Keeping up with vehicle maintenance sometimes can feel like a chore, especially when you can’t exactly remember the last time you took your car into the auto shop. Periodic maintenance matters in the long run so you can avoid more costly repairs down the road. 

An oil change is one of the more basic services your vehicle needs to perform at its best. Oil is specifically designed to lubricate your vehicle’s engine. Fresh oil helps prevent your engine from using more energy and fuel than it needs and protects engine parts from wear and tear.

We’ll walk you through why oil changes matter for your vehicle and how long is too long to wait in between oil change services. 

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T GET AN OIL CHANGE?

When life gets busy, it may be tempting to put things, like an oil change, on the back burner. Delaying important preventative maintenance could cost you overall. Without good engine oil, you are putting your car’s engine in danger. Putting off an oil change for too long can:

• Worsen engine performance: Good engine oil keeps all the parts in an engine lubricated, but as it degrades it becomes more difficult for an engine to run at full capacity. As engine oil ages in service, acids accumulate in the oil. Additive performance and protection may also fade and the oil can thicken in viscosity.
• Cause costly engine damage: Neglecting an oil change long-term can have disastrous consequences. Old oil can eventually turn into sludge or deposits  that can cause serious damage from a smoking engine to complete engine failure.

HOW LONG CAN YOU GO WITHOUT AN OIL CHANGE?

Now that you know how important an oil change is for your vehicle, you may be wondering what’s the best way to keep up with maintenance. A lot of this depends on your type of vehicle and how you drive.

The best way to stay on top of maintenance intervals is to refer to your vehicle owner manual or the oil life monitor displayed on the driver information center of your dashboard or center console.

DON’T MISS OUT ON YOUR NEXT OIL CHANGE

When it is time to schedule service at the auto shop, there’s plenty of benefits to getting your oil changed at My Tire. Each oil change comes with a free courtesy inspection, speedy service, and we regularly offer coupons to save you money.