How long have you owned your car? A year, two years, 5 years? Do you know that despite all the years we’ve spent with our car, there are still so many things we don’t know about it, including oil changes. When is the best time to do it? What oil should you use for your car? How often should we change the oil?
In this article, we will help you to further understand the topic. Oil change is crucial to maintain the performance of your car. Therefore, it is crucial to do everything right.
THE BEST TIME TO CHANGE YOUR OIL
There is no definitive answer for this question. It will depend on your car. It means, to find out the best time to change your oil, you should check your car owner’s manual. Don’t follow anyone’s advice if it goes against the manual. Since they made it, only your manufacturer knows the best about treating your car.
Thanks to the latest technologies, many cars today have service reminder. It tracks the number of miles you have traveled with your car and monitor how hard you use the card. Using this information, it will pick the best time to change your oil and alert you when the time comes.
CHECKING YOUR OIL LEVEL
You should check your oil level at least 1 – 2 times every month. If there is any leak, make sure the workshop fixes the leak immediately.
If your car has a dipstick, make sure the car workshop also checks and cleans this part. This part should be always clean from oil to make sure it will work well.
Make sure the oil is black or brown. It indicates there is no problem with the oil. However, once it turns light and has a milky appearance, you might be dealing with a leaking coolant. In most cases, it usually indicates an internal engine damage. If you are dealing with any of these conditions, make sure you bring your car immediately to do a car servicing.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR OIL?
Today, you only have to change your oil once it hits 7,500 KM. In some cars, the interval is even higher at 10,000 KM. If we convert the miles to months, you can change your oil once in 6 or 12 months. However, please always refer to your car manual to find out the ideal interval to change your oil.
Changing your oil is not always necessarily about miles. You should always keep the oil fresh, even if you don’t drive a lot. If you drive less than the suggested miles for oil change, you should change your oil at least twice a year. Once again, please refer to your car manual to find out the ideal interval to change your oil.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT OIL
Again, always refer to your car manual before purchasing the oil. Even when other car owners suggest you to purchase synthetic oil or other specific oil, you don’t have to follow that advice if the manual says the different. If you are unsure, you can consult our Gold Autoworks technician for help.
What if you have an old car? Do you have to use special motor oil? Well, that’s not necessarily the case. If your car is still running well, there is no need to purchase a special oil. If your car manual doesn’t specify the oil you should use for the car, you can get this information from your local dealer.
