Auto Mechanics | Blog | Oil Change Intervals
When Should You Change Your Engine Oil?
One of the more common question we get from our customers is when should I change my engine oil?
Following a service schedule for your vehicle will help deter mechanical breakdowns. For any vehicle you drive, one of the more frequent maintenance routines is an oil and filter change.
Changing engine oil at regular intervals will assist in keeping internal engine parts well lubricated without the viscosity break down of overdue engine oil. This in essence will also extend the life of your vehicle, keeping your drive as smooth as possible. So, the million-dollar question - how often should you change your oil?
Best Oil Change Intervals
There are a few considerations to take into account when deciding on the best oil change interval for your vehicle. These considerations depend on factors such as your driving style, vehicle model, environment, and type of engine oil used – regular or synthetic. All of these factors have an impact on how the oil inside your engine circulates to reduce wear and tear.
Choosing The Right Motor Oil
It's a good idea to use the recommended oil set out by your vehicles manufacturer. Check your owners manual or speak to one of our mechanics for the right type of motor oil.
When it comes to engine oil, oil viscosity, quality standards, and specifications are all important to think about when selecting the right oil. Unlike the older classic vehicles and late models, newer model vehicles take synthetic oil. This leads to better engine protection and a longer oil change interval.
Oil Type: Generally speaking, when choosing a 100% synthetic blend, your oil change intervals can be approximately every 10,000 kilometers. A synthetic oil blend comes at a higher price tag then conventional engine oil, but of course lasts longer and provides better efficiency all around. Again, checking your cars manual will advise you on the best oil to use in your engine.
If a synthetic oil is recommended, it’s best to stick with that type of oil throughout the life of your vehicle. Saving a few dollars on a lower quality oil won’t pay off in the long run. After all, the last thing you want is an engine breakdown from low grade motor oil.
Your Driving Style: The harder you push your vehicle, the more you want to be aware of the oil change interval. The style in which you drive will either increase or decrease the oil change frequency. Lets take a look at three basic driving styles among drivers. Determining your particular style will dictate your oil change interval.
City Driving: City driving are those short-distances which can be more stressful on your engine than a long highway drive. If you generally drive short distances, you should aim at changing your oil every 5000 km.
Highway Driving: If you travel long distances or outside the city, have your motor oil changed after 6000 km based on the recommendations of your service advisor. However, if you decide on a synthetic oil blend, you can drive up to 10,000 km for an oil change.
Performance Driving: Performance driving can take a toll on the engine. This may potentially lessen the life of your engine over the long-term. If this is the case, you should look to change your engine oil more frequently. Typically, an interval of 4000 km should be changed. If you use your vehicle to race or in competitions, you might want to change your oil after each race or competition.
Oil Change Interval Summary
So here we are. With these factors laid out you can better decide when the best time to change your engine oil is. Keeping up with regular frequency will help your engine perform better under the conditions on which you drive and the type of oil used. Which in turn will provide the right maintenance for your automobile.
