The Importance of Oil Changes for Cars

Autos & TrucksMaintenance

  • Author Tim Laganke Jr
  • Published October 2, 2008
  • Word count 542

Changing your oil every 3,000 miles is not just a suggestion, it is a necessity. Getting oil changes for your cars on a routine basis will help to ensure the life of your automobile for many years to come.

There are a number of benefits that are associated with routine oil changes including increased gas mileage, increased performance and improved engine stability and life.

The first major benefit that is a direct result of routine oil changes is an increase in gas mileage. Dirty oil in a car’s engine creates friction between the moving parts. The more friction an engine must deal with, the more heat it will produce. This combination of friction and heat will lead to a decrease in the total number of miles per gallon each engine can go in between fill-ups. With the current gas spike that is occurring across America, wouldn’t it be great to get the maximum number of miles per gallon that your car can get?

Another major benefit of changing your oil every three months or 3,000 miles is that it’s a great way to ensure the life of your engine for years to come. An engine that is maintained on a consistent basis will remain cleaner. A clean engine is less likely to seize up on its owner. Careful and diligent maintenance of the key engine components of your engine will keep your engine running long after the body has begun to show the signs of aging.

A car’s performance depends largely on the condition of its engine. When every car is brand new, the manufacturer will release specification numbers about the car’s performance. These numbers will include the maximum horsepower and torque. As the years roll past, these numbers can decrease due to engine deposits and buildup in a number of the moving parts. Routine oil changes are a great combatant to engine buildup. New oil acts as a recycling agent and helps to remove deposits, while lubricating the engine in the same process.

Along with routine oil changes, there are a number of other things you can do to your car every three months that will help to keep your car running great.

Some of these maintenance jobs include checking the rest of your fluids, removing the air bubbles that may have accumulated in the brake lines or bleeding the brakes. The final area of quarterly maintenance that should not be forgotten is to rotate the tires of your car. This aids in helping to equally distribute the wear on each tire by placing them in different positions around the car. The rotation of the tires is dependent on the drive train of the specific car that you drive. For example, a front wheel drive car should have its tires rotated in a "front cross" pattern. This means that the back two tires should be crossed and placed in the position diagonal to them, while the current front tires are moved to the two open spots directly behind them.

In order to keep your car running its best, tri-monthly oil changes for cars is a necessity. The combination of the oil change with the other maintenance measures listed above will help to ensure a well running reliable automobile.

Tim LaGanke, Jr. is president of QuickChange Oil, a 10 minute oil change company, with locations across Northeast Ohio. QuickChange is currently seeking applicants interested in the oil change franchise business. Please contact LaGanke at gank@quickchangeoil.com for more information.

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McKenzie Thomas
McKenzie Thomas · 14 years ago
The Oil Change Fleecing of American Consumers... Continues... Marc Graham, president of Pennzoil-Quaker State-owned Jiffy Lube International, was quoted in a 2001 Lubricants World interview as saying, "At [PQS] we use a number internally that if we [shortened the drain interval] by 100 miles [for each car serviced], it would mean an additional $20 million in revenue for the company." He also explained that "if we could move our customers to get one more oil change per year, it's worth $294 million for the oil change alone and $441 million in revenue, when you include the ancillary products and services customers typically buy along with the oil change." Which explains why Quaker State stopped their advertising of protection beyond 3,000-miles after being purchased by Pennzoil. The bottom line is Their Bottom Line: PROFIT$. The shorter the drain interval, the more money Jiffy Lube and Penzoil-Quaker State make. With statements like this it sure appears that they don't care about your vehicle. All they want is to see the same customer over and over again, as often as possible! FACT: 25,000-Mile Extended Oil Change Drain Intervals have been around for 35 + Years and proven safe, cost-effective, convenient and environmentally superior to short drain intervals.

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