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Hello,
I think you really love your car wanting to use the synthetics for its engine oil. Go on no any harm here. In fact Volvo recommends synthetics use in extreme climates. If you're not in those climates, well you've got extra protection in there. You can use any of the synthetics from established oil companies. The engine is not that choosy over any oil.
The oil change interval is at 10k miles. Minimal oil specs are SAE 5w/30 to 10w/30 grade SG. SAE 15w/40 if you do lots of mountain driving or towing. These are taken from the 1993 960 owner's handbook. By today most oils are easily over that specs.
You can prolong the OCI if you use synthetics but car manufacturers like to be on the safe side hence the unchanged recommended OCI. Understandably they don't want any legal entanglements arise from oil change.
For me I would like to think of an analogy something like the human body. No matter what quality foods we ate (caviar and all...pun intended!) we must dump it at the end of the day or the next day. That's how the body cleanses itself. Car engine has no way to dump its combustion products in oil unless the owner does it.
I just use normal mineral oil from Shell Helix 10w/30. My OCI is usually between 5k to 7k miles. I mostly do short trips from home to office. So there's much more unburned combustion products in the oil. Hence I opted for shorter OCI to dump these off. In a way that's how I show my love for the car.
Yes most Brickboarders here change their own oil. You should too. It's the more intimate expression of love. Especially to a Volvo!
Regards,
Amarin.
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