but I don't like the prices of synthetic and also all my cars have been older with regular oil so. Just be sure to decide which one so aren't going back and forth I can't remember which way they say is bad I think it's changing from motor.oil to synthetic since synthetic is thinner can find leak paths easier....of course meaning if ya ran the car.on conventional for like 120,000 miles and then changing not meaning can't chnage if wanted but just need to pick.one. I may have that backwards though....

The type of transmission you have doesn't matter for the type of motor oil you use. Just to be clear, motor oil and transmission fluid are two different fluids that are not mixed in any way in a passenger car like the Kizashi.

Also, that point about sticking to either conventional or synthetic is a myth now, but it stems from truth from decades ago. When synthetics first appeared on the market, they were known to cause oil leaks from the gaskets of high mileage engines. This was because the synthetic motor oil had detergents that were cleaning the engine too well, removing the sludge that plugged up the cracks in the old gaskets. Hence, it was known to cause oil leaks back then. However, today, it's a different story. Both the formulas for synthetics have improved and engines are also built to tighter tolerances, making gasket leaks from these issues far less likely. Basically, today, you can switch to conventional, semi-syn, or full synthetic at any time without detrimental effects to your engine. In fact, synthetics are often recommended in high mileage engines as a way to slowly and safely remove internal engine sludge deposits.

While synthetic motor oil is not necessary in our Kizashis, the only drawback is the cost. It's a far superior product in many ways and if you change oil yourself (like I do), it's actually not too much more. It's places like dealerships and oil change shops that like to charge a premium price for synthetic motor oil.

[dr3z]

Thank you this thread has been extremely helpful in understanding the situation better. I intend to make the swap to synthetic but will not hurry to do so. Thanks for the time and prompt reply!

[cobymark]

To me, what matter most is the oil change interval and not the type of oil.

[WESHOOT2]

To me what matters most is having a sufficient supply; "down on the stick" is ALWAYS bad

[LPSISRL]

When you look at the price differential between conventional and synthetic oil over the life of the car and compare it to other scheduled maintenance costs, it's really insignificant. Not enough to not use synthetic in my opinion. BTW - if you want less expensive full synthetic, the Super Tech brand at Wal Mart is not that much more than conventional. Wal Mart, of course, does not manufacture oil They buy it. They buy it from places like Shell, Mobile, Exxon, etc. You may have to do some digging to actually fine out who made the oil in your particular area, but it's still quality oil. [insert debate here...]

[KuroNekko]

I looked into the issue a long time ago at extent and haven't worried about it since. Basically, if you plan to keep your vehicle a long time and want it running in optimal condition, then use full synthetic motor oil. It's simply better as it keeps the engine cleaner and better protected while holding up better for extended OCIs. Many have proved the superior cleaning and protection properties of quality synthetics in high mileage engine tear-downs with an examination of the internal components. Also, most vehicles that have crazy high mileage (400,000~1,000,000+) have used synthetic motor oil at regimented OCIs.

It's simply a better product that's affordable so I don't see a reason not to use it. Also, it's known to return better fuel efficiency, though nominal.

As for brands, most name-brands are reputable, but there are some "boutique" higher tier brands that have superior formulas. I personally don't think they are worth the trouble for a vehicle like the Kizashi so I stick to readily-available full synthetics like Pennzoil Platinum and Mobil 1. I pair the oil with a high quality oil filter like K&N, Mobil 1, Bosch DistancePlus, Pulolator PureOne, etc.

I see myself driving the Kizashi a long time so it's always going to be synthetic for me. It's had synthetic in it ever since I first changed the oil after purchasing it with only 7500 miles on it.