Chances are that you already know that getting regularly scheduled oil and filter service is an important part of extending the life of your vehicle, but you may not know why.
Between these services, the oil in your car is actually being contaminated with dirt, debris and small metal particles, and the additives you find in car oil to lubricate the vehicle properly will break down over time. All of these things will start to add up over time, and if you allow contaminated oil to sit in your vehicle for too long, it can actually lead to damage in your vehicle. That’s why it’s so important to get to our shop for regular oil change service.
One thing you may be unsure about is when you need to come in for an oil change, in order to prevent damage and wear on your car. There’s a lot of debate about this, but we go with the industry standard and recommend oil change service every 3,000 miles with regular oil, and every 5,000 miles with synthetic oil.
Something else that causes a lot of debate is whether or not it’s right to change your filter every time you get an oil change service. We absolutely believe that it’s necessary to maintain your vehicle. All of those contaminants we mentioned before, that contaminate the oil, also clog the filter in your vehicle. Not only is it not good having that debris just sitting there, clogging the filter, but it also makes it harder for a good oil flow in your engine when an oil change service is being done. So, not changing the filter actually minimizes the effectiveness of your regular oil change service.
When it comes to oil change service, what type of oil should you use? The answer to that question depends on the kind of vehicle you have. Did you know that all vehicles have a specific grade of oil that they need, and that some manufacturers specify synthetic oil for vehicles? Let’s get a bit more in-depth about the oil grade and type.
An oil’s grade designates how well the oil will lubricate within a certain temperature. That grade is assigned by engineers that have created a car’s engine. When it comes to whether or not to select regular or synthetic oil, it depends on if you want to really invest in your car. Quality synthetic oils, like what we carry, have extra additives inside that have the ability to handle temperature and contaminants better the traditional oils. There are good traditional oils out there for vehicles, but we always recommend the synthetic for most vehicles that come to our shop.
And let’s just talk about what actually happens during an oil change service. At the bare minimum, an oil change needs to include:
This is just the bare minimum, and our shop goes above and beyond the basic oil change service, providing you with a full courtesy inspection of your vehicle.
Oil changes may be something on your ‘to-do’ list that you never want to do, but they are one of the most important things you can do to keep your car running, so remember to get regular oil change service.