Why oil changes are important (and can ultimately save you a lot of money!)

Oil changes are one of the quickest pieces of maintenance you can have done on your vehicle, and arguably the most important

Money is tight for most these days, and as a result, certain things get dropped to the bottom of a lot of people’s lists when it comes to budgeting priorities, with one of those things often being car servicing. And we get it, it’s easy to think “the car’s running fine, the oil change can wait”, and nobody should stretch themselves beyond their means, but there are a few reasons why you should take a minute to reconsider skipping your next service.

Oil is the lifeblood of the engine

As I’m sure you know, there are a phenomenal number of moving parts in an engine, and your engine oil is the thing that keeps them all moving smoothly. Without proper lubrication, these parts can wear quicker as there will be more friction, this can also lead to overheating, and eventually those parts will either be damaged beyond repair or seize up. It’s also particularly important to ensure you have the correct oil, as each engine has it’s own specification for viscosity (thickness) and grade (which is usually determined by the additives in the oil).

Now, the engine oil itself generally has a shelf life of 5 years or more in the can, but under the stresses of the heat of the engine, as well as potential contamination from dirt and moisture, the oil in your car over time will start to turn to sludge, which given what we talked about earlier, can cause catastrophic engine failure. Regular oil changes ensure this doesn’t happen, meaning you will ultimately save a lot of money on maintenance, parts and repairs.

A well running engine is an efficient one

As well as saving you potential money and time on getting your car fixed, regular oil changes can help improve your mileage. When an engine isn’t properly lubricated, it has to work harder to keep everything moving properly. This means you can end up using more fuel as your car needs more power to do the same task, and can end up burning through that tank you just filled even quicker.

We’re not saying that an oil change is going to stretch the full tank you were going through in a week out to a month or anything crazy like that. But even an loss of 1-2% of engine efficiency will have an impact on your wallet over the time you own the car.

Your oil can tell a story

Inspecting you car’s oil is like giving your vehicle an x-ray. It can be hard to see what's happening with components buried deep within the engine block, but there are symptoms and warning signs of some problems that can be seen by draining your sump.

For example, excessive metal shavings in your oil can indicate inadequate lubrication, maybe due to not having enough oil or using the wrong one (or just not changing your oil often enough!), or can infer wear and tear of engine parts.

Discolouration is another giveaway for deeper trouble. Milky oil likely means that coolant is mixing in it, which could mean a broken oil cooler, or worse still, a blown head gasket. Picking up on these kind of things early can help to save you from breaking down in the middle of the bush!

So when should you change your oil then?

Good question. Every manufacturer will have different timelines, so it’s always best to consult your service book. But if you're unsure, a good rule of thumb is every 10000kms or 6 months, whichever comes first.

And when that time comes, Murrumba Auto Care in Kallangur have you covered. Click here to book your service today, your car (and your wallet) will thank you for it!