For your sake, we hope that you’re well aware of the fact that it’s very important for you to change the oil in your car on a regular basis. If you don’t, it’s not going to be very long before you start to have engine problems. But we also hope that you’re well aware of the fact that you don’t just have to limit yourself to conventional motor oil. Synthetic oil is actually a much better option for your car. It can, however, be a little confusing deciding which kind of synthetic oil to use in your car since you’ll have to choose between synthetic blend vs. full synthetic oil. So we thought we would shed some light on the differences between the two. Learn more about them below.
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First, What Is Synthetic Oil?
Before we begin talking about synthetic blend vs. full synthetic oil, it’s important for you to understand what synthetic oil as a whole is. Not everyone is aware that they have the option to put synthetic oil into their car, which is a real shame when you think about all the benefits that come along with doing it.
In the most basic terms, synthetic oil is a lubricant that is made up of a bunch of chemical compounds that are artificially manufactured. Rather than relying on the use of crude oil, the companies that specialize in creating synthetic oil do it by using a process that involves breaking down petroleum molecules and then putting them back together. It gives them an opportunity to make a type of oil that is far superior to conventional oil in almost every way.
There isn’t just one type of synthetic oil, though. As we mentioned a few moments ago, there is synthetic blend oil and there is full synthetic oil, and you’re going to have to decide which one you want to put into your car when you go with synthetic oil. As a result, you’ll need to know which side of the synthetic blend vs. full synthetic oil debate you fall on.
What Is Full Synthetic Oil?
Now that you have a general understanding of what synthetic oil is, let’s jump right into talking about synthetic blend vs. full synthetic oil. We’ll begin by discussing full synthetic oil since it’s widely regarded as the most popular type of synthetic oil around. More often than not, it’s what your oil change place is going to be talking about when they ask you if you would like to put synthetic oil into your car.
Full synthetic oil has a synthetic base stick that is mixed together with additives that are designed to increase the performance of the synthetic oil you use in your car. Each individual company that manufactures full synthetic oil includes different additives in their mixtures, which is why you should do your research before putting one of them into your car. You want to know how much protection that your full synthetic oil is going to be able to provide.
You should think about what you want to get out of your full synthetic oil prior to putting it into your car and driving around with it. Some full synthetic oils are made to provide you with superior wear protection, while others are great for those to want to make their engines cleaner. It’s up to you to decide which full synthetic oil you choose based on your car’s specific needs.
What Is Synthetic Blend Oil?
While full synthetic oil is a synthetic oil through and through, the same cannot be said for synthetic blend oil. Synthetic blend oil has only been on the market for about 50 years now, but it has made a big splash on the scene thanks to what it brings to the table. It has slowly risen in popularity over time and could overtake full synthetic oil one day.
So, what is synthetic blend oil? Well, it’s a type of oil that contains a mixture of synthetic base stocks and conventional motor oils. Much like with full synthetic oil, the companies that create synthetic blend oil each take a slightly different approach to doing it. But regardless of how they mix their synthetic blend oils together, these companies are all able to provide oils that outperform conventional oils. Synthetic blend oil can set a car’s engine up with more protection and performance than conventional oil can.
As you can see, both full synthetic oil and synthetic blend oil are better options than conventional oil. But it’s important for you to remember that the terms “full synthetic oil” and “synthetic blend oil” aren’t interchangeable. You’re going to be getting two very different types of oil in your car when you go with one or the other. Understanding the differences between them will be vital to protecting your car’s engine.
What Are the Differences Between Synthetic Blend vs. Full Synthetic Oil?
At this point, you should hopefully know a lot more about full synthetic oil and synthetic blend oil than you did back at the beginning of this post. But you still don’t really know the key differences between synthetic blend vs. full synthetic oil. And because of that, you might still be confused about which to put into your car the next time you go to change your oil.
For this reason, we would like to break down some of the major differences that you’re going to find between synthetic blend vs. full synthetic oil. It should help you figure out which type of synthetic oil to put into your car from now on. Let’s answer these questions about synthetic blend vs. full synthetic oil to give you a better indication of which you should choose…
Which One Is Better for Your Car?
We want to start off our answer to the question by saying that both full synthetic oil and synthetic blend oil are better options for your car than conventional oil. You’re going to be doing a great thing for your car by going with either option. But at the end of the day, most experts say that full synthetic oil is going to be the best possible choice for your vehicle. It’s going to provide your engine with all of the protection it could ever need from the second you start using it in your car.
Is that to say that synthetic blend oil won’t also do this? Of course not. It’s also going to provide plenty of protection for your car. But it’s not going to be as efficient as full synthetic oil is. Full synthetic oil contains the additives in it that you need to protect your engine for many years to come, which is why it gets the nod over synthetic blend oil in this particular category.
Which One Costs Less?
While full synthetic oil is heralded as the better option when it comes to protecting your car’s engine, you are going to have to pay a pretty steep price for it. Full synthetic oils are typically about 30 percent more expensive than synthetic blend oils, which means you’re going to have to pay a pretty penny every time you go to have your car’s oil changed when you use full synthetic oil.
Does that mean that you shouldn’t choose it as your preferred option? Not necessarily, since as you’re going to see in a second, the longevity of full synthetic oil might make the price tag on it well worth it to you. But if you’re on a tight budget and you need to have your car’s oil changed, synthetic blend oil is going to outperform conventional oil without breaking the bank like full synthetic oil. It gives synthetic blend oil the nod here in the synthetic blend oil vs. full synthetic oil debate.
Which One Needs to Be Changed More Often?
As we alluded to while talking about the prices of synthetic blend oil vs. full synthetic oil, full synthetic oil is going to last you for a very, very long time compared to conventional oil. While most conventional oils need to be changed every 3,000 to 6,000 miles in most cases, there are plenty of full synthetic oils that can last for anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 miles. Can you imagine how nice it’ll be to not have to change your oil all the time anymore when you go with full synthetic oil?
Synthetic blend oils are also going to be a big upgrade over conventional oils in terms of how long they last. But you’re going to find that most synthetic blend oils will only last for a fraction of what full synthetic oils will. While full synthetic oils should stick around for 10,000 to 15,000 miles, you’ll often get somewhere between 6,000 and 7,500 miles out of synthetic blend oils. That means that full synthetic oil is going to take the crowd as far as this aspect of synthetic blend vs. full synthetic oil is concerned.
Which One Will Help Your Car Last Longer?
No matter what kind of oil you put into your car, you’re going to have the same goal in the end: To make your car last as long as it possibly can. The days of cars lasting for only 100,000 miles or so are long gone. Today, many modern-day cars will last for 200,000 miles, if not more, and people expect for them to be able to do this with ease.
The great news is that both full synthetic oils and synthetic blend oils are equipped to give your car 200,000 miles worth of life. They’ll both stand up to almost anything that you throw at them and keep your car’s engine humming along for many years to come. And they’ll both do it more effectively than conventional oils will when you go with them in your car.
Which one will do it better? Many experts will tell you that full synthetic oil will win out almost every time over synthetic blend oil in this department. But it’s definitely worth noting that both types of synthetic oil are going to extend the life of your car’s engine by leaps and bounds. You’re not going to go wrong choosing either of them for your vehicle.
Which One Is Used More Often?
A lot of people are still getting used to the idea of replacing conventional oil with synthetic oil. So when they go to do it, they feel more comfortable going with full synthetic oil as opposed to synthetic blend oil in a lot of cases. They also like all the benefits that they’ll receive when going with a full synthetic oil in their car over a synthetic blend oil. As a result, full synthetic oil is probably used more often in most cars.
But with almost 50 percent of car owners now using synthetic oil in their vehicles, the synthetic blend vs. full synthetic oil split is starting to become more even. People are finding out about the pros and cons of using synthetic blend vs. full synthetic oil and choosing the one that suits their needs best. It’s leading to the two types of synthetic oil being used by an almost equal number of people these days.
Synthetic Blend vs. Full Synthetic Oil: Which Should You Go With?
If you’ve stuck with us for this long, then you should know almost everything you need to know about the synthetic blend vs. full synthetic oil debate. And you should be ready to go with one option over the other based on the benefits that you’ll receive when you do. Either way, going with synthetic oil for your car over conventional oil is pretty much a no-brainer at this point. You’re going to be doing a huge disservice if you don’t consider it.
You’re also going to be doing a huge disservice to your car and, more specifically, your engine if you don’t change your oil often enough. It’s important to change your oil at regular intervals to protect your engine for years to come. Make sure you set an oil change schedule and stick to it so that you don’t have to worry about engine problems plaguing your car.