Which oil to buy? Need help!

Hi,
My dad just bought a 2002 Chevy Avalanche with a 5.3 Liter, V8 Engine, with 14,000 miles on it. It requires 5W30 Motor Oil.

He is trying to decide between a few different motor oils, and he asked me to get on the internet and find out which one would be best. Please help me give him an answer.

Here are the oils he is trying to decide between:

Mobil 1 with SuperSyn (http://www.mobil1.com/products/trisynth/index.jsp)

Mobil 1 Truck & SUV (http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lubes/PDS/GLXXENPVLMOMobil_1_Truck_SUV_5W-40.asp)
Most Advanced Performance Synthetic Engine Oil

AmSoil (http://www.amsoil.com/products/asl.html)
100% Synthetic

Quaker State (http://www.quakerstate.com/pages/products/oil_fullsynthetic.asp)
Full Synthetic for advanced engines

Out of the ones listed above, here are some of the questions I have:

#1. Is synthetic better?

#2. Is one of the above better that the other for my dad's truck?

#3. If so, why?

#4. Normally, you're supposed to change oil every 3,000 miles. I read on the AmSoil site that you only need to change the oil up to 25,000-mile or 1-year drain intervals. Is that true with all Synthetics?

#5. Will one of the above synthetics last longer than the other one?


Thank you for your help!
Johnny

First thing, forget the 25,000 mile 1year interval. The problem is not that the oil wears out, it is the contaminates that oil collects that require you to change it every 3-6,000 miles.
I can't say that any one oil is better than another, the main thing is to change it on a regular basis. As for synthetic vs standard oil I have read that one quart of synthetic mixed in with a regular oil change gives the engine the same protection that a full synthetic oil change gives. There are a million opinions on oil, I have gotten the same reliable service from the cheap store brands as I have from the expensive name brands. I suggest making a choice you are comfortable with and then sticking with it.

FCFFUZZYFACE

Out of the three you listed Amsoil is by far the better. And as for the 25,000 mile oil change statement......... FUZZ is right........ it's the contaminates in the oil that do the harm. That;s why a high quality oil filter is as important as the oil you're using.
I use Amsoil and change the oil about every 12,000 - 15,000 miles.......... also change the filter every 3000 miles and top off with nearly a quart of fresh oil. I believe Amsoils' statement of oil changes every 25,000 is based on using their filtering system which I think consists of 2 filters relocated. (I could be wrong....... don't have the brochure anymore).
Other good synthetics are Red Line and Royal Purple........ there are alot of oil comparisons on the web that are unbiased......... all will show a full synthetic to be superior. You can also find oil filter comparisons and then decide which route you want to take.

Im using mobile one got 20,000 miles on it and waited 5000 miles on my last oil change and it was almost 3 quarts low not sure what caused that maybe babying it so now im driveing it hard see what happens.

I was using Amsoil but it is not available at your local parts store. So, I switched to Mobil1 synthetic in my Camaro and Tahoe.

Synthetic or not, I can't imagine going 25,000 miles on an oil change. Ford suggests 7,000 miles, that's moronic. If you want to get good service from your vehicle the best and cheapest maintenance you can provide is an oil change, and how much is a filter? $3-4.00?? CHANGE IT!!

I change every 3000 miles, oil and filter. I'm not using synthetic oil, I know it's more expensive, i'm not sure what would be a proper interval for oil changes using synthetic.

3 quarts low?? WHEW!! Maybe checking it once in a while would be a good way to save a couple thousand bucks.

-slacker

I work at a Ford dealership in the Buffalo, NY area. We typically use conventional motor (100% non-synthetic) oil in all vehicles unless a customer tells us they want something else used. I have a 1991 Buick Century that just past 176k. I use our non-synthetic MotorCraft 10w30 oil and the car has never missed a beat.

I do know that synthetic oils are advertised as being able to go twice as long between oil changes. I change mine every 2,000 (because of high mileage). But i'm sure a conventional 5w30 oil will run you just fine if changed every 3,000.

I have an '02 Avalanche and I change the oil when the change oil light comes on. This can be as few as 4K miles or as many as 7K miles. One less thing I need to keep track of. If I could afford it I would go the Amsoil route and add the relocated oil filters and pre-charger.

http://www.amsoil.com/bypassfilters/applicationguide.htm

Good luck

Go Amsoil.... http://www.synthetic-lubricants.com/amsoil_vs_mobil_1.htm

Amsoils 25K is based on using the filtration system. I use Mobil 1 and change the oil every 5K to me it is cheap insurance. I use it in the Yukon, Suburban and Lumina.

I use amsoil in my avalanche. Canadian weather-40 degrees tonight and I'll have instant lubrication when I start. Also use it in a 454 marine engine and it protects the seals on long term storage.

Amsoil is great... the previous owners of my truck used it. When I bought my truck (120,000 miles), the engine was in excelent condition. They changed the oil every 10,000 miles with the stock filtering system. It didn't burn or leak oil, and the rings weren't at all worn. I've used Quaker State Synthetic since I bought, and it's still in great shape (almost 160,000 miles). The most important thing is using a decent oil (don't buy walmarts "supertech", that's ruined 2 engines in cars I had) and change it regularly.

I have done lots of research on the topic and I am more impressed with AMSOIL each time I look at a cataloug or website. When compared to the other products amsoil wins nearly every time. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want the protection that amsoil offers. I'm so impressed I think I'm going to sign up as a dealer. I plan on changing both diffs. and tranny to full synthetic. Just compare the data in their web site.

mobil 1 all the way and change it ever 5000 miles 5-30 in everything i own,
94 burban 350 180,000 miles,
86 suburban 350 350,000 miles,
86 fiero v6 114,000 miles,
92 f150 300 6cyl 140,000 miles
88 club wagon 300 6 cyl 250,000 miles
84 cargo van 300 6 cyl dont know but ive put 100,000 miles on it myself

all these have had some hard miles put on them, i use them on the farm hauling everrything from hay to a four horse stock trailer except the fiero that i just put a lot of hard miles on 200 a day for 5 to 7 days a week for 2 months last summer driveing to and from job sight, had to use 84 van to get my tools there but after my job box was on the oil rig i drove the fiero every day.

Shell Rotella T 10W30. Shell's website has a million mile club with user of this oil