how many people using synthetic oil?

[Larz]

Perhaps you lot can advise me on this. I have always used Mobil 1 5w30 and I use that in my M now. However, I saw mention of 0w30 and I'm wondering if I should change. My understanding (please correct me if wrong) is that the 5w represents the viscosity at cold engine start-up. If I am correct, the '0w' means lower viscosity at engine start?
Is that the reason one would use 0w30 or am I in need of edge-ma-cation regarding motor oils?

If driving habits have a play in choice of oil - I do more local stop-go-wait for the drawbridge driving and temps here are usually 80-90 all year long so the engine and A/C are usually going while I'm stopped. When I am on the highway, I usually go at 75-80mph and my highway trips are usually less than 1 hour long and less than 2x per week.

[Ilya]

The 0W-XX oils are usually appropriate for colder climates where a thicker oil might have problems until the engine's warmed up.

I'd go with the 5W-30 unless it's really hot out and you're worried about the heat causing the 5W-30 to get too thin when the engine's hot.

[M35SFIREMEDIC]

Mobil 1 5w30 every 5,000 miles. FM.

[GQM45s]

I use Royal Purple 5W30 every 6k with Royal Purple Oil Filter 10-2867 , cost is about 60 bucks with 6 quarts of oil and filter - I get at Pepboys cause they tend to run deals every other month or so on RP save 25 bucks off oil and filter.

Only reason i change at 6k is cause i rotate my tires at 6k so might as well do everything at once

[kluken]

I used t use it all the time until I started leasing then figured why over care for a rental. When I used to use it I used Mobil 1 all the time and usually the Mobil 1 filter.

[Larz]

Thanks Ilya and everyone - appreciate the input