One of the first things you will hear when you begin to learn how to drive is your father repeating the words, “Check the oil.”, and remember to “change the oil.” You may have heard these words hundreds of times, but did anyone ever explain why this is so important?
Oil is a very important part of the running of your vehicle as it lubricates all the parts of the engine that need a bit of lubrication to work properly and smoothly. Oil is there to stop friction and to stop metal parts from rubbing together without such lubrication. As the oil is used time and time again throughout these parts it becomes dirty and cannot provide the lubrication that is needed to keep the parts running smoothly. Without this lubrication, you can actually have parts stop working completely and even break parts which will mean that you will have extensive vehicle repairs needed. All vehicles need to have the oil changed to ensure that the parts of your vehicle will run as they should and not have major issues.
The question is how often should you get an oil change. This is a difficult question to answer as everyone has a different vehicle and of course different year models. The older the vehicle, the more often you will more than likely need an oil change. On the other hand, most manufacturers as well as mechanics will state that you should get an oil change after you have driven 3,000 miles. Of course, it depends on more than just how many miles you have driven. If you are travel in a lot of stop and go traffic, you may need oil changes more often than if you drive long distances. When you are stopping and starting all the time, you are actually putting a strain on the engine of your vehicle and making the vehicle use more oil to keep everything lubricated.
The best way to determine how often you should get an oil change is by talking with a professional mechanic that can inspect your engine as well as your oil to learn if the oil is dirty and needs to be changed. Once the mechanic knows more about your driving habits, the year model of the vehicle and the average miles you drive each month, he or she will be able to provide you with an idea of how often the oil should be changed to keep your vehicle in tip top shape.
An oil change is inexpensive especially when you compare it to repairing an engine or having to replace an engine after driving the vehicle without the proper amount of lubrication.
Article courtesy of Veer Preet Auto Service