Synthetic Oil vs Regular Oil
Synthetic oil and regular oil differ basically in terms of the base oil used in their production. Motor oil serves very important functions in the engine of any car. It keeps lubricated all moving parts of the engine and also protects them from wear and tear. It keeps the engine cool which is very important for a car and also protects the engine from dust and small debris. Traditional or regular oils for engines are manufactured from crude oil by processing it in a refinery and then mixing different additives to alter its viscosity, break down properties and also its ability to protect. In a very similar manner, synthetic oil is also produced using base oil mixing a lot of additives. The major difference lies in the fact the base oil here does not come from the crude oil but is processed in laboratories where it is ensured that the oil molecules are all equal in size and have an ideal weight. In the case of regular oil, despite undergoing all the refining, the molecules differ in size and weight.
Much less wax and impurities are added in synthetic oil and the molecule size is consistent which makes the viscosity of synthetic oil higher than that of regular oil. Advanced additives are used in synthetic oil which makes it ideal for use in motor engines. Technologically advanced additives ensure that the oil maintains its viscosity across a wider range of temperatures than is the case with regular oil. Synthetic oil is much more stable than regular oil. It flows properly even at very high temperatures which is not possible for regular oil. Regular oil poses problems when the engine is starting up as it is cool, but addition of friction buster makes synthetic oil perform just as well at low temperatures.
Thus it is clear that synthetic oil is designed in such a way to maximize engine performance by providing superior protection, reduced breakdown of oil due to high temperatures (reduced consumption), an improved mileage from the car, and a much reduced amount of deposits on the engine.
When the car is new, the engine is able to bear the brunt of all tough conditions and regular oil performs just as well. The problems tend to aggravate when the engine grows old. This is when it is always prudent to use synthetic oil instead of regular oil as it provides better protection to the engine and also improves the mileage of the car. There is gradual buildup of waxes and other impurities around the engine in due course of time. Use of synthetic oils slowly breaks this wax improving the performance of the engine.
Even new cars benefit from the advantages of synthetic oils as these days it is becoming harder to drive in cities with a lot of traffic jams where temperatures of car engines shoot up in minutes. Extra protection provided by synthetic oils keeps car engines cool even in these conditions and hence it is better to use synthetic oil right from the start.