Know When It's Time to Get an Oil Change

Regular oil changes are essential to keep your car's engine running smoothly. Most mechanics recommend changing it every 3,000 miles or every three months - whichever deadline happens to come up first. It lubricates the engine and cools its parts, so an engine that's kept clean works efficiently for a longer period of time. Oil changes can prove to be less expensive than you think. However, if you decide to keep running the engine using old oil, your car will let you know that it's not doing too well!

Signs that Your Engine Oil Needs to be Changed Immediately

Dark, Dirty Oil - Typically it is light in color, almost like honey. If yours is a dark honey color, rest assured that it's fresh and clean. However, as the it moves through the engine multiple times a day, the it begins to gather impurities and become darker. If your lubrication is incredibly dirty, it will assume a black color. It's definitely time to bring your car in for both a change and a tune up since it could have affected the engine and other parts using lubrication.

Oil Level Decreases - As it circulates through the engine a very small amount is burned off each time. Unless your vehicle is incredibly old, low lube levels indicate that the oil hasn't been changed in a long time. Once again, it's time to take your car into the shop for a change and tune up to make sure nothing has been damaged by the low lubricant level.

Warning Light - Many of today's cars are equipped with computers which sense when the lubricant becomes incredibly dirty or starts to get low. If the sensors pick up dirty or low lube, a light is illuminated on your dashboard indicating that your car needs to be serviced as soon as possible.

Check Engine Light - If your car isn't equipped with a specific level light, your check engine light may come on when your car senses that it's time for an oil change. Since a check engine light is used for any problems that affect the engine's performance, you should take your car into the shop as soon as possible to prevent the issue from getting worse.

Specific Mileage Markers - Most mechanics recommend that you get an oil change every 3,000 miles. If you opt to use synthetic, you can usually wait until about 7,500 miles. Some manufacturers recommend a certain number of miles between changes depending on the car model you own.

No matter what type you use or what type of car you have, it's important to get an oil change regularly! Forcing dirty lubricant through your car's engine increases every day engine wear and tear, which shortens the life of your car. And if you allow the oil level to drop significantly, you're in danger of your engine seizing which happens when the engine literally melts together because it's grown so hot.