Oil Change: What Do I Get?

When it’s time to get your car serviced do you know what to expect? Do you just take it to the place that has the cheapest deals? It is understandable that you don’t want to spend a ton of money on something as simple as an oil change. Maybe you've tried it just once and found it alright for kicks, but by not fully understanding or knowing what they are doing, you could wind up spending more than you bargained for.

There are a few things you need to know about the whole process of an oil change. They will first take off the old filter. They will then drain the car of the old oil. If you go to the wrong place, they may charge you for a new filter and not install one. There are some companies out there that are just that dishonest. You should be able to sit and watch the service being performed. This way you can monitor whether or not they are trying to get away with not servicing your car correctly.

From start to finish, it won't be long before the entire oil change is done. Those places that claim to do the job in a few minutes aren’t necessarily skimping on service. If you go to some place and it takes more than twenty or thirty minutes after your car goes into the bay, you might want to question what they are doing. Some places add a quick inspection of belts, caps and fluid levels but those inspections don’t add a great deal of time to your visit. If they take an exceptionally long time with your vehicle, there is no shame in asking about what's taking so long. As an example, there may have been an issue getting off the filter or removing the plug, but you do need to know what problem is holding them up. If the plug has been stripped, you need to know so you can go get the part to replace it. If they couldn’t remove the filter don’t pay them for a new one.

Probably the best thing you can do for your car is to do some quick research on oil change places. By running down a quick review of shops in your area, you can avoid the hassle of poor service. It's terrible to pay for something you didn’t get, so don’t be afraid to report a poor job to the manager or on a comment card or review site.

Getting your oil changed regularly can help keep your car on the road for a lot longer. Don’t waste your time or money on a shop that doesn’t perform all the service they claim to.