Why is an Oil Change Service Important?

No matter how new or how old, how fast or how economic your vehicle is, if it has an engine, it’s going to need an oil change. Engine oil is your vehicle’s blood; it flows through hundreds of moving parts inside your engine, keeping them cool and lubricated so your vehicle can continue to run. If your car runs without oil, its internal parts would overheat, cease, and your engine would effectively be dead. As the oil flows through your engine, it’s circulated through a filter to remove toxins, buildup, and other impurities that occur while your engine is running. However, this filter can only catch so many impurities, and after a scheduled interval, it’s time to change the oil and filter.

How Often Should I Change My Oil?

This question is best answered by checking your owners manual. Thanks to advancements like fuel injection, higher efficiencies, and synthetic oil, the 3,000 mile change rule is no longer valid. Studies have shown that for today’s vehicles, changing your oil every 3,000 miles may be overkill. Although manufacturer recommendations vary greatly, changing conventional oil every 5,000 miles and changing full synthetic oil every 10,000 miles is the new standard, but don’t take this rule and run with it. Here is a perfect example of why it’s important to check your owners manual:

According to Toyota, the RAV4 requires 5W-20 oil and recommends changing it every 5,000 miles. The Camry, on the other hand, uses 0W-20 oil and recommends changing it every 10,000 miles, while the Tundra requires an oil change every 2,500 miles when running on E-85 fuel.

But Should I Use Conventional or Synthetic?

There are two main oil types: conventional and synthetic. Conventional oil is cheaper than synthetic oil because it’s distilled from crude oil pulled out of the ground. Synthetic oil is created in a lab using the Fischer-Tropsch process by starting with coal and/or natural gas and adding compounds like carbon monoxide that create hydrocarbon chains that are helpful to your engine. If you’re wondering which oil is better, the answer is easily synthetic. Synthetic oil has been engineered to perform better and lacks the impurities of conventional oil. The result is better protection during normal and extreme operating circumstances, and even slightly better fuel economy and power. In fact, many high-performance engines run strictly on synthetic oil.

Though a conventional oil change will be cheaper than a full synthetic oil change upfront, synthetic oil changes save money in the long run due to their longer change intervals. In addition, synthetic oil offers superior protection and performance, which is an added benefit for older, high mileage vehicles, making it a no brainer when you go in for your next service.

Where Can I Get An Oil Change Service?

If you’re looking for the dependable service experts who can complete all of your auto-related needs, look no further. Find reliable auto repair and oil change services, visit any of the Drive217-certified locations below:

• Subaru of Champaign County
• Vermilion Chevrolet Buick GMC
• Worden-Martin Buick GMC
• Champaign Ford City
• Illini Nissan
• Carmart