What’s the Difference Between Synthetic and Conventional Oil?

Are you due for an oil change in Orlando? If so, you may be wondering about the differences between synthetic and conventional oil. Before you contact the service center at Subaru North Orlando in Sanford, FL to book an appointment for an oil change, take a moment to review the key differences between synthetic and regular oil, as well as full synthetic oil vs. synthetic blends. Then, explore our service offers to see just how much you can save on your next oil change! 

What is Conventional Oil?

To understand the difference between synthetic vs. conventional oil, it's helpful to have a clear idea of what conventional is in the first place. Conventional oil is a petroleum-based substance that's distilled from crude oil. It's used to lubricate the hundreds of moving parts in your engine block, so that they don't create tons of kinetic energy and overheat your engine. If your engine overheats, it will fail and likely total your car. 

What is Synthetic Oil?

Now that you know what conventional oil is, let's take a look at the differences between synthetic and regular oil. Just like conventional oil, synthetic oil is refined from crude oil, but it's far more distilled. It features a number of additives that work to break down the oil at a molecular level. This refinement increases the cost of the oil, but it also means that the oil is harder to oxidize, making it last much longer (between 7,500 and 15,000 miles per change) than conventional oil (5,000 to 7,500 miles per oil change). Synthetic oils are also better at cleaning your engine block and leave far fewer deposits. 

Full Synthetic vs. Synthetic Blend: What's the Difference? 

Synthetic blends are a happy medium between convention oil and synthetic. They blend both options, resulting in an oil that lasts a bit longer and works more efficiently than conventional oil, but is less expensive (albeit less effective) than full synthetic oil. 

Schedule an Oil Change in Orlando, FL 

You've compared synthetic oil vs. conventional oil, as well as synthetic oil vs. synthetic blend oil. If you have any more questions about the differences of synthetic and regular oil, contact Subaru North Orlando. And if you're due for an oil change, just swing by our Express Service Center for a quick tune-up during your lunch break!