The modern world is a busy place, and it is hard to keep up with everything that you need to do on a daily basis. There are work responsibilities, family duties if you have kids, household chores to take care of, and so on. It's hard to carve any amount of time from the day, even to just relax for a few minutes.
With all of that in mind, it's easy to understand why you would let your vehicle fall behind on its oil change schedule. Even though you know oil changes are important, it's hard to commit to take time out of your day to have the work done. It can't hurt just to wait a little longer, right? Well, unfortunately, it can. Despite your busy schedule, keeping up with your oil changes is a smart move that can help you get a better overall return on the investment you've made in your vehicle.
Think Big Picture
Without even getting into the details of what is happening in your engine as oil wears down, we can see that oil changes are important from a big picture perspective. You have made a significant investment in your car or truck, and that investment should be protected to the greatest degree possible. You almost certainly paid more than $20,000 for your vehicle if you bought it new, and that price could have been beyond $30k, $40k, or even $50k, depending on the model. So, is it worth it to risk the health of such an expensive piece of equipment just because you don't want to take the time to stop in for an oil change? We don't think so.
Not only is having your oil changed important because of what it means for the inside of your engine, but it also sets a pattern of care for the rest of the vehicle. When you have your oil changed a Taylor & Sons Chevrolet, our team will also be able to check on other key components of the vehicle as the oil change is performed. That way, you'll stand a good chance of having important issues spotted before they become major problems. Yes, the oil change itself is an extremely important piece of the puzzle, but it can also lead to other valuable vehicle maintenance which will keep your vehicle out on the road for the long term.
The Miles Add Up Quickly
For the sake of this discussion, let's say that the owner's manual in your vehicle recommends that you have the oil changed every 7,500 miles. This is a relatively common interval for a vehicle which uses full synthetic oil, as many do today. So, the 7,500-mile mark rolls around, and you decide that you are just too busy to come in for an oil change. So, you put it off for a bit, maybe just a week or two at first. Suddenly, you are at 8,000 miles since your last oil change, then 9,000 miles, and then 10k. It is amazing just how quickly the miles can add up when you are busy with your life here in the Ponderay area.
Being disciplined about bringing your vehicle in for an oil change as close to the mileage interval as possible will help you avoid falling so far behind that you never really catch up. Your engine oil is going to get dirty as it works, and eventually it will no longer be able to do its job properly. Not only will the oil itself be unable to live up to expectations after too many miles have rolled by, but so too will the oil filter be badly in need of replacement. If you keep waiting and waiting to change your oil, long after it should have been done, you can be sure that some degree of damage is being done to the condition of the engine. That damage might not show itself right away, but it'll likely catch up with you at some point.
It Doesn't Take That Long!
This is a point that we want to emphasize, because so many people seem to have misconceptions here. Yes, to have your oil changed at Taylor & Sons Chevrolet, you will need to make time to stop by our location for the service. However, we work hard to get all of our customers in and out in a prompt and efficient manner. We never rush through the work, because it needs to be done correctly first and foremost, but we don't want to keep you waiting, either. We know you are busy, and we have too much respect for you as a customer to allow unnecessary delays. Ultimately, we think you will be impressed with how quickly you can get in and out with a quality oil change.
One of the keys to staying on track with your oil change schedule is planning ahead. If you have a rough idea of how many miles you drive during the average month - which is pretty easy to figure out - you should be able to roughly guess when you are going to be due for your next oil change. Mark that estimate down on a calendar and keep track as the date approaches. Call for an appointment as soon as you know when you'll need new oil and make the necessary accommodations in your schedule. By planning ahead, you can avoid having to scramble when you realize that an oil change is needed and your schedule is already booked up with other things.
Taylor & Sons Chevrolet is the perfect place to have your oil changed in Ponderay, Idaho. We greatly value our customers business, and we will work hard to make sure you get the most from your vehicle. Coming in for an oil change might never be your favorite thing to do, but it is an important way to protect the investment you've made in your vehicle.