Synthetic oil is an artificially produced lubricant used in motors, including aircraft turbines, trucks and passenger cars. It performs better at extreme temperatures and produces longer engine life, but does have some disadvantages.
Synthetic oils tend to be thinner than conventional mineral-based oils. This can result in lower oil pressure in the engine. Too little oil pressure can increase the chances of mechanical problems over time.
In most cases, the lower friction level of synthetic oil is an advantage, but during the engine's break-in period -- when parts are new and may have rough edges -- lower friction can actually cause problems. Using ordinary oil at first, then switching to synthetic, can reduce the chances of trouble with break-in.
Synthetic oils are much more expensive than conventional mineral-based lubricants. According to Car Craft, synthetic lubricants cost 2 to 4 times more than regular oil, and can significantly increase the price of an oil change.
