My wife has a 2015 Nissan Altima that she got new. It has a little over 30,000 miles on it. The recommended oil is 0W/20 but the Owner's Manual says that 5W/30 is an acceptable substitute. I've been changing the oil and filter every 3,000 miles since new using Valvoline 5W/30 conventional oil. I can only find 0W/20 in a synthetic. I don't care that the synthetic costs more. Should I switch over to the 0W/20 synthetic? We typically keep our vehicles a long time.

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'Merica!

I use Valvoline 0/20W synthetic-blend. I change my new car every 5000 miles. I believe the manual states every 7500. I use whatever is indicated in the car manual or printed on the oil manifold cap.

I buy Mobil 1 at Wal-Mart
My 2000 Nissan "Desert Runner P/u V-6 uses 10wx30 High Mileage.
It is now approaching 100,000 miles, and uses ZERO oil between changes.
I always change the oil filter at the same time. Always.....
My 2010 Mazda 6 GTI with the 4 cyl has 77,000 miles on it.
It has only run on Mobil 1 5w20.
I change the oil and filter on it every 5,000 miles.
I do all my own changes with drive-up ramps.
Used oil is collected in plastic oil pan which is large and made for this purpose.
I have 2 of these collector pans.
When my pans get full, I take them back to Wal-Mart and they empty them in their waste oil tank.
This is something I can still do,,,at my 78 years.
Both of my vehicles DO NOT consume any oil between changes.

I would run the synthetic 0w20 and run it 5-6k miles. Check your level periodically, you'll be fine.

A quick google search looks like 0W-20 is synthetic only. Lots of car forums filled with guys looking for conventional 0W-20 and nobody seems to know......

As was already mentioned, if you do switch over to full synthetic, you can extend your oil change intervals - probably double them.
To drop synthetic oil at 3,000 miles is unnecessary and waste of money. Synthetic actually doesn't cost much more when you figure that you can run it twice as long.

Will synthetic help your engine last longer? Likely.
Should you switch? Personal preference.

Go with what is recommended. I doubt the "acceptable substitute" would hurt anything, but it isn't optimal.

If it were my car, I would also change at the intervals recommended in the manual. I would bet it's more than 3,000 miles. Of course, they usually give several intervals depending on how you drive (lots of short hops or long freeway trips) and the conditions (dusty or not). For myself, changing oil every 3k miles would be wasting money.

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You're shy a few manners.

I'm with Mr. Chuck-whatever the weight, it's Mobil 1 for me from Wally world.

I use synthetic in all my cars, and change every 5,000 miles. A few dollars here and there aren't going to kill me.

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

For what Walmart sells Mobil1 for it's kind of crazy not to use it. I'm guessing CNY is central N.Y. and 0w20 synthetic would be fine in that climate. Use a decent brand filter and change every 5k to 6k.

Yes, Central New York...Syracuse area....not to be confused with New Yawk City. LOL.

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'Merica!

I recall reading somewhere that 0-20 is often recommended (and run in test cars) to increase fuel efficiency for the purpose of meeting federal standards for their fleets. The alternate weight oils are then documented as what works fine ( or even best.)
Not sure if it's true or not.

FWIW: I'm an advocate of running synthetic oil to 6500 mi or so . I've been doing this for the last 15 years or so (coming from running dinosaur oil for 3000 mi.). Protection is just as good and the cost is a wash given the savings of 1/2 as many oil changes.

p.s. I can't remember the last time I've experienced , or heard of a oil/wear related engine problem of any kind from ANY engine that received regular oil changes of any kind.

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Dave

I poured oil in my last car and sold it around 300k miles. I pour synthetic oil in my current car (has to be synthetic) and I have 100k on it now. Bought with 30k. Seems that if I use oil it works. For the life of me I couldn't tell you the name brand or the W#

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

That reminds me of a story. Many young years ago I changed my oil in my car. Gathered it a plastic pan. One day I was going to dump it and my neighbor came running over to my house. He said, don't throw that oil away. Why? He took it and added to his 'oil dripping' Plymouth Duster to keep the level up. He didn't care what brand or the weight. In fact, he didn't change the oil filter. Maybe oil is oil.

I changed the oil and filter yesterday before I started this topic here. I used 5W-30 conventional. I'll think about this for the next 3,000 miles, but I'll probably switch to the 0W/20 synthetic next time.

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'Merica!

I've been a firm believer in synthetic oils since 1977 when I bought a new Trans Am. It has served me very well ever since then with no oil related engine problems ever. And it is better than a conventional oil that is manufactured from petroleum. Synthetics are made from methane gas and are an engineered molecule specially designed for lubrication and to resist breakdown of the molecule. I change mine every 5000 miles as that is easy keep track of.

Think there is a lot of advertising dollars spent promoting "synthetic". By the time the refineries get done none of it is what Mother Nature made. Modern oils are formulated for mileage and so they don't kill catalytic converters,if you tried using it in a old school motor it would kil the cam quick. The hot rod guys have to buy special breakin oils now days.

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

That is exactly the stated reason, synthetic oil reduces friction of the moving parts in the engine more than conventional oil, increasing gas mileage. Or so they say. I can't imagine it increases it very much. The owner's manual for my Mazda 5 specifies 7500 mile change intervals, but I usually go somewhat beyond that, as the (synthetic) oil on the dipstick still looks clean. The manual also says that conventional oil is OK, but recommends synthetic.

Back in my uteful days I rounded off the drainplug to my Toyota Carina (yes, it was a model). Cheap Straus Auto tools, hey I was poor.
I just kept adding oil when the level got low. Ran about 100K and sold it to a friend, he ran it for years afterwards.

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

There is usually a chart in the owners manual showing the preferable oil weight per the average temperature range. Todays oils are light years ahead of what you've used when 3000 mile oil changes were the norm. A lot of manufacturers recommend 7500 mile oil changes now and thats not even with synthetic. Engines are better built and last longer than ever. I would go with what the manufacture recommends for the temperature range in the area where you live. I have over 50 years experience in the automotive industry and don't offer advice unless it's correct. Whatever you do always use a quality oil and filter. Cheap filters get you broken parts.

DW

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"NUTS"

I agree with DWFan, except about Fram. There are better filters available. Look at the "Bob Is The Oil Guy" website for lots of information and informed opinions.

Some people say that the manufacturers went to 0W20 to help get their mile per gallon numbers up to government requirements. I'm not sure you can even measure the difference, maybe a tenth of a mile or so per gallon.

Some people say 0W20 gives a slight increase in horsepower, for the same reasons it gives better mileage.

Some people say that 0W20 flows better into the smaller engine passage ways of today's cars. Supposedly, tolerances are a lot tighter now.

Who can point to scientific testing that proves any of the above? Mostly, people talk about it "feeling" better.

I think 10W30 will work just fine in your engine. Some people seem to prefer it over 0W20. Speaking for myself, I go with what is recommended, but I can't point to anything that proves 0W20 will make enough difference to worry about.

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You're shy a few manners.