Miata Mailing List: February 2000, Message #85

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Jim said:

> Just a chart I used some time ago to justify switching from Mobil 1 to
> Mobil regular.


> 200000    21   9              3000       1,400          600       800

Great chart.  I used it to justify staying with Mobil 1.  At 200,000 miles,
with oil changes every 3,000 I'll save $800 by using mineral oils.  At my
current rate of driving it will take me about 20 years to get to 200,000 and
I doubt that I'll still be driving my '90 Miata to work and back every day
in 2017.  That works out to $40 extra per year.  On the other hand, I've
bought and changed an engine in my car and I know that I'm not going out and
drop in a junkyard engine.  A new engine costs about $1400, add another $200
in gaskets, belts, hoses and fluids, and 3 long days of hard work. (I
couldn't do it on a Saturday) You should probably add in the inconvenience
and expense of having your car suddenly become unavailable.  I've had
coolant leaks and cooling fans fail.  I've seen the temperature gauge rise
over normal in these conditions and I feel a little better that I have
synthetic in there.

The other way I look at it is that most people drop $25 to have their oil
changed and it costs me $21 to do it with synthetic I'm already ahead.

I guess it all depends on your point of view.  I know people who almost
NEVER change their oil.  They trade up to a new model every 2 or 3 years and
the cars seem to run just fine without regular maintainance for 30 or 40K
miles.  It doesn't make any difference on the trade-in price if the oil has
been changed regularly or not.

Brian Dore'
Lafayette, LA