Why A Regular Oil Change Is Necessary
The benefits of a regular oil change can be rather significant to any car owner but yet many people neglect or ignore this until it’s too late. Changing your oil regularly is important for the maintenance of the engine and the performance of the car itself. In addition to the positive effect on performance, an oil and filter change can also improve fuel efficiency while benefitting the environment. In this article, we look at some of the major benefits of a regular oil service and the recommended intervals.
When Should I Change My Car Oil And Filter?
Things have changed in recent years as it used to be normal to change your oil every 3,000 miles. Today, thanks to modern lubricants, most engines have recommended oil change intervals of 5,000 up to 10,000 miles. It gets even better if your car uses full-synthetic oil where you can go as far as 15,000 miles between oil services. Regardless of what you drive, whether it’s a Honda, Ford, Kia, BMW or Bentley, you need to change your oil and filter regularly and ideally at the same time.
Whilst not all garages are the same, most will offer an oil change as part of a normal car service. At Elite Garages, both our standard and premium services include changing the oil and replacing the oil filter. During an oil service, our expert technicians will also check for any signs of visible oil leaks, report their findings and if work is required, they’ll provide a no-obligation quote.
Benefits Of A Regular Oil Change
There are quite a few benefits of a regular oil change with the added bonus of being able to identify any minor issues before they become serious or dangerous. Many people don’t fully understand the benefits of regularly changing the oil so we’ve highlighted a few below.
Improved Performance And Fuel Efficiency
As a motorist, you want your car to perform to the best of its ability and fresh, clean oil and a new oil filter can make all the difference. Replacing old oil will keep your engine lubricated to ensure your car runs smoothly and at its maximum potential. Old and dirty oil can severely impact performance levels not to mention clog up the engine.
It’s true that various conditions and driving habits contribute to mileage but fresh oil can also have an effect. Without proper car care and a regular oil change, dirt and grit will build up causing friction inside your engine. Oil lubricates the engine to reduce friction on all related components and if everything works better, you’ll use less fuel. Put simply, an engine with less friction will achieve optimum performance and mileage as there is reduced stress on the engine.
Recommended: ‘How To Improve My Car’s Fuel Efficiency‘
Keeps Engine Clean And Increases The Life Span
Regularly changing the oil helps keep your engine clean as it lubricates the engine and collects residue that has accumulated over time. During this process, the residue is removed with the oil through the oil filter so it’s vital to remove the old oil and replace the filter to avoid additional build-up.
Proper car care not only involves regular services, alignment, tyre checks and MOTs but also a regular oil and filter change. In some cases, it can even increase your engine life by up to three years! That’s great news, especially if you don’t drive your car all that often.
Prevent Corrosion And Protect Engine Components With A Regular Oil Change
Changing your oil regularly prevents corrosion in the engine as old oil gets dirty and can do a lot of damage to engine components. Fortunately, most cars come with oil filters that need to be changed at least once a year (or with every service). When changing the oil regularly, the filters won’t get as dirty which helps preserve engine performance.
Your engine also contains many key components that require oil for lubrication, including the camshaft, crankshaft and the pistons inside the engine cylinder. To ensure all of these parts function as they should, you need to have clean oil circulating in your engine. If you don’t, you will run the risk of damaging other components while impacting fuel efficiency, emissions and overall performance.
Lower Emissions To Protect The Environment
With climate change a big talking point, and emissions being part of your MOT, it’s important to do everything you can to help the environment. As part of an emissions test, they determine how many hydrocarbons are released from your exhaust into the atmosphere. Old, dirty oil causes a build-up of hydrocarbons which causes more of these particles resulting in a higher emission score. By getting a regular oil and filter change you will easily pass the emissions test and reduce your carbon footprint.
Regular Oil Change Can Help You Save Money
Last, but certainly not least, a regular oil and filter change can even help your budget. Not getting a regular oil service means your car will use more oil than it should which adds to your expenses, not to mention using more fuel. Also, without fresh oil and a new filter, you could cause a knock-on effect with other components requiring costly repairs or replacements over time. A great way to avoid this extra spending is by changing your oil and oil filter regularly.
Oil Change At Elite Garages
The truth is, there is no set rule about when you should replace your engine oil or the filter as it depends on several factors. This includes driving habits, engine age, the type of previous engine oil and mileage. However, one thing remains crystal clear; you can’t ignore it as this will only make things worse.
If you notice more smoke than usual coming from your exhaust, oil spots on the ground or the oil warning light on your dashboard, contact your nearest Elite Garages branch. Our expertly trained technicians will carry out a free oil check and identify any potential issues.
When you need an oil change, we only use the oil that your vehicle manufacturer recommends and if any additional work is required, we will only do so with your permission. Contact us today if you want to book a car service or just get an oil and filter change.
