Oil Change - High Mileage Needs

Aug 24

08:08

2011

Ace Abbey

Most newly manufactured vehicles are designed to last for at least 100,000 miles. Frequent oil changes during this time will be important to the overall longevity and performance of the car. However, an oil change will become absolutely vital as the car begins to age and gain mileage well past the first 100,000 miles. As the vehicle owner, you may notice some changes in how the car performs, which might be an indicator that the engine may need more frequent oil changes in order to perform at the same level of efficiency.

While most car engines do not perform very well past the first 100,00 miles, there are a few car manufacturers who have a reputation of building engines that can last two to three times as long. Although the integrity of the engine has a lot to do with how long the car will last, the vehicle owner is a big part of this equation. A vehicle that is well taken care of, with frequent oil changes and the occasional tune-up, will most definitely perform better once it has reached the 100k mark. However, if the car is to last longer and perform as if it were still new, the oil must be changed more frequently. As the engine ages and gains more mileage, the individual parts of the engine can begin to effect how the engine performs. For instance, the pistons, valves, and crankshaft are all vital parts of the engine that will be difficult and expensive to replace if they have been compromised. Each of these parts needs the lubricating and cleansing properties of clean motor oil in order to continue to work properly. Unfortunately, because of sludge build-up, it might become difficult to keep these parts clean as the engine ages. Furthermore, the motor oil helps these parts move more freely, and if the oil does not perform well, neither can the engine.

Luckily, there are motor oils available that are specially designed for high mileage engines. These engine lubricants have different chemical components and additives that do a much better job of keeping the engine clean. A good repair shop will recommend the use of these lubricants for older vehicles that need servicing for an oil change. Likewise, a repair shop may also recommend more frequent servicing for older engines. For instance, newer engines may need an oil change only once every 10,000 miles. Once the engine has reached a point of high mileage, those oil changes might be needed every 5,000 miles.

If you have an older vehicle, or even a fairly new one with a lot of mileage, an oil change will become more important to maintain the health of your vehicle.

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