Synthetic Or Premium Conventional Oil
Premium conventional oil is new-car oil. All leading brands have one for service level SL, available in several viscosities. Carmakers usually specify a 5W-20 or 5W-30 oil, particularly for lower temperatures, with a 10W-30 oil as optional, particularly for higher temperatures, like the UAE.
Synthetic oils are made for high-tech engines, whether in a Chevy Corvette or Mercedes-Benz, which are full of synthetics. If these oils pass stringent special tests (indicated by their labeling), it means they have superior, longer-lasting performance in all the critical areas, from viscosity index to protection against deposits.
Performance & Engine Smoothness
You also may have noticed some loss of performance and engine smoothness as a result of engine wear on your higher-mileage vehicle. These higher-mileage oils also have somewhat higher viscosities. (Even if the numbers on the container don’t indicate it, there’s a fairly wide range for each viscosity rating and the higher-mileage oils sit at the top of each field).
They also may have more viscosity-index improvers in them. The result? They seal piston-to-cylinder clearances better and won’t squeeze out as readily from the larger engine bearing clearances. They also may have a higher dose of anti-wear additives to try to slow the wear process.
If you have an older vehicle, all of these features may mean more to you than what you might get from a full synthetic, and at a fraction of the price.
