Guaranteeing an Honest Oil Change

The oil in your car is an essential element because it makes it possible for the engine to remain in proper working order. The parts that make up the engine require lubrication to prevent them from becoming too hot and that is the role that oil plays. An oil change approximately every three thousand miles that you have driven will ensure that the oil will not become too dirty and will not lose its high level of efficiency. If you do not get your oil changed as frequently as it requires it then you could end up with engine troubles that can cost a lot to fix.

Finding an honest oil change location may seem like looking for a needle in a haystack but it is actually easier than you may think. The key to ensuring honesty when it comes to car maintenance and repairs is to know how to spot a rip-off when you see one. If you are like most automobile owners you are looking to get an oil change that is very basic in nature. You do not want to get anything special but you just want to pay for the service you need. You also do not want to spend any more money than you have to.

There is basic service at a garage and then there is signature service. Basic service is just that- basic. It means that you receive the no frills oil change and nothing more. Signature service on the other hand involves the changing of the oil but other services as well. Some service centers offer both types of services but some only offer one. If the other services included in the signature service are of use to you then paying the extra $10, $15 or $20 may be in your best interests. If not, or if you are not sure, go for the basic service. It's what you came into the shop for anyway.

Not all motor vehicles require the same type of oil. Some may need a standard grade oil while others may require an upgraded kind of oil. An example of an upgraded oil would be full synthetic. There might be other higher mileage cars or trucks that require blends of oil that are special because they are for high mileage use only. If your car requires one of the special oil concoctions then you will have to pay a little more than you would for the basic oil but that is just how it goes.

An honest service center will give you what you pay for in terms of the oil of choice. However a dishonest center may use the basic grade for your oil change even when you paid for the higher grade. To prevent yourself from being ripped off let the mechanic know that you want to watch the process take place. In that way you will know for a certainty that the right type of oil was added. A good shop worth your time and money will not have a problem with your watching the process.

An honest shop will replace the oil filter. Putting on a new oil filter is part of the whole process after all. When in doubt ask to watch the filter being changed. To outsmart a possible offender at a garage place a small mark with a pen or permanent marker on the old oil filter before you bring it in. If you can still see the mark you placed on the filter once the oil has been completed then you will know that you were not given a brand new filter. If the garage is honest (as you hope it will be) then this will not be an issue at all.