Synthetic motor oil has become increasingly popular in today’s society and people have educated themselves about the money they can save by using them. From grease to gear lube, lubrication is essential for a car.

For several thousand years, the Romans used animal fat that was dipped in a cloth to lubricate the wheels of their wagons. Things started to look up in the 19th century with the industrial revolution. Major changes occurred in the transportation industry, as well as in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing. The first real synthetic oils appeared during World War II used in aircraft engines.

Synthetic motor oil compared to petroleum-based products is a bit more expensive to purchase initially, but the savings will add up very quickly. For example:

Let’s say you buy petroleum-based oil and filter for your car and do your own oil changes. The cost of that oil, depending on where you go and what brand you buy, could be around 4-5 dollars a quart and a filter for about the same price as a quart of oil, depending on the brand and store you get it from. Now, for the sake of conversation, we’ll use some simple math to show how synthetic motor oil can save you money.

All of us who have driven a while have been conditioned to change the oil in a vehicle around three thousand miles. The cost of an oil change per change is only about thirty dollars. Let’s say you drive fifteen thousand miles in a year. That’s five oil changes which equals roughly a hundred and fifty dollars you’ll spend on oil and filter.

The cost of a synthetic motor oil per quart, again depending on where you buy it, can run as high as ten dollars per quart, which is double that of petroleum motor oil and a good quality filter up to fifteen dollars. That’s three times the cost!

(This is where you’ll save money by using synthetic motor oil.) The formulation of some synthetic motor oils will get you fifteen thousand miles on a single change. You can spend $65 for an oil change with synthetic oil for fifteen thousand miles, or you can spend $150 on petroleum-based oils for the same number of miles driven. That’s a huge savings over a one-year period, not to mention these factors:

• You will save the time of four oil changes per year when you use synthetic motor oil.

• From an ecological point of view, there is less used oil to dispose of and that helps the environment.

• Synthetic motor oils reduce friction which in turn reduces heat which will prevent wear and tear on the vehicle.

• You will see a difference in fuel efficiency with synthetic oil.

• Easier starts in cold weather.

All of these benefits add up to help reduce operating costs. Synthetic motor oil is a way to save money, time and help preserve the environment.