There are many choices and options for keeping your car's engine in great health. Synthetic oils and oil additives serve somewhat different purposes, so do you need both for your gasoline engine? Let's take a closer look at the differences, the benefits, and when it makes sense to use them together.

The Benefits of Synthetic Oils

Synthetic oils are specially made to outperform the standard, conventional oils. Conventional oils, though, get their supply from crude oil. Synthetic oils, on the other hand, were engineered in labs to work under a wide range of conditions. This gives them several major advantages over the standard oils.

One major benefit of synthetic engine oils additives  is that they perform great even at extreme temperatures. Synthetic oil will flow much better in cold weather, which reduces stress on the engine every time you start it from a cold state. High temperatures are no issue for synthetic oils because they will not break down as conventional oils tend to when exposed to high temperatures. Your engine can have consistent protection regardless of the weather.

Synthetic oils also tend to last longer. They don't need to be changed as often as conventional oils, so you can cover more miles before requiring an oil change. That may save time and make hectic maintenance visits less frequent, which is a bonus.

Finally, synthetic oils maintain a cleaner engine. Since they are chemically more stable, they produce less sludge and other deposits. This enables the engine to operate efficiently and could lead to smoother running and even better fuel economy.

Synthetic oil can be enough to protect the engine of your car and is amazing for many drivers. Especially if your car is new or gets regular miles, this is especially true. At other times, though, drivers add oil additives to synthetic oils to get more specific benefits.

Adding Oil Additives to Synthetic Oil—When It Makes Sense

While synthetic oils have many benefits, some drivers use extra oil additives for additional protection of the engine. This might become especially useful for older engines, engines operating with heavy loads, or in severe climates.

Wear Protection

Additives may be an excellent supplement for added protection against wear if you have older or high-mileage engines. Years can work the engine over both inside and out, causing minor leaks or increased wear on parts. Additives that reduce wear or seal minor leaks can give those older engines a little extra protection to run a little better and last longer.

High Load Vehicles

The cars and vehicles that operate in touch conditions, such as tow trucks or hauling vehicles, deal with extreme conditions. In those conditions, additives like friction reducers can help the synthetic oil protect the engine parts. It helps the engine work more efficiently without being susceptible to breakdowns!

Extreme Climates

In climatic conditions, additives can continue to improve the performance of synthetic oil. High temperatures will need additives that increase the viscosity of the oil, which then will prevent it from getting too thin. If the climate is cold, other additives maintain the fluid flow of oil, so it performs well on cold starts.

In the above-mentioned situations, it is evident that oil additives blended with synthetic oil provide a lot of benefits.

Can You Use Synthetic Oil without Additives?

Well, the simple answer is yes, but then again, the simple answer is in the case of an ideal scenario, not in extreme conditions.

Synthetic oils can offer enough protection without the need for additives. As of today, modern synthetic oils already have a variety of additives to keep the engine clean and free of wear. This is essentially an all-in-one approach to ensuring that synthetic oil alone is usually enough to cover the basic needs of most engines.

However, some drivers do utilize both synthetic oils and extra additives for peace of mind. This is especially true if there are certain needs for the engines or if it is an older car. Although this is not considered necessary, they can give extra protection if you want to keep the older or overworked engine.

The Drawbacks of Additives

Adding oil additives to synthetic oil does have an upside in many cases but is never a good choice. Overuse of additives can sometimes spur chemical interactions that cut against rather than enhance oil performance. In some cases, additive use can make oil too viscous to flow.

Also, synthetics already come prepared with additives in the mix, so there is little point in adding extra products. Spending money on additives is a waste if you already have quality synthetic that has been formulated for the kind of driving done by the vehicle.

The choice between synthetic oil, oil additives, or both depends very much on the needs of your car and your driving habits. A newer car with generally normal conditions should be just fine using only synthetic oil.

If you have an older vehicle or drive in extreme weather, you can supplement those uses with additives designed for the synthetic oil. Read your car's manual or talk to a mechanic if you're unsure whether you'd have an advantage using additives on top of what the synthetic oil offers.

The Final Judgment

Synthetic oils and oil additives both have their benefits, but they serve somewhat different purposes. Synthetic oil alone is a great upgrade for most gasoline engines, which gives you durability, better temperature performance, and fewer oil changes. For those wanting an extra layer of protection, especially on an older car or a car expected to get put into challenged environments, adding oil additives to synthetic oil does this.

In most cases,synthetic oil  alone will do the job, but if you want that added peace of mind, specific oil additives can be a helpful addition. So the decision would come down to the needs of your engine and how much you wish to spend to keep it running right.