+1 there are forum posters with their cars with 300k+ miles using regular conventional oil. It is not a mandate to use synthetic oil

 

It's all about the oil change intervals, and more the filter then the oil

 

100 percent agree that it's all about the oil change interval. If you are doing 3000 mile oil change intervals, any oil and any filter will work fine. Generally speaking the longer the oil change interval the more you should spend on both the oil and filter.

There is no way for an average Joe to know how well his particular oil and filter work. The oil needs to be analysed in a lab.

All filters and oils meet the engine manufacturers' specifications. All flow-through filters are designed to allow small particulate to pass through the filter. The small particulates build up over time causing the oil to degrade. The quality of the filter predominantly has to do with the amount of particulate the filter can hold before the oil is no longer filtered.

If you are really worried about having clean, long lasting oil, install an oil by-pass system. Oil by-pass systems can effectively filter the smallest particulates, effectively eliminating the need to change your oil. The filters still need to be changed and the oil level maintained. Oil by-pass systems are probably not cost effective due to the initial cost and the need to change the filters, which can be fairly expensive.

My default these days is 5000 mile oil and filter interval changes with full synthetic oil and whatever filter that is on sale.

It's up to you to decide how often to change your oil and filter and which types to buy.

 

If I only drove 900 miles in 3 months, do I still need to change my Mobil 1 at the 3 month mark?

 

It depends. If those 900 miles were mostly highway driving than you're ok. If they were mostly short drives, or mostly stop and go traffic, than you fall into the severe service category and its probably better to change it.

Either way, follow your owner's manual for milage and time interval recommendations. They know best.


Phil

 

+1

 

My 4es now has 133k on the dash and I just switched to mobile 1 synthetic with a purolator pureone oil filter. 500+ miles and no leaks so far... Yet...

 

If you want to put synthetic in your car and it makes you feel better to do it, go right ahead. Don't expect to save much money due to better fuel economy, and unless a lot of your miles are highway and/or you regularly run it long enough to heat the oil up enough to boil off the water that accumulates in it, you'd be much better off economically and for the health of your engine to just change the oil more regularly.

 

Between commuting to work and school, I drive over 80 miles a day.

Hopefully that justifies why I decided to switch to synthetic

 

^I'm in the same boat, I'm rackin up miles like crazy.