Subaru dealer told me this re: synthetic oil

[dan240]

My opinion for what its worth is that if your using synthetic you may burn more oil than with regular petroleum based lube. My guess is that people using synthetic oil are not checking their fuid levels as often as they should and running low between changes causing engine damage.


There are more than a few people around here that have found they need to add oil between changes. CHECK YOUR FLUID!!

[zapman]

My opinion for what its worth is that if your using synthetic you may burn more oil than with regular petroleum based lube. My guess is that people using synthetic oil are not checking their fuid levels as often as they should and running low between changes causing engine damage.


There are more than a few people around here that have found they need to add oil between changes. CHECK YOUR FLUID!!

What you talking about Willis? I've yet to remember hearing about anyone on here burning oil.....

I switched to synthetic at 60k and haven't had any oil consumption.

[zapman]

hahaha ...

But honestly... doesn't like the Corvette come with mobil 1 synthetic from the factory..??

Correct me if i'm wrong, but I know i heard of one manufacturer using it from the factory.

yep vette's come with it in them from the factory

[dark_rex]

idiots. all of them. so sad too, considering they sell cool cars.

dR

[SD_GR]

All motors consume some oil. I saw my use DROP when switching to synth, not increase.

I went from up to 600 ml per 3,000 miles using regular, dealer-supplied oil, to about the same amount changing in my own M1 10w-30, to ~300 ml per 5,000 miles when I added some M1 15W-50 to the M1 10W-30, to *NONE MEASUREABLE* for my second drain on the newer M1 5W-40 "Delvac1 poor boy." This second fill of M1 5W-40 has been in the car for about 5,500 miles now and I still cannot see any consumption on the dipstick - I *am* using some oil, but it's not gotten to the point where I can see it yet.

I would guess people willing to shell out $5 per L for motor oil and to do their own oil changes are also willing to check their fluid levels routinely. I certainly do.

I'm about to drive to Las Vegas and am debatting whether to change the 5,500-mile-old oil, even though deep down I know there is absolutely no reason to do so. Old habbits die hard. I may just check the level before I leave and keep it in until the mandated 7,500 (at which point it'll still be perfectly good oil anyway).

EDIT: Forget Astons and Porsches, even Fiats come with synthetic motor oil (Punto GT Turbo did for example, and most users now run Selenia Racing 10W-60, a Fuchs-made, heavy-duty true synthetic 60-weight oil in a 1.4L 4cyl motor...).

[perfusionista]

Forget Astons and Porsches, even Fiats come with synthetic motor oil

Is that supposed to be a recommendation ?

[SD_GR]

I onced yumped an X1/9 and the wheel wells failed, so I could see the suspension through the front hood.

I loved the Uno turbo and even better the Punto GT with the turbo. Very fast cars and nimble, so they were easy to get onto a flatbed for towing whenever something failed...

My favourite Fiats are the 131 Abarth and the 500.

[WRXTwiztid]

ive used syntetic ( mobile 1 ) in my sti from 1000 miles up . i checked it 500 miles before it needed to be changed, and my dipstick was on E. i added a quort and itwas back up. so at like 2000 miles after a 1000 miles from the oil change it burned a qourt is that mean their is something wrong with my engine? or is it cause i drive it hard everyday, and i use synthetic so early.

[zapman]

You might still be in the break in perios for the engine so it still might be sealign things up.

[WRXTwiztid]

well once when i driving i misshifted and went to 8k rpm for a sec, but its been 2000 miles since then and i never noticed any power lose or anything wrong. do you think that because that happend its causeing the oil to burn now?

[SD_GR]

There is no way to tell without tearing down the motor *and* doing an oil analysis. Most likely your motor is fine and your single over-rev incident didn't harm it. If you are doing your own oil changes you need to keep receipts to document the materials purchased and the date for warranty purposes. A new motor will likely consume some oil and may settle down to a lower consumption later in life. What grade of M1 are you using?

[yo vanilla]

i'm a service writer and i think they were trying to sell oil. lol that's funny though, because on oil changes we literally barely break even with the costs involved. do some research on oil and decide for yourself. i use synthetic in all my cars, as i live in an extreme climate and it clearly outperforms dino oil in situations like cold starts at -10F. i've tried different brands and have settled on mobil 1 (though in my old honda passport it caused noisy lifter tick; castrol syntec made it go away).

[nofear6235]

Resurrecting old thread, but its funny to me reading about dealers BS!
I can actually blame the Ramsey dealer in NJ for using 99c Exxon Super Flow for my first oil change. I usually work on my cars on my own, but my 2006 WRX TR had heater problem, so I went there to use my warranty and decide to change oil at the same time, thinking that Subie dealers will use the same good stuff as Toyota or Honda, turn out I was wrong.
That was my first and last visit there, unless something happened and warranty cover.
BTW while fixing my heater, workers scratched my console and damage the dashboard around heater area, so you never know if you should go there for every problem covered by warranty. I would go only if it involves allot of work.
So dealers opinions are not 100% granted

[SD_GR]

I can actually blame the Ramsey dealer in NJ for using 99c Exxon Super Flow for my first oil change.

Exxon Superflow is essentially the OEM oil for Honda in the United States. OEM Honda oil has a label with the manufacturer on it. It is IMO a very competent oil; however, it is not capable of competing with a good synthetic such as M1 in high stress or extended drain situations.

[bdoug]

I can actually blame the Ramsey dealer in NJ for using 99c Exxon Super Flow for my first oil change.

As SD-GR said, Exxon Superflow is a good oil. Current API standards are pretty strict and any SM/GF-4 oil will do a good job of protecting your engine.