When asked, you may hear answers such as every 3000, 5000,
or 7500 miles, or when the vehicle's oil monitor indicates that this service is
necessary. No wonder consumers are confused! An engine oil change is a relatively
simple service, it's one of the most overlooked but vitally important part of
your car’s maintenance schedule. There is a good reason for this. Nothing will
shorten engine life faster than missed oil changes.
But how can you tell when you should change your oil?
Advances in technology and increased consumer awareness have created some
confusion to how often this needs to happen. The problem is that there is no
interval that applies to most vehicles.
The Simple Answer…
For most of us, all we need to do is follow the
manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule for oil change intervals. Their
guidelines are designed to keep your car in good running condition for a long
time. Where can you find your car’s service schedule for oil changes and other
recommended maintenance? You can check the owner’s manual that hopefully you
have kept in a handy place like your car’s glove box. Alternatively you can
check the manufacturer’s website.
The Normal interval listed in the owner's manual applies to
vehicles driven under ideal conditions. While you may consider your driving
habits and operating conditions quite normal, read the fine print. Some
exceptions to Normal driving include:
- Frequent short trips (less than 10 miles, especially during
cold weather)
- Stop-and-go city traffic driving
- Driving in dusty conditions, on gravel roads, etc.
- Driving at sustained highway speeds during hot weather
- Towing use
- Diesel or turbocharged engine
These conditions commonly appear in the description of
severe service driving.
Some lube shops have their own recommendations. One thing to
remember is that these shops are speaking to a wide audience, addressing cars
of every age, every mileage, and some with different needs. While there is no
harm done by too frequent oil changes; if your car doesn’t need them, that
money could be better spent on other maintenance needs.
The engine serves as the heart of your vehicle, so changing
its oil based on the manufacturer's recommendation is perhaps the single most
important thing that you can do to keep your vehicle's engine running longer.
However, you must read these recommendations closely to determine the correct
interval; the interval that matches your vehicle's operating conditions and
your driving habits.
Timing is everything…
Waiting for the low oil light to come on can be the worst
thing you can do to your engine. You shouldn’t see that light unless your oil
level is low. Whatever amount of oil you do have left almost certainly has lost
its ability to function properly. The good news is that your service schedule
is written to have this service done long before disaster is on the horizon.
Putting off your oil change is not the same as putting off a
trip to the grocery store or waited a couple of weeks longer between haircuts;
don’t do that with oil changes. Your oil’s primary function is to cut friction.
Over time, oil accumulates contaminants and loses viscosity (the ability to
flow into every nook and cranny). Contaminants cause friction as parts rub
together and friction wears out those parts faster. The damage caused by these
conditions is largely irreversible without an engine overhaul or replacement.
Your Car May Already Know…
For a very long time the gold standard for oil changes was
3,000 to 3,500 miles. Advances in engineering to both engine mechanical parts
and especially to the oil itself have extended the oil life cycle by more than
double the old number. Do you use synthetic oil? Automakers recommend it
for some models. It costs a little more than regular oil, but it has had the
biggest impact on oil life. The life cycle for synthetics is typically 7,000 to
10,000 miles, which is a big change from conventional oil.
The type of driving we do also affects your oil change
needs. Frequent cold starts, extreme heat, and towing, are all examples of
types of driving that can shorten our oil life. Also, repeated short trips
(under 4 miles) are one of the most overlooked enemies of oil life. Any of
these driving conditions can create the need to shorten your service interval
by 25-40 percent depending on the severity.
If your car is equipped with a maintenance reminder on the
dash some the guesswork is eliminated for you. Can you trust it? For the most
part, yes. In the early days of automobiles the only way we had to track our
vehicle’s aging was the odometer. But miles traveled is not always a good
indicator of actual use for many urban environments. With the inclusion of
computers in the modern automobile we now have a way for the car to track time
AND mileage. Time is important to this discussion because running time affects
oil life.
But not all maintenance indicators work the same way. Some
use an electronic sensor to measure the oil quality, while others use an
algorithm based on driving metrics to determine life expectancy. If your car is
not equipped with maintenance light or gauge, the owner’s manual should still
be your guide.
Broadway Auto Import Service can give you the information
you need on how often to bring you vehicle in for its oil change. Talk to us today
for not only your oil change, but all your maintenance needs.
Our technicians are ASE certified and we use the latest
tools and equipment when servicing your vehicle. Our mission is to provide the
best service possible, knowing the greatest compliment is our customer's
happiness and referrals.
Please
contact us for
any auto service or repair you might have.
Schedule an
appointment today! Call us anytime at 503.282.0817
#broadwayimports
#oilchange
#changeoil
#importauto
We want to thank everyone for an incredible 2015. This year
we have had just the most awesome customers coming through and we can’t thank
them enough for the continued patronage! We strive to make sure everyone that
comes through our doors leaves feeling happy, content and that they received
the best possible service at a fair price.
