Do I Really Need to Get Regular Oil Changes?

When it comes to vehicle maintenance, it’s hard to know what you can believe. Are all of the things you are supposed to keep up with essential, or are they just promoted because someone stands to make a few bucks? Without a good understanding of what is going on under the hood, you might be left to think that businesses are taking advantage of you – so you may decide to just put a stop to ongoing maintenance in an effort to save some money.

This article is going to attempt to shed some light on this situation. Specifically, we are going to look at oil changes and whether or not they actually need to be completed as often as it might say in your owner’s manual. Once you know what is going on here, you can move forward with confidence.

The Simple Answer is Yes

If you were hoping that this article would give you a good excuse to get out of the habit of having your oil changed, we have some bad news – oil changes are critical to the health of a vehicle. In fact, it would be easy to argue that ongoing, consistent oil changes are the single most important thing you can do for your car or truck. Even if you are going to fall behind on some other maintenance points, keeping up with this one is well worth your time and money. And, given the fact that oil changes don’t cost much and don’t take that long to complete, it really isn’t a big deal to keep this type of service on your calendar.

Lubrication is Essential in an Engine

The reason that oil changes are so important to the health of an engine comes down to the value of lubrication within the engine environment. All of the various components that have to move around to make the engine run need to be lubricated properly – if they aren’t, friction will be too high, the temperature in the engine will soar, and problems will be soon to follow. It’s easy to think of the gas you put into the tank as being the most important part of making an engine go, and that’s certainly vital. But the engine oil is just as valuable, so having it changed at regular intervals should be seen as required rather than optional.

You’ll enjoy benefits in both the short and long run when you do a good job of making sure your engine always has fresh oil. In the short term, the engine should perform better, because everything will be properly lubed up and ready to work each time you turn the key (or push the start button). And, in the long run, the engine will be less likely to wear down and experience damage to key parts because it will have been properly lubricated mile after mile.

Nothing Lasts Forever

One of the easy traps to fall into as a vehicle owner is thinking that there is already oil in your engine – so why would it need to be changed? Even if you understand and appreciate the importance of lubrication within the engine, you might be tempted to believe that as long as there is still oil in there, you are good to go. So, unless a leak is obviously leaving stains on the driveway under your car or truck, you could just keep on moving forward without a second thought.

There is, of course, a significant problem with that logic. The issue is that engine oil breaks down over time. As it gets heated up to significant temperatures in the engine, and as it does its work to lubricate all of the moving parts, the oil gradually degrades. The molecules break down and it can no longer do the job of lubricating the engine as effectively as it once did. So, even if the engine still has plenty of oil, it won’t be working as well as it should, and the engine can be harmed over the long run.

It’s true that synthetic oil now lasts considerably longer in your engine than conventional oil, so it’s often possible to go longer between oil changes. That doesn’t change the fact that it remains important to keep changing your oil at the prescribed intervals, whatever those happen to be. If your vehicle calls for changes at every 6,000 or 7,500 miles with synthetic oil, you’ll be wise to keep up with that schedule and give your vehicle the best possible chance at remaining healthy over the long haul.

Seeing the Big Picture

The urge to skip out on an occasional oil change is understandable. You have to take some time out of your day to bring the vehicle to an auto shop for the work, and there is some cost associated with the job (although oil changes tend to be rather affordable). With so much going on in life, you might just decide that this is one thing you can take off your plate.

When that kind of thinking sneaks into your mind, it’s a good idea to see the big picture and remember why oil changes are so important. The investment you have made in your vehicle is a significant one, and doing what you can to protect that investment makes all the sense in the world. Even if there is a small financial cost and a bit of inconvenience incurred along the way, making sure to have your oil changes up to date is something that will more than pay off in the long run.

Taylor & Sons Chevrolet is the Right Choice

Yes, oil changes are important, and Taylor & Sons Chevrolet is the ideal place to have your oil changed in Sandpoint. We have an experienced and friendly team waiting to do the work, and any other maintenance you might need can be completed in our shop when you come to see up. We appreciate your time and hope you hear from you soon!

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