At 12:31 PM 11/11/2008, Ken Wilford wrote...
>There are so many other full synthetic alternatives at this point.

Principally because Castrol won a case in front of an oil industry
marketing board which let them call a petroleum based Group III oil,
"synthetic."

Don't assume that a "synthetic" oil is what most people consider
synthetic (PAO/ester basestock, which start from hydrocarbons other
than crude oil). Castrol Syntec, for example, is made from petroleum.
It was once PAO based, but they changed in the late 90's to a much
cheaper basestock without lowering the price. Ripoff. Marketing allows
them to do so.

Group III oil is good, but not worth the premium many manufacturers
charge.