One of the most popular shows on television today is CSI, a.k.a. Crime Scene Investigation. Essentially, it’s about the processes involved in solving murders. The show is so popular it’s on nearly every night of the week now.

CSI is, of course, only the latest in a long line of mystery, whodunit types of stories stretching back who knows how far. I remember conversations with my grandmother about the mysteries of the Great Pyramid and all the questions it raised. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote about it 2500 years ago and it is still unearthing unresolved questions to this day.

What is it about mysteries and puzzles that gets us so engaged? In the realm of literature Edgar Allen Poe made his mark with mysteries such as The Gold Bug and Murders in the Rue Morgue. Suddenly, a genre was born. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes was all about solving imponderables with a searing brilliance. G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown was a contemporary to Holmes with an equally rabid following. Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot became a household name through the murder mystery genre as well.

When television culture emerged, the short mystery tale became a staple in the nation’s diet for diversion. The Rockford Files, Perry Mason, Columbo, Murder She Wrote… The shows made for good fun as audiences attempted to solve the crimes faster than their heroes.

One of the great mysteries for me personally has been this one: with all the self-evident benefits of synthetic motor oils, why after 35 years are so many Americans still using conventional petroleum? Here are a few points of light which we can try to connect like dots and make a picture.

1. Motor oil companies historically treated oil like a commodity. Like milk or gasoline, the average consumer was led to believe all oil is pretty much the same, just different color labels. As a result, there was a perception that oil had little value. The oil companies perpetuated this idea by selling on price. I frequently recall how when I was young I could buy a case of oil for six dollars and send in a coupon for a six dollar rebate.  

2. The oil companies had a lack of interest in educating the public. The only educational message was this one: “Change your oil. Change it often. What else is there to know?”
 
3. Change raises questions and creates insecurity. If I change to synthetic oil will it be compatible with what was in there before? What if it leaks out? Is it too slippery to stay in the engine? If something goes wrong, can I change it back to regular petroleum?  (Answers: yes; it won’t; no; and yes.)

4. Initial cost can be a stumbling block. I can concede that people who do not know the benefits of premium extended drain synthetic oils will sometimes experience a twinge of sticker shock. This is only because they do not understand the value equation.In point of fact, the annual cost with a premium synthetic and extended drain intervals is a better deal, not to mention the savings in fuel economy. Properly priced the installer makes a fair profit, too.

At the other end of the spectrum, I find it puzzling when we don’t promote premium synthetic oils to those car owners for whom money is no object. The guy drives a Mercedes, is dressed to the nines and we try to go to the bottom with our product offering? This approach doesn’t make much sense to me.

In spite of these barriers to the adoption of synthetics, there are more vehicles on the road every year switching to synthetic motor oils and drive train fluids. One reason might be the ease with which people can obtain information on the Internet these days.  In the past, information was limited to a few specific channels. Today, consumers can Google anything and find answers to nearly any technical question on nearly any topic. For this and other reasons, the superior performance capabilities of synthetic lubricants are no longer a mystery for most motorists. The only real mystery is why we don’t recommend them more often.