Nobody wants their car to break down. To keep your vehicle running well, you need to provide it with regular service. Have the oil changed a few times per year, rotate the tires, and check and replace the brakes as needed. A good auto care service will take care of all these maintenance tasks for you. However, you may still want to know more about the processes they follow, when service is needed, and what other types of services may help your car last longer. We've build this website for people like you — responsible car owners who just want to learn more. Enjoy!
When times get tight, it's natural to look for ways to save anywhere you can. Unfortunately, it's all too easy to defer maintenance on your car to help balance a monthly budget. While this might save a few pennies over the short term, it's a poor long-term strategy. Ignoring critical maintenance items often means more problems and costlier future repairs.
Oil changes are among the lowest cost and highest impact services you can perform on your car. Ignoring an oil change for too long can cause excessive wear, leading to premature engine failure or other expensive issues. But, how can you know if you're changing your oil often enough? Fortunately, it's not hard to find the right balance between saving money and maintaining your engine.
Why Do You Even Need to Change Your Oil?
If you can recycle and reuse motor oil, why can't you just keep the same oil in your car? The answer is surprisingly complex and involves numerous factors, including temperature changes, manufacturer additives, and even the internal composition of your car's engine. While the oil itself remains usable, its lubricating properties will change as it wears and becomes contaminated.
As these properties change, the oil will provide less protection for your engine and may even begin to leave deposits (known as sludge) behind. The oil filter can also become clogged, potentially reducing engine oil pressure. Although these situations won't cause immediate damage, frequently deferring your oil changes can substantially impact your engine's life.
How Often Do You Need to Change Your Oil?
There's a simple, relatively safe answer to when to change your oil: at whatever interval your owner's manual recommends. Your car's manufacturer recommendations are generally good enough to maintain your engine through its warranty period and beyond, but what if you want to keep your car for longer? Are these intervals still good enough?
More frequent changes may help extend the life of your engine, and one option is to use the "severe" maintenance schedule in your owner's manual. Another option is to send your used oil for analysis. Oil analysis can tell you a lot about the condition of your engine, and it can also let you peek into the state of your oil to know if you're waiting too long between changes.
Ultimately, it's critical to remember that changing your oil too often is never harmful, while waiting too long can cause severe damage. If you're unsure, sticking with your manufacturer recommendations is never a bad idea, but don't be afraid to increase the frequency of your oil service as your engine ages. The extra care may just be enough to keep your car running for many years after its warranty expires.
Share9 March 2022
