Friday’s Advice: Why It’s Not Always Good to Say Yes to an Oil Change

You’ve heard this many times: the oil is the lifeblood of your engine. You might have also heard the many problems that your engine might encounter when it is oil starved, so grave that they almost want to make you run to the nearest repair shop for an oil change. But, you will be glad to know that you can rest easy these days and say goodbye to all those needless worries about the oil in your car.

For a long time, there’s this long-standing rule about changing oil every 3000 miles (that’s about every three months). But, you’ll be happy to know that this has already become a myth these days. All it ever does? Well, it makes the business of oil change shops lucrative, no doubt. But for your car? It has already been proven that more frequent oil changes than recommended doesn’t actually give any additional benefit. Additional expense—more like.

Knowing this now, you can already say no to all those mechanics out there who would suggest an oil change when you bring your car to a shop for a specific problem. When you check your car owner’s manual, you will see the recommended interval for changing oil. This varies from car to car, but most of them have a 5000-mile mark. This mark is even for severe driving conditions. And what are these conditions? Well, these include driving in very hot weathers, frequent driving in stop and go traffic, and driving in rugged terrains.

If you drive in normal or mild conditions, however, you can extend that interval to 10,000 up to 15,000 miles. See? That would be too much of savings for your vehicle. If you want to be sure of your specific car’s oil change interval, you can check your manual thoroughly for the manufacturer’s recommendations. 

DIY Saturday: Doing an Oil Change

An oil change is probably the simplest automotive task that you can do on your own - no need to take your chances bringing your vehicle to a shop and probably getting ripped off.

Oil change involves three major processes, and it only requires simple tools (wrench, container for catching oil, and funnel). Shall we start?

Precautions before starting:

1. Park your vehicle in a flat and solid surface and be sure that it’s stable.

2. Don’t let the oil spill. Have the container ready to catch the old oil that you’ll drain.

3. Be sure that the engine is cold when you do the task.

4. You’ll need a new oil filter to replace the old one.

1: Drain the old oil.

·         Find the oil pan and its plug underneath your car. Open it to allow the old oil to drain. Just be sure you have the container ready to catch the oil.

·        Once all the old oil has drained, replace the plug and tighten to the correct torque specs.

2. Replace the oil filter.

·        Remove the filter (often accessed from underneath your vehicle, depending on car make and model) using a wrench and be careful not to spill the oil inside it.

·        Place the new oil filter (apply oil on the filter’s gasket) and fill it with oil – not too full.

3. Fill your engine with oil.

·        Use the funnel when filling up to avoid spill.

·        Check your manual to determine the amount of oil that your engine needs. Don’t fill it up to full capacity. After filling up, measure the oil level using a dipstick and add oil as necessary.

Doing your own oil change is not only cost saving, it’s also empowering to a vehicle owner. So if you’re someone who’s planning to start doing some of the tasks required in your vehicle so that you can avoid instances of having to bring your ride to a shop, an oil change is a good way to start.

Beware: Oil Change Rip Off

Oil change is one automotive task that DIYers like you can easily accomplish all by yourselves. However, there are certain instances when you really have to bring your ride to a shop for an oil change—instances such as when you’re too busy to do the job yourself or if you’re bringing in the car for another repair and getting an oil change together with the repair is a more convenient option.

You should watch out, though, because some shops practice rip-offs even in as simple a job as an oil change. How?

The most common oil change rip off is the failure of the shop to replace the filter together with the oil change. This filter is designed to trap the contaminants present in the oil so that the said particles will not cause clogging in any metal part. And, it must also be replaced every time you change your vehicle oil. Some auto mechanics will lead you to believe that they have replaced the filter when in fact they didn’t. And the result, the oil’s efficiency won’t last long and the old filter may become clogged soon, not letting enough oil to flow to important metal components.

Another form of oil change rip-off is the filling up on oil that’s lower in class than the oil that the customer has paid for. Automotive oil comes in different grades, with the higher grades being more expensive. Sometimes, you’ll pay for a higher grade of oil but the mechanic will use oil of lower grade without you knowing it.

Similar to all other types of rip-off, you must be vigilant and must be on the look-out for this kind of rip-off. Practice caution when dealing with auto repair shops so that you will not easily fall into fraud and deception.