Things That Factor Into Your Car’s Oil Changes
Getting your oil changed every 3,000 miles is a good rule of thumb, but there are many things that factor into your automobile’s oil and oil change duration. In other words, Total Auto Care can help you customize an oil change schedule that is perfect for your car, truck, CUV, or SUV. This ensures that you always have fresh oil in the engine protecting it as it should and drawing heat and dirt away from the moving parts. Let’s talk about this further.
Manufacturer’s Recommendations
The first consideration in your vehicle’s oil changes is what your manufacturer recommends. Open up your glove compartment and grab your owner’s manual to see when you should get your oil changed and the exact type of oil you should put into your automobile. This includes the oil’s weight. Another thing to look for is whether your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends conventional or synthetic motor oil for your automobile.
How Much You Drive Your Car
Next, think about how much you drive your car. If you drive long distances every day, you might be surprised to find out that this is actually better for your engine than taking the kids to and from school. Short distances are hard on automobile engines because they do not allow the oil to heat up enough and circulate through the engine to properly coat and clean it. If you do a lot of driving in stop-and-go traffic, this, too, can damage your engine. If you drive on the open highways, your oil is likely to stay cleaner longer.
How Well You Drive Your Car
Another thing to consider is how you drive your car. You may be a safe driver who accelerates slowly and gives yourself plenty of time to brake. Rarely do you punch down on the accelerator to gain speed quickly. This type of driving makes your engine’s life much easier, and conventional motor oil works just fine unless your vehicle manufacturer specifies synthetic. If you like to drive your car is if it were a race car, accelerating fast and slamming on the brakes, you can damage your engine without the proper oil. Driving like this is hard on automobiles.
Where You Live
Finally, it gets pretty cold here in North Branch, Minnesota in the winter and, as such, it might be a good idea to switch to synthetic if you park your automobile outside. Synthetic motor oil stands up better to extreme temperatures. It doesn’t freeze as much, which means when you start up your car in the morning, you won’t need to let it warm up as long to get the oil circulating through the engine.Give Total Auto Care in North Branch, MN, a call and we’ll figure out the best oil changes schedule and oil type for your automobile with you.