Oil Change - When to Use What Type of Oil

Getting an oil change is an essential part of the proper maintenance of on your car. If you are changing you oil every three months, or three thousand miles, your car will last longer, perform better and even give you better gas mileage. If you do not change your oil regularly, your pistons will wear down quickly from the friction, causing your car to overheat, which could possibly lock up your engine. This can cost thousands of dollars to fix. When compared to $20 to $30 for a lube change, it really makes the oil change seem like a bargain.

When changing your oil, it’s necessary to make some choices as to what type of lubrication fits your car best. There are several choices available to today’s car owner depending on the model of their car and the age. The most popular oil used in cars today is conventional motor oil. Conventional motor oil is a byproduct of the crude oil refining process. The main reason for its popularity is because it is very inexpensive compared to other options. Although it’s inexpensive, conventional motor lube is fairly quick to deteriorate especially when exposed to the high heat of most engines. For this reason, it’s not the best option for older, higher mileage vehicles or higher end vehicles with high powered engines. Older cars tend to burn off oil faster than newer cars, adding to the friction. The engines in high end cars tend to be more powerful which again create more friction. That’s why cheap conventional oil is not recommended for these cars.

Another type of oil is synthetic oil, which is derived in a lab from chemical compounds. Because of the materials and manufacturing process, synthetic oil is significantly more expensive than conventional oil. It’s more expensive to derive a product from chemical compounds than it is to simply refine a liquid found within the earth, thus the reason for the added cost. Although expensive, it certainly makes up for it with quality and durability. Synthetic oil will last longer and perform better under harsher conditions such as in older or higher performance engines. Because these engines typically exert much more pressure on the oil, synthetic oil is recommended for these engines. In the end, the extra cost of the lubrication will pay for itself in the extra performance or longevity derived from using synthetic blends of oil.

The last type of oil, which is steadily becoming more popular, is a conventional synthetic blend. They are gaining popularity because they perform better than conventional varieties of lube, yet are priced competitively compared to synthetics. This type of oil is typically manufactured by taking conventional oil and putting in a few additives to increase the performance. For someone with a high mileage car that is on a budget, this type of lubrication might be the best way to go.

When choosing oil for an oil change, it’s important to keep in mind the features that the oil offers. Choosing the wrong oil for your car can have serious implications on the performance or longevity of your car.