Synthetic vs. Conventional Oil: What's Actually Right for Your Car?

The oil change aisle at an auto parts store can be overwhelming. Here's what you actually need to know:

Conventional Motor Oil Refined from crude oil. Still perfectly adequate for older, simple engines with low mileage and regular oil change intervals. It's cheaper upfront but needs to be changed more often — typically every 5,000 km.

Synthetic Motor Oil Chemically engineered for superior performance. Key advantages: - Handles temperature extremes far better (important for Ontario winters) - Resists breakdown longer — good for 10,000–15,000 km between changes - Better protection during cold starts, when most engine wear occurs - Recommended or required by most manufacturers built after 2010

Semi-Synthetic (Blend) A middle ground. Better protection than conventional, lower cost than full synthetic. Often a good choice for trucks and older vehicles that aren't quite ready for full synthetic.

What Does Your Car Actually Need? Check your owner's manual. It specifies the viscosity grade (e.g., 5W-30) and whether synthetic is required. Using the wrong oil can void your warranty.

The Bottom Line For most vehicles built in the last 15 years: use full synthetic. The longer change interval often makes the price difference negligible, and your engine will thank you.

We offer full synthetic, conventional, and semi-synthetic oil changes. All changes include a multi-point safety inspection at no extra cost.