So what if synthetic motor oil outlasts conventional motor oil.  Just change your oil more often you lazy bum!

Seriously though, synthetic oil is pricey and changing synthetic motor oil every 3,000 miles is not very cost effective.  Considering that synthetic oil truly lasts longer than conventional oil, you’re not going to be purchasing oil as often which might actually save you some money and you get the awesome benefits attached to synthetic oil like better gas mileage and superior engine protection (preventing costly breakdowns which saves you even more money).

What is synthetic oil and how does it last longer than conventional oil?

Synthetic oil has basestock oils that have been “synthesized” from component molecules (or heavily processed depending on the manufacturer).  What it boils down to is eliminating the native contaminants from the base oils and keeping separate the specific molecules of oil that provide the base viscosity, lubricating properties and resistance to breakdown.

In a nutshell this means that you have a pure starting point.  When your oil breaks down and/or becomes contaminated your oil is no longer capable of properly protecting your engine.  Synthetic oil can be engineered to prevent breakdown and subsequent self contamination while maintaining its base lubrication properties for longer.  Some conventional oils on the other hand are more prone to oxidation sludging and other depositing that changes the lubricating properties of the oil (as some say because they are not pure).

Certain synthetic oils will last longer in the tough environement of your engine as compared to conventional oils.

This really is an oversimplification of a complex topic but the point is in many cases the extra money spent on synthetic motor oil can be offset by extending the change intervals. The overall cost of operating your vehicle is going to go down and you’re still going to get excellent engine protection past that 3,000 mile mark.

So you can save money and protect your engine if you select the right synthetic motor oil for your application.