How Can a Bad Gas Cap Cause a Check Engine Light?

Why Is It Important to Tighten Your Gas Cap?

When you replace your gas cap after filling up at the gas station, you have probably noticed that the gas cap clicks as you tighten it.  There is usually a sticker or a note on the gas cap that indicates to tighten it at least 3 clicks.  Some vehicles have a note that says the check engine light may come on if you do not tighten the gas cap at least 3 clicks.  Why is the engine so sensitive to the gas cap?

A Bad Gas Cap Can Cause the Check Engine Light to Turn On
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

The Gas Cap Helps Capture Fuel Vapors

The gas cap is part of the evaporative emission control system on a vehicle.  In the old days, gas caps simply had a small hole to allow fuel vapor to vent.  Modern vehicles have a system in place to capture these fuel vapors and prevent uncombusted hydrocarbons from escaping into the atmosphere.  Fuel vapors from the gas tank are routed through vacuum lines and the fuel vapor is condensed and fed into the engine, allowing the fuel to be burned in the vehicle's engine.

Why Does a Bad Gas Cap Cause the Check Engine Light to Turn On?

The evaporative emission control system has sensors to monitor for leaks to detect if fuel vapor is escaping.  If pressure is not maintained in the system, the check engine light comes on to indicate that fuel vapor is leaking.  One source of a leak can be a bad gas cap, a missing gas cap, or a gas cap that is not tightened fully.

Check Engine Light from Evaporative Emision Control System Fault- Bad Gas Cap
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Can Replacing the Gas Cap Turn Off the Check Engine Light?

Since tightening or even replacing a gas cap is easy and inexpensive, it is often the first thing to try to resolve a check engine light related to the evaporative emission control system.  You can use a OBD II code reader or scan tool to find information about the cause of the check engine light fault in your vehicle.  There are several codes related to the evaporative emission control system that could be caused by a bad gas cap:

• P0440
• P0455
• P0442

A Bad Gas Cap can Cause the Check Engine Light to Stay On
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Diagnostic Scan Tool from Amazon- read your own engine fault codes on any car 1996 or newer...

If you have one of these faults, make sure you have tightened your gas cap at least 3 clicks.  If your cap is tight and you still have the check engine light on, consider replacing the gas cap.  The cost of a replacement gas cap is about $15.  There are many possible causes for evaporative emission faults, but you can easily replace the gas cap yourself for a few dollars.  If you are lucky, this will resolve your check engine light.

The on-board computer may require a number of starts without detecting a fault to clear the check engine light, so it may take a few weeks to see if a new gas cap cleared the fault.  You can use a OBD II diagnostic scan tool tool to clear the fault.  This will turn off your check engine light so you can easily see if it returns or not with a new gas cap.

If tightening your gas cap or replacing your gas cap with a new one does not clear your check engine light, you may need to take your vehicle to a mechanic to diagnose the problem.

How I Made My Check Engine Light Turn Off By Replacing the Gas Cap

The check engine light on my car came on.  I used a code scanner to check the fault code and found the following fault codes:

• P0440 Evaporative Emission
• P0441 Canister Purge Valve

These fault codes can be caused by a number of issues with the evaporative emission control system, including the pressure pump, vacuum line leaks or a bad solenoid.  A faulty gas cap can also cause these faults.  I noticed that the gas cap was not clicking very firmly when I tightened it.  I decided to try replacing the gas cap since it was easy to do and does not cost very much.

I spent a few dollars extra to get an OEM gas cap from a dealer parts counter.  The advantage was that this gas cap included the plastic line that hooks onto the inside of the fuel door so you can allow the gas cap to hang while you are filling up.  The disadvantage of buying an OEM fuel cap was that it cost $22.  A generic gas cap costs about $5.

The result:  My check engine light turned off within a few days after replacing the gas cap.

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Fresh Step Paw Points: Get Free Stuff with Paw Points Rewards

What are Paw Points?

Paw Points is a reward program associated with Fresh Step cat litter.  When you buy a package of Fresh Step cat litter, the box may contain a coupon you can cut out that has a Paw Points code printed on the back.  Some packages of Fresh Step have a plastic envelope inside that contains the Paw Points coupon.  Don't throw this away- you can get free stuff if you save your Paw Points.

Stack of Fresh Step Paw Points
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

The large boxes of cat litter typically have a 50 Paw Points coupon, and smaller boxes have a coupon for 25 Paw Points.  I have also seen 45 point denominations.  The Paw Points codes can be entered at the Fresh Step website.  You can use Paw Points to get prizes and discounts on future cat litter purchases.

I have collected thousands of Paw Points!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

What Rewards and Free Stuff Can You Get with Paw Points?

At the Fresh Step website, there is a catalog of rewards.  Some examples of items you can get for free using Paw Points:

• Cat grooming items
• Cat toys
• Magazine subscriptions
• Pet photo merchandise
• $3 off Fresh Step coupon (costs 325 points)
• Cat litter scoops
• Cat litter mats

Automatic Litterbox Bargain from Amazon!

How Do You Get Paw Points?

You can find Paw Points on cardboard Fresh Step packaging.  It has a dotted line printed around the certificate- cut this out with scissors.  On the back, there is a Paw Points code that you can enter at the Fresh Step website to register your Pwaw Points.  You can also look through the rewards catalog and decide how to spend your Paw Points.

Paw Points from Fresh Step Cat Litter
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

How Much Are Paw Points Worth?

You can't exchange Paw Points for cash, but you can use Paw Points to get savings on cat liter.  For example, you can get a $3 off coupon for 325 Paw Points.  This puts the value of Paw Points at about $1 for 100 Paw Points.  So Paw Points are worth about 1 cent each.

You can purchase Paw Points on eBay.  Some people end up with Paw Points codes and have no use for them.




Recommended Reading:
Do Cat Claw Caps Work?  Are Claw Caps a Good Alternative to Declawing?

Hypoallergenic Cats- Best Cats if You Have Allergies

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Dog Cookies? Can You Really Get Cookies For Dogs?

What are Dog Cookies?

Dog cookies are dog treats that look like cookies.  Most dog treats look like they are made for dogs- they are brown colored and shaped like a dog bone.  Some dog treats are tube-shaped and filled with meat flavored filling- obviously not something that would be confused with a cookie.  But some dog cookies look just like real cookies.

Dog Cookies at the Pet Shop- I would eat something that looks like this!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

What is the Difference Between Dog Cookies and Regular Cookies?

The ingredients are the main difference between dog cookies and regular cookies.  Dog cookies do not contain chocolate because chocolate is harmful to dogs.  Sugar and corn syrup is also not included in dog cookies- these ingredients are bad for a dog's teeth since dogs do not brush and floss their teeth like people.

There are varieties of dog cookies that are gluten free for dogs that are sensitive to wheat products.  You can also buy or make vegetarian dog cookies that use flavorings like peanut butter or sweet potato instead of beef or chicken.

Tray of Dog Cookies- these look like real cookies!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

What is in Dog Cookies?

The base of most dog cookies is eggs and flour.  Dog cookies may also contain oat and rice ingredients such as oatmeal or rice flour.  Flavoring for dog cookies may include peanut butter, beef broth, chicken broth, or other flavors that dogs like.

These Dog Cookies Look Like Ginger Snaps
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Dog Cookie Recipes- Make Dog Cookies at Home

You can make dog cookies and homemade gourmet dog treats at home.  Below are links to a couple dog cookie recipes to make your own dog cookies with ingredients you can easily find at grocery stores or around the house:

Homemade Dog Cookies-Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal
Top Dog Cookie Recipes

Make Your Own Dog Cookies and Gourmet Dog Treats at Home
Image Courtesy of  Rebecca Paliwoda via Wikimedia Commons

Are Dog Cookies Ridiculous?

My first impression when seeing the dog cookies at the pet store was that dog cookies are ridiculous.  Do we really need dog treats that look like cookies?  Do dogs care what their treats look like?  But after further thought, I realized that dog cookies serve mostly to make humans happy.  People have fun giving their dog treats that look like real cookies.  This is sort of like giving your dog a collar with a cool design- the dog doesn't care what their collar looks like, but giving the dog a stylish collar makes the owner happy.  I think dogs would enjoy treats of any shape or design.  If making dog treats that look like cookies makes people happy, then why not?

Recommended Reading:
Pet Food: Why is dog food and cat food so expensive? Would it be cheaper to feed my pet meat?

Dog Sunglasses Buying Guide

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Survive Store Crowds at Clearance Sales and Doorbusters

Clearance Sales and Doorbusters- Surviving the Crowds

Tonight Walmart had a Black Friday Doorbuster event at 6pm on Thanksgiving evening.  Even though I enjoy getting a great deal, I usually avoid such events.  The crowds are not only annoying, but things can get tense as people jostle for spots in the parking lot jostle in the store to get to the items on the shelf.  The lines are another source of tension- people are always trying to cut into the long lines for the checkout.

Crazy Doorbuster Sale Store Crowd at Walmart Black Friday Sale.  This line goes all the way around the store in both directions!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

A Sale Worth Fighting Crowds

There were a couple deals that were too good to pass up.  Stores sometimes use loss leaders to generate interest in a big sale event.

I could get an iPad mini for $299 and get a $100 Walmart gift card in the deal.  That brings the price of the iPad down to $199 since I can use the Walmart for everyday items or for other gifts.  My wife has been wanting an iPad for years and with this deal I can finally get one for her.  They also had a new Xbox video game that was recently released for $20 off.  Also a great deal.  There was also a guarantee in place that if they ran out of items, you could get a raincheck and get the item for the sale price in time for Christmas.  I decided to head for the big clearance sale event.

When I arrived at the Walmart parking lot, I could tell what kind of shopping experience I would be having.  The parking lot was completely full.  I had to park in the parking lot of a nearby store and walk about a block just to get to the Walmart.  With the delay in parking, I arrived at the store at 5:59pm.

Walmart Doorbuster Sale Ad- These deals were too good to pass up!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Store Crowd Survival

Inside the store, things got considerably worse.  People were sort of lined up all over the place, some pushing carts full of stuff.  It was not clear if people were trying to stand in line or if they were trying to shop.  I was glad not to have a cart, so I could at least move around fairly easily to see what was going on.  I headed to the electronics department to find the iPad mini.  After winding my way through the crowd for about 10 minutes and reaching the electronics department, I found that there were no iPad minis in sight.

I found out that there was a method to the madness.  I talked to a store employee who had a map.  The special deals were set up at specific locations in the store.  The iPad minis were in the automotive department.  The video game special was in the deli department.  This must have made sense to someone.

At the automotive department, you could wait in line for a wristband, and then wait in line to get an iPad mini.  However, they were out of wristbands by the time I got there- this meant that the supply of iPad minis would be exhausted.  I was able to pick up a card so that I could pay for the iPad mini and still get the special price and $100 gift card.  Well worth the effort.

Next, it was off to the deli to find the video game deal.  The line here wasn't too bad, and I picked up a game disc.  I had both of the items I wanted, all that was left was to checkout.

The checkout line turned out to be huge.  The people with carts loaded with stuff that seemed to be milling about were in a sort of checkout line that snaked all around the store and doubled back in places.  It took awhile for me to figure this out, even after asking people in line and store employees.  No one seemed sure what the lines were for or where the lines started.  It took more than an hour to make it out with my two items.

Clearance Sale Crowd Outside Kohls Store
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Was It Worth Fighting the Crowd at the Store?

Overall, it took about 2 hours to purchase the clearance items and I saved about $120.  This works out to about $60 per hour for the extra effort to get a good deal.  I would say that for me, it was worth the trouble.  It is stressful not knowing how long it would take.  While I was in the giant line for the checkout, there were times I thought I would be stuck in line until after midnight.  But I got out of the store by 8pm after two hours of shopping excitement.

How to Survive Store Crowds at Clearance Sales and Doorbusters

• Figure out how much money you will save, and decide if it is worth fighting the crowds or not.  If you are saving $50 or more per hour, this would be worth it for most people.  You can skip the sale if it will not be worth your time.
• Prepare for other shoppers to be pushy, rude and cut in front of you at times.  There is not much you can do about this, it is part of the clearance sale experience.  Try to focus on all of the people who are not pushing you or cutting in line.  Some of the people in the crowd were actually pleasant to talk with and helpful to figure out what was going on.
• Stop and talk with a store employee as soon as you arrive to figure out how things work.  This would have saved me some time that I wasted fighting my way back to the electronics department when the items I wanted were set up in the automotive and deli departments.
• Prioritize the items you want to buy at the sale.  If you start running out of patience, you can cut your shopping list short and go home early.
• Have everyone in your shopping party carry a cell phone in case you get separated.  You can have one person wait in the long checkout line with the cart and others can retrieve items and bring them to the cart, all coordinated via cell phone and text messages.

Recommended Reading:

Find Bargains at Store Closing and Going Out of Business Sales
Sears Super Shopping: How I got 90% off at Sears

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Structural Insulated Panels- Save Money on Energy

What Are Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)?

Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are a construction material that replaces traditional framing, insulation, and sheathing for walls and roofs.  The Structural insulated panels consist of a sheet of oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood on the outside with a layer of rigid foam insulation in the middle and another layer of OSB or plywood on the other side of the foam insulation.  The result is a panel that is structurally very strong and that has excellent insulation properties.  The R-value of the SIPs can be increased by using a thicker layer of rigid insulation.  The thickness of structural insulated panels typically ranges from 4.5 inches to 12.25 inches depending on the SIP manufacturer.  The R-value of panels of this thickness typically ranges from R-16 to R-48.

Structural Insulated Panels- A layer of structural sheathing, a layer of rigid foam insulation, and another layer of structural sheathing
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

What Are the Advantages of Structural Insulated Panels over Traditional Construction Methods?

One advantage of SIPs is that they provide an airtight envelope for your building.  This reduces cold air from coming in during the heating season, and improves the energy efficiency of a building.  Since the SIPs are manufactured indoors in a factory setting, the quality and consistency of SIPs is very good.  Traditional wall construction may leave rounded corners and gaps that allow air flow.  Fiberglass insulation that is used in traditional construction loses some of its R-value at lower temperatures due to convective air currents in the insulation.  SIPs do not lose R-value at low temperatures.

SIPs can be delivered that have chases for electrical wiring in the rigid foam layer.  This eliminates the need to drill through studs to route wiring.  SIPs come in various sizes ranging from 4 foot x 8 foot panels up to 4 foot x 16 foot panels to facilitate a variety of building plans.  SIPs can be used in wall construction and in roof construction.

SIP construction usually results in buildings that are strong, quiet, and energy efficient.

Do Structural Insulated Panels Cost More Than Traditional Construction?

The material cost for SIPs tends to be higher than the material cost for studs, fiberglass insulation, and sheathing.  However, the labor cost may be lower since the panels can be installed quickly, and there may be less material waste since the panels can be ordered in the desired sizes.

For a rough idea of the cost of SIPs, you can buy a 4 foot x 8 foot SIP that is 4.5 inches thick for about $125.  A panel of this thickness provides an insulation value of R-16.  You can get a panel 8.25 inches thick that provides R-32 for $150.  Different manufactures of SIPs use different types of material and different quality material, so it is useful to check structural insulated panel specifications and prices from more than one manufacturer.

The energy savings from using SIPs may offset any increased cost of construction.  The R-value and vapor barrier qualities of SIPs are considered to be very superior to traditional construction.  Since the interior of the SIP consists of a solid material, there is no opportunity for air leakage or convective air currents though the structural insulated panel.

Structural Insulated Panels at a Construction Site: R-14 and R-18 SIPs
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

What Are the Disadvantages of Structural Insulated Panels?

As with any new technology, SIPs cost a bit more than traditional building materials.  Another drawback is that it may take some work to find construction contractors who are experienced with SIPs.  There are some special tools and methods required if you need to modify SIPs on the job site.

There are some considerations for installing cabinets into a structural insulated panel wall instead of a traditional wall with studs.  Plywood may need to be attached to the SIP wall behind the cabinets, or additional fasteners may need to be used to attach cabinets directly to a SIP wall.

For SIP roof construction, some asphalt single manufacturers will not honor the warranty if singles are installed directly on a structural insulated panel roof.  The roof can get slightly hotter and may reduce the life of the shingles.  There are construction techniques to add a cool layer above the SIP, or you can use a different roofing material to avoid asphalt shingles.

Structural Insulated Panel Recommendations

• Consider SIPs for your next construction project to reduce energy costs
• Get an estimate from a contractor who has experience building with SIPs
• Structural insulated panels are one of the preferred construction methods for building super high energy efficiency homes and commercial buildings

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Windshield Water Repellent: Rain X vs Car Wax

Windshield Water Repellent

Windshield water repellent makes water bead up on your windshield, increasing visibility when driving in rain or snow.  This is similar to the effect that you see with freshly waxed metal surfaces on your car.  Visibility problems occur when water spreads out over the surface of your windshield.  Water repellent makes water try to minimize its contact with your windshield.  The result: water pulls into tight droplets that don't interfere as much with your visibility.  Another benefit: water will blow off of your windshield without even using your windshield wipers.  Water repellent also makes it easier for your windshield wipers to push water off of the windshield.

There are two ways to get the benefit of water repellent for your windshield: Rain X or car wax.

Windshield Water Repellent with Rain X or Car Wax
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Rain X Windshield Water Repellent

Rain X Windshield Treatment

There are a couple of Rain X products that you can put on your windshield to repel water to improve visibility in rain or snow.  After application of Rain X, water beads up on the windshield instead of spreading across the windshield.  I found that I don't need to use my windshield wipers unless it is raining fairly hard.  Water stays beaded up and even blows off of the windshield while driving.

Rain X Windshield Treatment provides the water repellent treatment for your windshield.  This liquid compound is applied to the windshield like car wax.  After it hazes over, it wipes off and leaves your windshield water repellent for a few months.

Rain X 2 in 1

Rain X 2 in 1 Glass Cleaner and Rain Repellent sprays on and wipes off just like glass cleaner such as Windex.  Like the original Rain X formula, Rain X 2 in 1 also leaves your windshield water repellent for better visibility in wet weather.

Use Car Wax as Windshield Water Repellent

When I used the original Rain X formula, it reminded me a lot of car wax.  In fact, the effect of Rain X on a windshield is very similar to the effect of car wax on metal.  I decided to try applying car wax to my windshield to see if it would provide the same water repellent effect as Rain X.  My bottle of Rain X was long empty, and my windshield was making it very hard to see if there was any rain at all.

Use Synthetic Car Wax as Windshield Rain Repellent
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

I was a little nervous about trying car wax on my windshield.  My fear was that the wax would get hazy and then be very hard to remove from the windshield.  This turned out not to be the case- the wax went on easily and came off easily.  I used Meguiars Tech Wax 2.0, which is a full synthetic wax.




I pulled my car in the garage with the windshield damp from driving in a light rain.  I placed a small amount of synthetic car wax on a clean cloth and applied it to one half of the windshield in the same manner as waxing a car.  I added a bit more wax to my rag and waxed the other half of the windshield.  I had a light coat of wax evenly over the entire windshield.  I allowed the wax to try and haze over for about 10 minutes.  The wax came off of the glass windshield even easier than it comes off of the metal of the car body.  It was very easy to remove the wax and it left the windshield looking very clean.  The windshield felt very slippery to the touch.

How to use car wax as windshield water repellent:
Step 1. Clean your windshield and moisten it with a little water
Step 2. Apply a light coat of car wax to your windshield
Step 3. Let the wax haze over for about 10 minutes
Step 4. Remove the car wax with a clean cloth by hand- use a circular buffing pattern

Of course, I had to take the car for a drive in the rain to see how well car wax works as windshield water repellent.

Windshield with Water Repellent from Car Wax
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

The car wax worked great as water repellent.  The water beaded up and blew off of the windshield without even turning on the windshield wipers.  What an improvement!  The result is very similar to using Rain X.

If you are using car wax on your windshield, avoid using any wax that has abrasives to avoid making tiny scratches in your windshield.  Also, I would recommend buffing lightly by hand rather than using a power orbital buffer.  Again, this is to avoid scratching your windshield.  A final note, if you have small rock chips or scratches in your windshield, the wax can fill these in and turn white, making these imperfections more noticeable.

My windshield is in good condition, with only one very minor windshield rock chip.  Overall, I think the results of using car wax as windshield water repellent worked very well.

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Synthetic Oil vs Regular Oil

What Is Synthetic Motor Oil?

Synthetic Motor Oil- Mobil 1
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Conventional motor oil (also called regular motor oil) is refined from crude oil pumped out of the ground.  Crude oil contains hydrocarbon chains ranging from very short (thin liquid) to very long (thick liquid or gel).  During the refining process, the crude oil is separated into different thicknesses to create products for specific purposes.  Even though the refining process creates petroleum products of similar consistency, there is still a lot of variability in the hydrocarbon chains that are contained in regular motor oil.




Synthetic motor oil is made in an industrial process.  The specific length of the carbon chains can be controlled by the manufacturing process to create a more consistent motor oil.  The result is that synthetic motor oil can withstand higher temperatures and is more slippery than regular motor oil.  It takes a lot of energy and processing to make synthetic motor oil in a factory- this is why it costs more than conventional motor oil.

Advantages of Synthetic Motor Oil over Regular Oil

Regular Motor Oil / Conventional Motor Oil- Pennzoil
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Synthetic motor oil is carefully formulated to function well for lubrication and heat transfer in the harsh environment on an automobile engine.  Regular motor oil breaks down more quickly under the high temperature in an engine.  Synthetic motor oil lasts longer- it continues to deliver effective lubrication and heat transfer to an engine longer than conventional oil.




The longer life of synthetic oil means that you could go longer between oil changes, potentially making up for the higher cost of the oil.  This also has the advantage of contributing less waste to landfills and recycling centers.  If you can go twice as long on an oil change, you are throwing away half as much used motor oil and half as many used oil filters.

Another advantage of synthetic motor oil is improved gas mileage.  Synthetic oil is really slippery stuff and retains excellent lubrication properties for a long time compared with regular oil.  Better lubrication means that you waste less energy on friction and get more efficiency from your engine using synthetic oil.

Disadvantage of Synthetic Oil

Sometimes Conventional Oil is Better...

In the early days, synthetic oil caused problems in many engines.  The additives that condition seals inside the engine were not the same as in regular oil.  Seals dried out when running on synthetic oil, and even newer engines would start leaking oil.  This problem has been overcome by advancement in the formulation of additives to synthetic oil.

However, oil leakage is still a problem with older engines.  Synthetic oil is so slippery that it leaks more easily in older engines than regular oil.  My Honda Civic with about 170,000 miles had been running great on full synthetic oil- then it started leaking oil.  After some research, I decided to switch from full synthetic to regular oil.  The oil leaking completely stopped after changing from synthetic oil to regular oil.

Cost of Synthetic Oil vs Regular Oil

Synthetic oil costs about $8 per quart for name brands like Mobile 1.  Regular motor oil costs about $5 per quart for name brands such as Pennzoil, Valvoline, and Quaker State.  So, a rough estimate is that full synthetic oil is about twice as expensive as conventional oil.

What about Cheaper Synthetic Blend Oil?

Synthetic Blend Motor Oil- Motorcraft
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Synthetic Blend is a mixture of synthetic oil and regular oil.  The main advantage of synthetic blend is that it costs less than full synthetic oil.  The cost of synthetic blend is about $6 per quart.  The performance of synthetic blend oil is intermediate between full synthetic oil and conventional oil.  You get some of the benefit of synthetic oil and pay some of the extra cost.

Is It Worth Spending More on Synthetic Motor Oil?

Synthetic Oil Recommended For Newer Cars and Highway Driving

My opinion is that if you drive a newer vehicle and drive mostly highway miles, using full synthetic oil is a good value.  You get better protection for your engine, you get slightly better gas mileage, and you can go a bit longer between oil changes.  All of these benefits are possible because of the increased performance of synthetic oil relative to regular oil.

The extra cost of synthetic oil can be largely offset by going slightly longer between oil changes than you would if you were running with conventional oil.  For example, the oil change interval for my Honda Civic is 10,000 miles.  If I am running conventional oil, I might go in for an oil change every 5,000 to 7,500 miles.  With full synthetic, I would be comfortable going the full recommended oil change interval between oil changes, reducing the number of oil changes I would need.

Synthetic Oil Not Recommended For Older Cars or Severe Driving Conditions

If you do stop-and-go city driving, or short trips that do not fully warm up your engine, you might want to consider more frequent oil changes.  Your oil will need frequent changes due to increased contaminants from your engine accumulating in your oil and  from faster break-down of your oil under severe driving conditions.  The need for frequent oil changes makes synthetic oil less attractive.  Conventional oil might be a better option if you are doing frequent oil changes anyway.

The life of the oil filter is another important factor.  Oil filters consist of paper filters and have a pretty limited life.  Even if your oil can go a long time, your filter is a limiting factor on how long you should go between oil changes.  Severe driving conditions can shorten the life of your oil filter as well as your oil.

If you have an older engine, synthetic oil may tend to leak more.  If your car is leaking oil you may want to avoid synthetic oil.

Can You Save Money Using Conventional Motor Oil?

Conventional oil is less expensive than synthetic oil.  If you change your oil frequently, you can save money by simply using conventional oil since it is less expensive.  You can save $20 to $30 per oil change using conventional oil rather than synthetic oil.  The value of synthetic oil is that it can last longer and offer better protection for your engine.  Conventional oil is adequate for normal driving conditions if you change the oil frequently enough.  Using a synthetic blend is an option to get some of the benefits of increased protection and oil life without paying the cost for full synthetic oil.

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy