Synthetic Oil vs. Conventional Oil: What’s the Difference?

Motor oil comes in two main forms, regular and synthetic. Regular oil is also known as conventional oil and has been the standard for decades. So how does conventional oil compare to synthetic oil? Review our synthetic oil vs. conventional oil guide and find out! What’s right for your vehicle depends on the make, model, and model year you drive in Sarasota and the surrounding areas. If you have questions about our synthetic vs. regular oil guide, contact our dealership in Bradenton. Cox Mazda is here to provide you and drivers around Tampa with the assistance you need to maintain one of your biggest investments! 

Synthetic vs. Regular Oil

What is Conventional (Regular) Oil?

Conventional or “regular” oil is a petroleum-based substance that has been used in internal combustion engines for many years to provide lubrication to internal parts and reduce engine wear. Motor oil is essentially distilled from crude oil that’s mined from the ground, and it also serves to protect your car’s engine from high temperatures.

What is Synthetic Oil?

Synthetic oil is petroleum-based like regular oil, but it provides enhanced lubrication properties and is more stable. Synthetic oils oxidize less easily than conventional oils and are also better at retaining protective properties. They’re chemically developed from petrochemicals in intense processes to provide pinpointed properties that make them superior (and also more expensive) than conventional oils. Synthetic oils also:

• Are less viscous at lower temperatures
• Offer enhanced engine cleaning properties
• Better protect critical turbocharger parts (when equipped)

Full Synthetic Oil vs. Synthetic Blends

In addition to synthetic oils and conventional oils (often called mineral oils), there are synthetic blends. These, as you might expect, are made up of part synthetic oil and part conventional oil, which helps to reduce the cost vs. choosing full synthetic, but also provides enhanced properties vs. standard conventional oil.

Note: Some vehicles require full synthetic oil, and that could just include your Mazda vehicle! Be sure to check your owner’s manual if in doubt about what kind of oil your car requires.

Schedule an Oil Change in Bradenton Now!

Now that you’ve reviewed our synthetic oil vs. conventional oil guide, are you ready to schedule an oil change at the Cox Mazda service department near Palmetto? Call (941) 749-2701 or contact us online today to make your appointment. We provide many maintenance guides on our site, so feel free to browse and see what stands out to you, such as our posts on what happens if you don’t change your oil and what to do if your car has been damaged by a hurricane!