Synthetic Oil vs. Regular Oil – Which is Better?

Were you presented with a choice you felt unprepared to make during your last oil change? That’s OK. We find that most Central IL drivers aren’t sure whether to use synthetic or conventional oil in their vehicles. Our service department wants you to make informed choices, so we’ve put together a comparison below to help you with your synthetic oil vs. regular oil debate. But what about synthetic blends? We also do a full synthetic oil vs. synthetic blend comparison as well.

Synthetic Oil vs. Regular Oil – Where They Come From

Did you know that synthetic oil is produced in a lab with careful engineering of multiple chemicals on a molecular level? Where does conventional oil come from? It’s pumped from the ground, then sent to refineries. That turns out to be an advantage for synthetic oil, especially since many of our Bloomington customers are concerned about using up fossil fuels.

Synthetic Oil vs. Regular Oil – How They Differ

The most important quality of motor oil is something called “viscosity”. Viscosity has to do with how smoothly the oil flows through the engine. Synthetic oil has more viscosity because it is cleaner than conventional oil, producing less gunk and build-up over time. All of this translates to better engine performance, including better gas mileage on your Champaign commute in many cases.

Full Synthetic Oil vs. Synthetic Blend

Perhaps the main difference between a full synthetic and a synthetic blend is obvious from their names – one is entirely synthetic, while the other is blended with regular oil. This results in two other differences: cost and diminished performance. The average cost of an oil change with synthetic oil is higher than one with synthetic blend. However, a synthetic blend is not as effective as fully synthetic oil, though it is still more effective than straight conventional oil.

Let the Oil Experts at Sam Leman Automotive Group Help

Our trained professionals would be happy to explain the differences between regular and synthetic oil. Why not schedule an appointment with us for your next oil change? And, if you’d like to learn more, check out our posts on what happens if you don’t get an oil change and how long an oil change should take. We have service centers in several easy-to-find locations, like the one in Peoria. So stop in and let us help.