Synthetic Oil vs. Real Oil

Ian Macaskill · 03-25-2005, 12:38 PM

I am a new convert and very excited by my 2005 Prius - the design, the technology, the performance, the drive, so I am reading up a lot of stuff(sometimes not a good idea) John - his web page : http://john1701a.com
has put together a straightforward User-Guide, in which he recommends use of Synthetic Oil over Real Oil. Is this a recommendation worth following?

mikepaul · 03-25-2005, 12:43 PM

The oil in my Prius is real, it's just not anti-synthetic.

Semantics aside, I'm not hearing of people crying that they need synthetic to get great mileage, so I'll try to maintain a positive outlook on my synthetic and see if down the road it makes a difference...

HTMLSpinnr · 03-25-2005, 01:00 PM

I've noticed mileage exceeding 60mpg using Synth. My average has gone from the high 40's-low 50's to the mid to upper 50's by switching to synth.

I'm due for a change (per the light :-/) and I'll put Synth in again.

dbarry · 03-25-2005, 01:03 PM

Ian,

To sum up the various threads on this subject, it settles down to:

1) How long to do intend to drive your Prius? If the answer is over 100K, then synth oil is a good idea

2) How paranoid are you about the new technology in the Prius? If you are, then for a little extra insurance on the engine, use synth oil.

3) Some folks feel the technology in synth oil is a logical fit with the superior technology in the Prius.

4) And regardless if you use real or synth oil, change your oil at least per schedule. Most dealers say 3-5K miles. How you drive and where you drive can radically effect the life of engine oil. You should always dipstick your oil once a month or 1000 miles to check its' color - if it looks dirty, it generally is.

5) Changing the oil on the Prius is very easy, a lot of folks DIY.

Don

Frank Hudon · 03-25-2005, 01:04 PM

If you check out this thread and scroll down about 2/3rd's the way down you'll find a post I made about YC15 and the email I got back from Andrew Grant in there is a note on mileage.
http://priuschat.com/forums/2-vt7008.html?...r=asc&&start=20

john1701a · 03-25-2005, 02:12 PM

The simple thing to do is ask yourself if it is worth the extra $10 every 5,000 miles. With the price of gas so high now, that difference is becoming rather trivial.

jeepien · 03-25-2005, 02:19 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a\";p=\"75810)</div>

Quote:

The simple thing to do is ask yourself if it is worth the extra $10 every 5,000 miles. With the price of gas so high now, that difference is becoming rather trivial.
[/b]

And if the synth oil saves you as little as a gallon of gas every thousand miles, the difference becomes zero.

popsrcr · 03-25-2005, 02:32 PM

Not sure why you'd change every 5k with syn. Plenty of test data to support it is fine past that.

jeepien · 03-25-2005, 02:33 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(popsrcr\";p=\"75816)</div>

Quote:

Not sure why you'd change every 5k with syn. Plenty of test data to support it is fine past that.[/b]

To protect the warranty.

mikepaul · 03-25-2005, 03:00 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jeepien\";p=\"75818)</div>

Quote:

To protect the warranty.[/b]

Yup, after no available warranty matters anymore, I'll think about Amsoil's change policy and maybe go with at least 10,000 miles between changes. Of course, I'll have to use the dipstick a little more.

http://www.amsoil.com/lit/g1490.pdf

Huh. Now it's annual changes, per page 2...

03-25-2005, 12:38 PM	#1
Ian Macaskill Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ruston, Louisiana Posts: 2 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Synthetic Oil vs. Real Oil I am a new convert and very excited by my 2005 Prius - the design, the technology, the performance, the drive, so I am reading up a lot of stuff(sometimes not a good idea) John - his web page : http://john1701a.com has put together a straightforward User-Guide, in which he recommends use of Synthetic Oil over Real Oil. Is this a recommendation worth following?

03-25-2005, 01:03 PM	#4
dbarry Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 113 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: N/A Package: #9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Synthetic Oil vs. Real Oil Ian, To sum up the various threads on this subject, it settles down to: 1) How long to do intend to drive your Prius? If the answer is over 100K, then synth oil is a good idea 2) How paranoid are you about the new technology in the Prius? If you are, then for a little extra insurance on the engine, use synth oil. 3) Some folks feel the technology in synth oil is a logical fit with the superior technology in the Prius. 4) And regardless if you use real or synth oil, change your oil at least per schedule. Most dealers say 3-5K miles. How you drive and where you drive can radically effect the life of engine oil. You should always dipstick your oil once a month or 1000 miles to check its' color - if it looks dirty, it generally is. 5) Changing the oil on the Prius is very easy, a lot of folks DIY. Don __________________ 2005 Prius - Black/Charcoal, Package #6, Leather, Tint, Woodgrain Dash, body side moldings, mudguards, front end mask, Mobil-1 5-30, Chassis stiffening plate, Michelin MXV-4's

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Synthetic or Not? OIL	Ryn01599	Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting	23	10-28-2008 05:53 PM
synthetic oil ?	whitewhiskers	Gen II Prius Main Forum	5	03-29-2007 05:39 AM
synthetic oil	SSimon	Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting	14	07-14-2006 11:04 AM
Synthetic oil	Tadashi	Gen II Prius Main Forum	11	05-05-2005 09:51 PM
Synthetic Oil	jryan	Gen II Prius Main Forum	20	01-14-2005 05:52 PM

03-25-2005, 12:43 PM	#2
mikepaul Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 1,742 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 0	The oil in my Prius is real, it's just not anti-synthetic. Semantics aside, I'm not hearing of people crying that they need synthetic to get great mileage, so I'll try to maintain a positive outlook on my synthetic and see if down the road it makes a difference...

03-25-2005, 01:00 PM	#3
HTMLSpinnr Gen III Forums Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ (Phoenix) Posts: 4,074 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 216 Thanked 437 Times in 196 Posts Friends: 18	I've noticed mileage exceeding 60mpg using Synth. My average has gone from the high 40's-low 50's to the mid to upper 50's by switching to synth. I'm due for a change (per the light :-/) and I'll put Synth in again.

03-25-2005, 01:04 PM	#5
Frank Hudon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 4,144 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	If you check out this thread and scroll down about 2/3rd's the way down you'll find a post I made about YC15 and the email I got back from Andrew Grant in there is a note on mileage. http://priuschat.com/forums/2-vt7008.html?...r=asc&&start=20

03-25-2005, 02:12 PM	#6
john1701a Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,376 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 9 Thanked 145 Times in 70 Posts Friends: 12	The simple thing to do is ask yourself if it is worth the extra $10 every 5,000 miles. With the price of gas so high now, that difference is becoming rather trivial.

03-25-2005, 02:32 PM	#8
popsrcr Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 232 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Not sure why you'd change every 5k with syn. Plenty of test data to support it is fine past that.