I know full well what synthetic is, I use it in my 04 Dodge Ram. My question is this; today I took my 99 XJ8 into Jiffylube for an oil change and the tech told me that all new Jags NEED synthetic. I told him mine is 11 yrs old (to his surprise, yeah me). Anyway I popped the hood for him and he says red cap means synthetic only. I bought the car a week ago so I'm not going to argue. I paid about $105 in total for an oil change, thats nuts, I know I could of spent $30 and did it myself but I wanted the satisfaction of the 1st oil change being done somewhere else so they could spot anything else under there that I might not spot. Anyhow, after I settled up with the guy I asked him, "so what would happen if I did not use synthetic?", he says the car might stall out or something. Sounds like a lame excuse. I've never heard anything like that before, oil is oil, synthetic is oil with additives. What say you guys?

 

Note to self, never darken Jiffylube's door.
I do not expect Jiffylube workers to know the difference between synthetic and refined oil, but $105 for an oil change! Was it extra virgin synthetic?

 

Synthetic is obviously superior and may help keep the engine sludge free, but the local Jag dealer in my area does not use synthetic when changing the oil. They do charge a lot for a Jaguar branded filter, but the price is about $100.00 for an oil change with a car wash inside & out thrown in.

 

Jaguar issued a TSB (#100-10) about oil viscosity ratings, which specifically states cars in Mexico must use synthetic oil; for the rest of us, dino oil is allowed.
I personally use synthetic, but there is no empiric data to support its superiority in normal road use.

 

I could never understand why none of the Jaguar documentation specified the type of oil, only the weight.

Use of synthetic oil is a lot like faith; you either believe or you don't . . . or you are not sure and hedge your bets. There was a time not so long ago, from my perspective, when an engine with 100k miles was worn out. Now engines can easily reach 200k or more with regular care. Don't know if is because of improvements in oil, engines or both.

I switched to full synthetic years ago for all my vehicles and extended the change interval to 10k miles. Oil tests have indicated that full wear protection was still available at that mileage.

 

The best price I was able to find for the job in the Chicago suburbs is about $70, and that was using natural oil.

It seems that the biggest price component is the filter, but the car also takes at least a quart more than "average" vehicles...so, you'll never get anyone offering a coupon level price to do the job for the price on the coupon.

 

Absolutely correct. I've been on the hunt for decades and have found NO empirical data either.

Answer is both. There's no evidence that running synthetics will extend the life of an engine that was designed with conventional oil in mind (like the OPs car).

To the OP- you got scr*wed by the oil change place. Show him your owners manual and ask for your money back. The colour of the cap is meaningless with respect to oil type.

 

I use dino. My current model has 98K on it (had 48k when I bought it a couple years ago). I get my oil changed every 3 to 4 thousand miles for around $38 and they check the fluids/lights, wash the exterior windows, and vacuum the interior.

Joe
98 VDP

 

I agree that no proof exists for improved engine life with synthetic, but I am sure an engine using synthetic oil will look cleaner, with less sludge and deposits, even with extended change interval. Now, as to whether that means anything for longevity, I can only ASSUME that it helps- For reasons like buildup behind the rings and so on.

 

One word, SEALS - always use synthetic. I order it from main agents, at a very good price, and the AJ engine only takes 7lt.
________
Honda Wiki

 

The reason Jaguar doesn't specify synthetic oil is simple. It offers the first 4 oil changes free as part of the new car warranty. If it puts synthetic in the book even as an option, then everyone would demand synthetic oil for the 4 changes. This would cost the company a fortune at a time when they cannot break even.

One of the most elementary benefits to synthetic oil over mineral, and without entering into the myriad arguments for and against, is its extended service life. If you've ever taken an oil sample and had it tested, you'll likely be surpised with the synthetic oil the test lab is recommending keeping it in longer....much longer. As long as the oil continues to have useful life, it continues to do the job for which it was designed.

On that same theory of synthetic longevity, it is one of the reasons that transmission manufacturers have moved to a "seal for Life" (not to be taken literally) strategy, because of the extended additive package offered with synthetic ATFs.

 

And the difference in cost at OEM levels would be a few dollars per car at most. If Jaguar specified the brand in their literature (or even on the oil cap as GM once did) as being mandatory the oil companies would pay for the privilege.

 

Actually I thnik the net difference is the same, because if a priviledge is being paid for it would be paid too at the mineral level. Jaguar endorses Castrol, so I assume Castrol is the benefactor of the mineral endorsement.

 

The difference is that it's not stated as being mandatory, as was Mobil 1 on some Corvettes. That particular car and engine combo did indeed need a synthetic oil (for non-lubrication related issues) but any brand of synthetic would have worked equally well. GM opted for synthetics rather than dealing worth an engine design and cost issue and got paid well into the 7 figures by specifying a certain brand. A very good business decision but greatly misunderstood by the average consumer.

 

Yes, I know the deal with Corvettes and Mobil 1. This is a worldwide highly visible sport car. By that same token however, I don't think the same market value would be seen in the public's eye by Jaguar endorsing a brand. The fact that synthetics are not mandatory in Jaguar is precisely the point of the cost differential to Jaguar. I know if it were me and the book said to use either mineral oil or synthetic I would be in requesting, then demanding the dealer use synthetic.

Warranties are different in different parts of the world and I have no idea the real production numbers are by year, but lets say Jaguar sold 50,000 vehicles in North America (made-up number) in one year. If the delta in oil prices between mineral and synthetic was even $2 discounted or net (which I believe is low) to Jaguar, the cost differential to Jaguar to move to 4 free oil changes with synthetic is almost $3M.

It is spread over 4 years, but there are always 4 running MYs going at the same time, so more like $3m added cost per year just in free warranty. For the last few years Jaguar has made public statements that the two top reasons it could not make a profit is the dollar/pound conversion for its largest customer NA has worked against them and much higher than expected warranty costs to the company, so I think $3M would be a big number to Jaguar.

 

You'd make a good politician.

$2 extra per car per change. 4 free oil changes. = $8 per car. x 50,000 units= $400,000 not $3,000,000.

This cost would not be swallowed in one year unless all cars ran 40,000 miles per year. (10K oil change interval x 4 oil changes)

I think Jaguar would be delighted to sell 50K per year- and have them each driven 40K miles per year.

 

You'd do pretty well as a politician too:

$2 extra per QUART x 7 quarts per car x 50,000 x 4 free changes = $2,800,000 or almost $3,000,000.

 

Sorry, forgot your second point.

If 50,000 cars were sold this year, the first change on 50,000 cars are being done that were sold last year; the second change would be done on the 50,000 cars from two years ago; the third from three years and on.

$3,000,000 saved each year.

If 50,000 is too high, how about half that with a savings of $1,500,000?

 

If you wish to read and know more that you would like know about oil go here http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/cms/ It is a great resource.

 

OK, so it's no longer 50,000 cars that have been sold, it's 200,000 @ one oil change per year per car. Still comes down to $14 per car per year extra using your $7 per quart example. Big deal.

If there was a clear advantage to synthetics the OEM would recommend it and use it.