Oils and modern engines

["Tim Hancock" <timhancock@domain.elided>]

What is going on with oil? I've just seen a Vauxhall/Opel (GM) press release
announcing two 'new' synthetic oils for the Vectra which extend the oil change
interval to 20,000 miles for petrol and 30,000 miles for diesel. These are
0W-30 and 5W-40. Later they say "Owners of the new Vectra are advised never to
use conventional 15W-40 oil"

I have seen a similar release for Audi/VW/Skoda/Seat with regard to their TDI
engine used across the range, as they apparently need an oil with
stratospheric sheer strength for the diesel pump.

I think I am seeing a trend here

Joe public can't yet buy these oils in the local motor factors, and when they
appear they are bound to be very highly priced. Is this another ruse to steer
owners back to using main dealers, or is the engineering really becoming so
lubricant critical, or is it emissions and pollution driven.Can these oils
really last that long, or do we now have cars that are essentially scrap when
the second owner gets hold of them ?

Could someone out there who knows about current oil technology give us an
insight, and the implications for older engines such as those in most of our
Alfas (Alfa content at last!)

Tim Hancock    Boston UK

164TS
164Super
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