Every 3,000 miles or six months is a good gauge for your oil changes, but this is not the only thing that you should take into consideration. United Auto Care explains below that there are a number of things that factor into when it is best to have the oil changed in your automobile.
Age
Did you know that classic cars should have their oil changed every 2,000 miles? You may not drive a classic car, but if you drive an older automobile, it’s important to take this into consideration when changing the oil. You want to extend the life of your older engine as long as you can, and frequent oil changes do just that.
Mileage
Your older automobile may also be a high-mileage automobile. Anything over 75,000 miles is considered high mileage. In this case, it might be time to change the oil that you use from conventional to high-mileage. This oil is specially formulated to protect older engines better. You can also consider synthetic motor oil for this purpose.
Daily Commute
Another thing to take into account is your daily commute. This has a direct effect on how often your oil needs to be changed. For example, if your daily commute consists of taking the kids to and from school and maybe running a few errands, you actually need to have your oil changed more often. Short trips do not allow the oil enough time to circulate fully through the engine, and they can cause engine damage.
Another problem is stop-and-go traffic. If you are stuck in it for an extended period of time every day, this is also a reason to get your oil change more frequently. Perhaps you are a delivery driver with a lot of stops. This, too, can affect the motor oil. Long drives that are uninterrupted do the exact opposite. They extend the life of the oil in your automobile.
Driving Habits
Driving habits should also be taken into consideration. If you are hard on your automobile, you need to have the oil changed more often. If you allow it to warm up and take it easy behind the wheel, your oil will last longer. The bottom line is that you want to make sure that you are always protecting your engine as much as possible.
Manufacturer’s Recommendations
Finally, take a look at what your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends. Flip to the oil service section of your owner’s manual to see the type of oil that is recommended and how often it should be changed. This is the baseline that we will use to customize an oil change service schedule for your automobile.
Call United Auto Care in Flowery Branch, GA, today to schedule an appointment.
