My past experiences with synth oil make me think that the sooner you switch to synthetic the better for the engine...
Anybody has any thoughts or experiences on synthetic in this specific engine i.e. TC 4L?

I have 600 miles on my car at this point...

 

do your first oilchange at 1K. switching to synthetic at this point is a very wise decision.

 

Civic,

Why wait untill 1k?

 

I think mineral oil is useful for lubricating rusty parts, sticking door hinges, squeaking wheels, etc :D Not sure if it is good to use it in an internal combustion engine. (saw "mineral oil" in the title, couldn't help myself)


I wonder if synthetic oil is really necessary considering I've been able to rack up tons of miles(197K and counting) on my POS truck by using standard 10w-30. Maybe synthetic can get you another .5mpg.

 

wait til 1K to allow for all loose metal particles (even microscopic) to make their way to the filter.

either that, or change your oil again in 500 miles.

 

Thanks for pointing out the "mineral oil".
As far as synthetic oil goes, it is just better. Better lubrication, longer life, higher falsh point, higher boiling point etc etc makes us believe that it is better.
Same goes for other synthetics like synth. steering and brake fluids.
Why? Because they were DESIGNED to meet specific physical requirements.
For instance synth ATF has much higher boiling point so it does not require dedicated ATF cooling system...

There is one thing I learned from my experiences with cars: do not save on maintenance as repair are usually more costly... If you are spending $$$ on PIAAs or body kits do not neglect the powertrain. Get the best oil and change it frequently.