For those of us who don’t work on vehicles for a living, understanding why we need to regularly change the oil in our cars can be challenging. Several reasons go into this decision and it really does make a difference with your vehicle’s performance and longevity.
We’re always told to change the oil in our vehicle, but why?
Getting regular oil changes is one of the easiest ways to take care of your vehicle. It’s a small, affordable luxury that makes a big impact on how much you can enjoy your vehicle. The following five reasons will help convince you why getting an oil change when recommended is simply essential.
5 Reasons To Regularly Change Your Oil
- Friction Reduction
- Cleanliness
- Prevention
- Gas Mileage
- Longevity
Friction Reduction
Have you ever had the oil on your car changed? Did you notice an immediate difference in how smooth it felt or handled? It was probably smoother and easier to drive. This is because fresh oil (anywhere between 3,000-7,000 miles) reduces friction throughout the engine. Reducing friction means your engine doesn’t have to work as hard. Thus, it runs smoother and saves gas.
Cleanliness
When you neglect to change your oil, what happens? It gets dirty. The same goes for your car’s engine. Oil changes keep the dirt out of the vehicle’s engine. This ensures that nothing is harming the engine by leaving debris inside over time.
Prevention
Oil plays a huge role in preventing rust from building up within your engine. If you drive your vehicle regularly, the heat from the engine will help disperse moisture and prevent it from settling as easily as it would on a non-running vehicle. In addition to helping prevent rust, oil prevents sludge build ups by keeping everything running smoothly. And this means a less likely chance of a major engine issue in the future.
Better Gas Mileage
A dirty engine causes you to lose some of your gas mileage, which is another reason for regular oil changes. The more often you change out the oil in your vehicle, the better it runs and thus uses less fuel. New oil helps create a better seal on the piston and cylinders and improves compression too.
Longevity
The longer you wait to change the oil in your vehicle, the shorter its lifespan will be. Frequent oil changes keep your engine running for as long as possible by preventing damage due to dirt and other contaminants.
The reality is, oil changes keep your engine running smoothly and help prevent damages from occurring to your engine. Over time engine parts wear down, so with regular oil changes you can rest assured that your vehicle is far less likely to experience an expensive breakdown. If you have any questions on oil changes or would like to schedule an oil change for your vehicle, contact us at Metro Transmission and Automotive and we’ll be happy to assist you.
