AAA: Synthetic Oil Outperforms the Cheap Stuff

Synthetic oil may lighten your wallet during an oil change, but a new study by AAA finds significant benefits under the hood. In an independent evaluation, synthetic oil outperformed its conventional counterpart by almost 50 percent, the agency announced today.

AAA's 59-page report documents a range of industry-standard tests. The agency evaluated synthetic and conventional oil in eight tests that analyzed things like deposit formation, low-temperature performance and oxidation viscosity. AAA found synthetic oil protects critical engine parts 47 percent better on average than regular oil. With superior resistance to deterioration, synthetic oil should benefit newer cars, as well as those with turbocharged engines and anything driven in a lot of stop-and-go traffic, towing conditions or extreme temperatures.

A few cars require synthetic oil, but AAA says all cars can benefit from it. The agency found nearly half of all drivers don't know if synthetic oil is any better for their engine or think it isn't. Some think it's nothing more than upsell gimmickry, a factor that may boost already-high distrust in repair shops. Still, 45 percent of drivers use the stuff, according to AAA.

The difference in price is nothing to sneeze at. Oil changes cost $38 on average with regular oil and $70 with synthetic, AAA found. But if you change your own oil, you can recoup some of the difference. AAA found five quarts of synthetic oil averages $45 — only $17 more than the cheap stuff. Synthetic oil also resists breakdown better than conventional oil, so you may be able to drive farther between oil changes. (Check your car's owner's manual, as well as the labels on the oil itself, for specifics.)

"It's understandable that drivers may be skeptical of any service that is nearly twice the cost of the alternative," said John Nielsen, AAA's managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair, in a statement. "While a manufacturer-approved conventional oil will not harm a vehicle's engine, the extra $30 per oil change could actually save money in the long run by protecting critical engine components over time."

What Is the Honda Fit's B1 Service?

 

The B1 service indicator popped up on our 2015 Honda Fit when the mileage hit roughly 14,000, signifying it was time for the Fit's second oil change following the A1 oil change at 6,800 miles. The Honda Fit's Maintenance Minder system sends an alert at specific intervals when certain services and maintenance tasks are due based on mileage and engine-operating conditions.

The "B" represents an oil and filter change plus mechanical inspection, while the "1" means it's time to have the vehicle's tires rotated. When the Maintenance Minder system indicates that your fit needs B1 service, the service should include the following inspections, according to the Honda Fit's owner's manual:

• Inspect front and rear brakes/service as necessary
• Check parking brake adjustment
• Inspect tie-rod ends, steering gearbox and boots
• Inspect suspension components
• Inspect driveshaft boots
• Inspect brake hoses and lines (including the antilock braking and vehicle stability assist systems)
• Inspect all fluid levels and condition of fluids (brake fluid, transmission fluid, coolant, etc.)
• Inspect exhaust system
• Inspect fuel lines and connections

Our local Honda dealership had its own interpretation of the B1 scheduled maintenance that included a brake service at an elevated cost even before taking a look at the brakes. We declined this front rotor cleaning and front caliper slide pin lubrication considering our car's low miles and owner's manual only suggesting service if needed.

Unlike the old days, when a pair of "snow tires" would be mounted to the drive wheels only for winter use, today we recognize that a vehicle should have four matching tires whether they be front tires or rear tires: same type, same model and, yes, even same degree of wear. The reason is simple: A car with four tires that behave the same — whether accelerating, braking or cornering — is balanced and predictable. If any of these factors are different at one or more wheels, traction characteristics can vary and performance will be unbalanced.

Tread depth is measured in 32nds of an inch, and most new tires typically have 10/32 to 12/32 (5/16 to 3/8) of an inch of tread. If a car's other tires have lost only 2/32 or up to maybe 4/32 of their original tread depth, it's probably OK to replace just the damaged tire.

There can be exceptions, though. Some manufacturers of all-wheel-drive vehicles recommend that all four tires be replaced, not just one or two, because a new tire will have a larger overall diameter than the other tires. The ones that have lost just a few 32nds of tread depth will spin faster than the new one, and the difference could cause an AWD system to engage on dry pavement and possibly damage the system.

On an AWD vehicle or one with a conventional four-wheel-drive system, all four tires would ideally be replaced at the same time so they all have the same amount of traction as well as the same diameter.

On a front- or rear-wheel-drive vehicle, similar guidelines apply. If half or more of the tread on all four tires is gone, replacing just one tire will result in one wheel spinning at a slower rate than the others, possibly sending false signals to the traction control and antilock braking systems. It also will result in one tire having more or less traction for acceleration, braking and cornering grip than the others, which can affect a vehicle's behavior. On a two-wheel-drive vehicle, regardless of being FWD or RWD, a better approach would be to replace the pair on the same axle. The best approach, though, is to replace all four if the tread on the old tires is significantly worn.

One way to avoid buying more than one tire is to have the tread on the new one "shaved" so it matches the depth of the others. Some tire dealers will shave off some tread depth on a special machine for a fee.

If you decide to replace only one tire, the replacement should be the same model, size and tread pattern as the others. A different brand or model tire will have even greater differences in traction and number of revolutions per mile, and it's likely to wear at a different rate. That means it could conceivably wear out faster than the others, even if it starts out with more tread depth.

Whether you decide to replace just one tire or more, tire experts advise that the new rubber should be mounted on the rear. If new tires are mounted on the front, the worn tires in the rear would be more susceptible to hydroplaning — riding on top of water on the road — and possibly causing the vehicle to rotate in a turn. The last thing you want to be doing in pouring rain is recovering from a spin.

2011 Audi S5 3.0 Cabriolet Prestige

Rare Prestige! Extra clean, well maintained, Carfax Certified 2011 Audi S5 V6 Prestige Convertible. It has been professionally wrapped pearl white (cost over $3,500). We wrap lots of high end vehicles, and this is one of the best we have seen. It comes with nice upgrades including cold air intake and AWE exhaust. Features include Bang & Olufsen Sound, navigation, backup camera, push button start, blind spot monitor, bluetooth, heated seats, xenon lights with LEDs, and more.

View more details here!

• Type: Used
• Model: S5
• Trim: 3.0 Cabriolet Prestige
• Body: 2D Convertible
• Exterior: Ibis White/Black Roof
• Interior: Black
• Doors: 2
• Stock#: 005021
• Model #: 8F754Y

• VIN #: WAUVGAFHXBN005021
• Mileage: 91715
• Engine: 3.0L TFSI V6 DOHC
• Transmission: 7-Speed Automatic S tronic
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Drive: quattro
• MPG*: 17 City / 26 Hwy
• Upholstery: Leather