Total car care experts offer the most important reasons to routinely change a vehicle’s oil : Engines are made up of many moving parts, and those parts need to be properly lubricated to avoid damage. Oil in the engine provides this vital function. Over time, that oil breaks down and becomes contaminated with dust, dirt and debris from the engine as well as the environment. When that happens, oil can’t properly do its job.
A recent study by the Car Care Council of the Be Car Care Aware campaign stated that 22% of vehicles have low or dirty engine oil. Proactively changing a vehicles’ oil and filter will help the engine continue to work at its best and prevent costly repairs to drivers down the road. Compare the average cost of a years’ worth of oil changes ($120) to the cost of not proactively maintaining a vehicle’s engine ($4,000)* and the benefit to both wallets and vehicle well-being is clear. The total car care experts at Meineke are sharing the top reasons oil and filter changes are so important to a car’s well-being.
4 Reasons to Get an Oil Change:
- Better Gas Mileage: If you’re someone who has to drive long distances quite frequently, then you understand the importance of gas mileage. However, did you know that your gas mileage and the quality of oil go hand-in-hand? Proper and consistent oil changes will only help maintain excellent gas mileage. If you fail to change your oil when necessary, it’s only going to reduce your gas mileage and require you to put gas in your car more often.
- Reduces engine wear and build-up: If you take your vehicle to the mechanic for regular oil changes, you will only help your vehicle maintain it’s vitality. Oil changes help to reduce and remove any excess dirt that can build-up in your engine from use. Sludge is also a common development in cars, and oil changes will completely remove it for a more efficient running engine. Basically, oil changes contribute to the cleanliness of your engine. A clean engine is a smooth-running engine.
- Longer Engine Life: Consistent oil changes will extend the life of your engine, providing your car with more value. With better gas mileage, proper engine lubrication, and the prevention of sludge and dirt particles, your engine is sure to last for a long time. While you can’t always prevent the problems that occur within a vehicle, you can definitely help to ensure that your vehicle’s engine life is extended with continuous oil changes.
- Provides Engine Lubrication: To keep your car running efficiently, your engine will produce a lot of heat. While engine heat is very normal, you never want your engine to overheat. Without proper oil changes, your engine is more susceptible to overheating. The key is to always make sure your engine is properly lubricated and clear of the possibility of drying out and causing a wealth of problems.
How do you know if your brakes need to be serviced?
If you experience any of the following, you should probably get your brakes checked out:
- Squealing/grinding noise when applying brakes — Any loud noise when you apply the brakes is a big red flag. Grinding can also indicate a problem with your brake rotors.
- Vibration when applying brakes — Ditto with vibrating. If your car shimmies when you apply the brakes, they need to be checked.
- Brake pedal is soft or goes down too far — Find yourself pushing the brake pedal all the way to the floor to stop your car? Another red flag.
- Brake pedal is very hard — Really, any change in the feel of your brake pedal, whether it gets softer or harder, is an indication you might have a problem.
- Dash brake light is 'on' — This is what warning lights are for: to let you know something’s wrong and it needs to be fixed — ASAP!
