Date:         Sun, 23 May 2010 07:58:03 -0500
Reply-To:     mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Castrol and BP
Comments: To: RAlanen@AOL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <18be1.455d17dd.392a5b99@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Ok, at the U.S. price (I'm not in Canada), if the filter is $6, then I'd be paying $6/qt for the oil.  I change every 3k miles to keep things clean.  Dirt is dirt, whether carried by synthetic or conventional oil.  My experience with conventional oil is that engines run way beyond the time that a car chassis is trash (not so in Vanagon, I realize, but .......... .)  Where are the economics in paying double the price of conventional oil?  If I drive the vehicle 150k miles (not likely at my age and driving rate, but ......... ), then I will change the oil 50 times.  At $6/qt that's $1200, or $600 extra that I could use on trips or something for Bonnie.  Will I actually get more miles on the vehicle if I use synthetic?  Haven't seen enough evidence to convince me yet, and I don't choose to leave the crud in the engine by extending the changes, as advised by many is wise.  Help me to understand, please.

BTW, I also realize that a few vehicle manufacturers are starting to require synthetic oil to keep a vehicle in warranty.  But that's not our vehicle, which was engineered when conventional oils were generally heavier and had different additives from those in our present generation of conventional oils (which is why we go out of our way to find 20W50).  Different from the synthetics, too, of course.

Thanks again, David

---- Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM> wrote:
> In a message dated 22/05/2010 6:12:44 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
>         AND, 5 litre jugs of Mobile  1, 15w50 on sale at Canadian Tire this
> week for $29.39 CAD !
>
> >>>>>>>>>I know you said conventional,  but a reminder...Mobil-1 full
> synthetic and
> Mobil-1 filter is 29.99 for a  gallon at Autozone till  5/31/10.<<<<<<<<<<
>
>
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank  Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
> (http://frankcondelli.com/trainsal.htm) )
> _Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://frankcondelli.com/busindex.html)  -
> Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
> (http://frankcondelli.com/exhaust.htm)
> _BusFusion_ (http://www.busfusion.com/)  a VW Camper  camping event,
> Almonte, ON, June 10 ~ 13,  2010

--
David McNeely