It is also fine to add DINO to a synthtic fill if you need to. They say try to stick with the same brand if possible, but anything is better than running low on oil. Of course, why not just get a few extra quarts of your brand for spare. SHould carry spare anyhow.
What cracks me up about this oil analysis thing, is its almost the same price to change the oil, or get an analysis.... If the analysis comes out poor, your down. And if it comes back good, whose to say something doesn't go wrong within the next 10k miles?
However, if there is some coolant leakage, or increased metal wear happening, you wouldn't never know it w/out analysis. However, ignorance IS BLISS, and even if you know its going on, what are you going to do about it?
I think changing at 5,000 or 7,500 miles is good for me. Thats either 2, or 3 times a year as I average 15k / yr. I do grease things about once every other month or so ... Original balljoints on this heavy plow rig, so must be working.