Replacing a $200 part once every 100,000 miles isn't exactly all that bad if you think about it. I'm still on my original opti at 85k. If I have to replace it every 100k I'm not all that concerned.

 

If you are doing the work yourself like you and I, you are right. Think of the poor slobs who are paying the dealer for this work like I did the first time. Cost me $1500 and a week in the shop because they couldn't figure it out.

Now you are comparing $1500 against the cost of a rotor and cap every couple of years. Suddenly it doesn't look like a good design change.

When you are mechanically inclined like most of the people on this board, you don't always see thinkgs like the most people who are payng a mechanic. It's times like this I thank my dad for showing me stuff!

 

I started using Valvoline Max Life about 4000 miles ago, and have noticed that less oil leaks now, and the car really seems to like it.

 

I've yet to be sold on synthetic oil. If something in my shortblock breaks, it sure as hell won't be because I was using conventional oil.

 

Hey Joe, Did you ever find out where your oil was leaking from?

 

Synthetic or not, a bad gasket or seal, is just that. Say your leaking less with Synthetic, is it really worth it to keep buying that expensive *** oil, than to just replace the worn gasket? Don't know about your area, but regular oil here is $1.89 +/- 10 cents, synthetic is like a buck extra usually, i'd rather fix the gasket problem. Like Joe Brodman, I'm not sold on synthetic yet. Especially after seeing sprint car guys go 2 seasons on a 800hp NA motor, with Penzoil.

 

When everyone mentions how lots of high hp race cars run conventional oil with no problems I kind of assume that those guys also change their oil after every race anyway??? If thats the case it probably wouldn't make much of a difference for them to use synthetic if they're going to change it for every race. For people that run their street cars hard and go 3-5k between changes I think synthetic is a better idea.

 

Mkay, you got me there. I just don't think bearing failures having any direct relation to oil type. There are motors that last 300,000mi on conventional, some go at 20,000mi. The same goes for synthetic oils. I think it really depends on the owner, tune-up schedules and how they drive their car. If anyone is that worried about it, and your car was built on a friday, go for it!