"jim beam" > wrote
> [genuine] synthetics /can/ be superior, but if the oil's base stock is
> of sufficient quality and the additive package is as good or even better
> than a synthetic, why do it?

Because of the convenience of having to do fewer (synthetic) oil changes.

To the original poster: New car oil is IIRC break-in oil, so it's not the
same as what you or the dealer would put in (be it synthetic or not)
subsequently anyway.

From my recollection of reading here and elsewhere, it's not at all too late
to switch to synthetic for your 2001 Civic, 60k miles.

Keep checking back.