When Should You Change Your Oil?
Regular oil and filter changes are one of the easiest ways to maintain your vehicle to avoid unnecessary engine problems and help your car run at optimum efficiency. By changing your oil, you can get up to twice the mileage out of an otherwise good engine. But WHEN should you change your oil? Every few months? Every X number of kilometers? What is the general rule? IS there a general rule?
Following your car’s manufacturer recommendation on when to change your oil is the best option. A good general rule to follow is that if your car is a 2008 model or newer, you should change your oil every 7,500km or every 6 months, whichever comes first. If your car is from before 2008, it is recommended that you change your oil every 5,000km or every 6 months, whichever comes first.
Extreme driving conditions, however, will require you to change your oil more often. Examples of these conditions could include:
- Towing or carrying heavy loads with your vehicle
- Driving in excessively dusty conditions
- Off-road driving
- Driving long distances at slow speeds
- Frequent stop-and-go traffic conditions
- Driving only short distances
- Little or no highway driving
- Driving in very hot weather conditions
Most oil change technicians will place a sticker on the inside of your windshield to remind you when your next oil change should be. If not, make sure you keep a record of your oil changes to ensure that you are not waiting too long. Dirty oil can cause sludge to clog engine parts, the engine no longer lubricates properly, which increases friction and your vehicle’s operating temperature and causes the engine to wear faster, reducing the life of your car.
If you’re unsure of when your last oil change was, have a look to see if your car show these 4 Signs You Need an Oil Change. Or use this handy tool if your car was manufactured between 2000 and 2014 to see what the manufacturer-recommended oil change interval is for your vehicle.
When you’re due for an oil change, bring your car into us here at Searles where we will not only change your oil, but our team will perform a full bumper to bumper inspection and let you know of any other potential issues. Call us today at (250) 475-2000 or contact us online to set up your oil change appointment.
