When To Get An Oil Change

When To Get An Oil Change

When To Get An Oil Change


The Car Lot Has You Covered

An oil change service is one of the most important services that you can perform on your vehicle. Not only is your oil the lifeblood of your engine, but it's also vital to maintaining your engine's longevity, its performance, and its fuel economy.

At The Car Lot, we not only sell the highest quality pre-owned vehicles, but we also strive to help you take the best care of them as well. We’ve partnered with expert local service centers to handle all of your vehicle’s maintenance and repair needs. Thanks to our partnered ASE-Certified technicians, and their use of high-quality replacement parts and fluids, your oil change needs are always handled with confidence. Schedule your oil change today and trust The Car Lot for all of your automotive needs.

Understanding the Importance of Oil Change

Your engine oil is responsible for cooling, lubricating, and cleaning the many moving parts inside your engine. Without oil, friction would build up inside your engine, generating immense heat, and eventually causing your engine to self destruct. While your oil is great at its job, over time it begins to oxidize and lose its ability to do its job. Eventually, your oil needs to be changed.

Failing to change your oil on time could lead to engine sludge, increased oil temperatures, and eventual engine damage – which is why it's so important to change your oil in a timely manner.

When Your Vehicle Needs an Oil Change

In order to know exactly when your vehicle needs an oil change, we recommend that you consult your owner’s manual. There, you’ll find your manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule, as well as the type of oil that your engine is designed to be.

Speaking of oil type, the type of oil that your vehicle uses we'll play a large role in the frequency of your oil change. Here are a few examples of how your oil change intervals can vary depending on oil type:

Conventional Oil – conventional oil is refined crude oil. Conventional oil provides adequate protection for many engines, but it's important to note that conventional oil is not for every type of motor. Conventional oil oxidizes at temperatures around 275oF, however, some engines run much hotter than this, making them poor candidates for this type of oil. Nevertheless, with vehicles that are compatible with conventional oil, we recommend you perform an oil change every 3,000 miles to 5,000 miles.

Synthetic Blend Oil – this type of oil uses a conventional oil base, but usually features synthetic additives for better protection. This type of oil is generally aimed at high mileage vehicles that need more protection than conventional oil, but it's not necessarily a good fit for full synthetic oil – which can be quite thin and leak through the gaskets of an aging engine. Therefore, many drivers who want superior protection for their aging engine will opt for synthetic blend. This type of oil usually needs to be changed between every 5,000 and 7,500 miles.

Full Synthetic Oil – despite its name, full synthetic oil is also a motor oil that comes from crude oil. However, full synthetic oil has been distilled and its properties have been altered to offer superior protection over the other two types of oils. For this reason, synthetic oil offers the longest change intervals. It's recommended that you change full synthetic oil every 7,500 to 10,000 miles.

Always Drive a Reliable Used Vehicle at the Car Lot

At the Car Lot, all of your vehicle's oil change service needs are hassle-free. Contact us and discover our trusted service partners. Need a reliable used car with five years of complimentary maintenance? Browse our inventory at the Car Lot and find out why drivers in Green Valley, and Benson, AZ trust us for all of their maintenance and repair needs.