Castrol Syntec attacked

["Doyt W. Echelberger" <Doyt@nwonline.net>]

Audi owners who use Castrol Syntec might be interested in recent attacks on
the use of the term "full synthetic" in titling the product.  Some of the
argument appears on a bulletin board at the following website 

http://www.noria.com/boards/thread2.cfm?threadid=192&messages=1

I copied one of the postings defending the term, rather that trying to
paraphrase it.

Subject: RE: Castrol Syntec not synthetic!
From: Dick Taylor
Date: 23-Nov-99
I see this in a different light - I perceive Mobil as trying to define the
word synthetic to suit their own purposes, and to further confuse the
consumer. Mobil wanted to restrict the use of the word synthetic to their
type and process. To require that only PAO (Polymerized Alpa-Olefin) be
called synthetic is ludicrous. 
Check in any chemical dictionary an you will find that Olefins are largely
derived from petroleum - dead dino juice as some like to call it - and is
pumped from the ground. 
Nylon, Rayon, Polyester and a host of other "man made" materials started
out as left overs from the refining process. They have different
characteristics yet are all used to make clothing referred to as "synthetic". 
I would vote for a classification of synthetic oils such that Mobil and
Amsoil would refer to their oils as PAO synthetics while Shell, Castrol,
Chevron and others would use the term HDO (I made that up) for
HyDrOisomerized synthetics. Then the consumer would be better educated and
could make a more informed decision. 

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