On a new car when should you start using synthetic oil?

Answer

You should start using synthetic oil right away.

The engines in today's cars don't go through a "break in period" like older cars did because the cylinders and pistons are machined to very tight tolerances.

Advancements in CNC machining centers and materials have eliminated the traditional break in period. That is why today's engines will run for more than 300,000 miles compared to just 25 years ago when a car with 100,000 miles on it was considered scrap.

However, you should still change the oiland filter as recommended in your owner's manual. Some people mistakenly think that they don't need to change their oil as often if they use synthetic oil. This is wrong because contaminants from the engine's combustion still get into the oil and the only way to get rid of it is to change the oil & filter regularly.

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