How Often Should I Change My Oil?

Regular maintenance of your vehicle is essential for any vehicle owner, and there are many different parts to keep in mind which will all need looking at from time to time. One of the 15most important parts of your vehicle is the oil. It’s easy to forget about certain parts of your car, but your oil is something you should always be aware of.

This month, we’re looking at how often you should change the oil in your car, and what could happen if you neglect it for too long.

Importance of oil

Your engine needs oil for lubrication so the moving parts can operate together effectively without suffering damage from overheating. The oil is essential as it absorbs the heat created by friction of the moving parts, and it also helps to keep the engine clean, so making sure the oil is in good condition is an important requirement for any vehicle owner.

If you were to let the condition of the oil degrade so far that it can no longer lubricate the engine or absorb the heat effectively, you risk serious damage to your engine as the parts will wear quickly without the smooth protection offered by the oil. Your vehicle’s performance and efficiency can also be dramatically reduced if you leave it too long between oil changes, so getting into the habit of having it changed regularly will save you a lot of trouble in the future.

How regular is regular?

There are different guidelines for this, and the definition of a regular oil change can be affected by a number of factors. Your driving style has an influence, as do the conditions in which you usually drive. It’s recommended that you change your oil more frequently if you drive in ‘severe’ conditions, as opposed to ‘normal’.

Severe conditions include factors like driving only for short trips, less than 10 miles, for instance. This is common for city driving, where your daily commute is limited to a few miles across town, with traffic lights and stop signs regularly halting your progress. Driving in dusty conditions can also cause your oil to deteriorate faster, with more dirt and dust finding its way into the engine, lowering the effectiveness of the oil, while driving in cold temperatures is also influential.

If you fall under severe conditions, you should try to change your oil more frequently, every 5,000 miles is a good guideline to follow – or every six months, whichever comes first.

Normal conditions allow for less frequent oil changes, every 7,500 miles is a common figure recommended by manufacturers, and you might be able to squeeze a bit more if you’re able to constantly drive under ideal conditions. But whichever category you fall into, it’s important to keep your oil regulated. Every 5,000 miles might seem very frequent, but your engine will see the benefit over the years. It will be at much less risk of damage or deterioration, and you can maintain a decent mileage to make your vehicle more efficient.

For most drivers an oil change every 5,000 miles will be a safe zone, but if you need any advice on how often you should change your oil with regards to your specific driving style or any external conditions, feel free to ask a reputable, reliable mechanic.

Regular servicing

As we said at the start, many people find it easy to overlook many aspects of vehicle maintenance, especially the oil, and while it is possible to change the oil yourself – with all the right equipment – it makes more sense to book your car in with an experienced, professional mechanic for regular servicing. That way, your engine will receive constant protection from fresh oil, and any other problems with your car can also be discovered and rectified at the same time.

Regular maintenance of your vehicle is the best way to extend its lifespan without sacrificing performance or efficiency, so if it’s been awhile since you had an oil change, or you think it’s about time you had that niggling tyre, brake or engine problem looked at, get in touch with the team at Wyatt Auto Services today.

Wyatt Auto Services are proud to be a leading provider of vehicle service and repairs throughout Barnsley. We offer a reliable, honest and personal service to all of our customers, and our experienced team of mechanics work to the highest possible standards, whether they’re performing regular servicing or carrying out extensive repairs. For more information about all of the services we provide, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.