Get Your Next Oil Change at McCluskey Chevrolet

Any responsible car owner knows that regularly doing an oil change on your car is crucial to maintaining overall performance and longevity for your vehicle. Oil is the lubricating lifeblood that runs through your car, keeping everything moving smoothly and efficiently. If you leave old and blackened oil in your car for too long, it can start to negatively affect your engine.

It is important to understand what motor oil is and how it functions in your engine. Once you as a car owner knows just how crucial this liquid gold is to keep your car running smoothly, there is no chance you will ignore that “change oil” light ever again (hopefully).

Here’s a quick overview of the role that oil plays in keeping your car healthy, how often you should change it, and why you can trust McCluskey Chevrolet with your next oil change.

What Does Engine Oil Do?

To start, it is important to remember that the combustion engine that powers your car contains many moving metal parts that are constantly rubbing against each other. As these components really get going, they generate a high amount of friction and can corrode and damage each other at an alarmingly rapid pace. Engine oil’s job is to provide a lubricant for these metal parts, making their movements smooth and greatly reduce the friction’s degenerative impact. By reducing the amount of friction in your engine, oil also greatly decreases the buildup of heat while the engine is running. This will keep your engine healthy and work to prevent overheating.

Another key benefit of oil is its ability to keep your engine clean. As it flows through the engine, oil picks up dust and debris, carrying it to the oil filter where it is then trapped until you change it out for a new one. As the oil does its work it slowly becomes dirty from these pieces of gunk and debris, reducing its effectiveness over time. This is why it is so crucial to monitor the amount of time your oil has spent in the engine and change it accordingly. Keeping a clean engine promotes overall efficiency, increases longevity and can have a positive effect on your vehicle’s overall fuel economy.

It is also extremely important to mention that not all motor oils are the same, and some of them simply should not be put in your specific car if it has special oil requirements. One of the most crucial thing to look at when you’re browsing the shelves at your local auto store is the viscosity of the oil. Viscosity is represented with 2 numbers, often written out like 10W-30, and each car engine is suited to a different kind. Check out the Popular Mechanics article here for a simple breakdown of the categorization system.

How Often Should You Change Your Oil and Filter?

Despite the widely held belief that you should be changing your oil every 3,000 miles, many credible sources have recently come out saying that this may be a bit overly cautious. It is very possible that this fact was drummed up by businesses looking to encouraging people to change their oil more often than necessary, in turn making them more money.

Now with advancements in oil technology and its overall quality (we’ll cover synthetic motor oil later on), the frequency with which you need to change your oil has become more spaced out than ever before. At this point in time, some car manufacturers recommend that you change your oil and filter every 5,000 miles while synthetic oil changes may be needed every 10,000 miles, with some manufactures suggesting as high as 15,000. Some states such as California are even actively discouraging car owners from changing their oil more frequently than needed, as it puts unnecessary strain on the state’s oil recycling and disposal programs.

The most important takeaway here is that 3,000 miles is likely way too soon to change the oil in your vehicle. Consult with your local dealer and your vehicle’s owner manual to learn about any specific characteristics or requirements for your car’s engine. Every car manufacturer makes their engines different and each one has a specific approach and idea for how you should best take care of your car.

When it comes to changing your oil filter, it is generally a good practice to switch it out every time you change your oil. The filter picks up lots of dust and debris during its time attached to your engine and although it may set you back a few extra dollars, it always pays to have a nice clean filter. If you’re using synthetic oil and your car manufacturer suggests changing your oil only ever 10,000 or 15,000 miles, it may be worth consulting your owner’s manual or checking with a local dealership to see if it’s time to change your filter before the oil change.

What’s the Story on Synthetic Motor Oil

In the last few decades, synthetic motor oil has found its way into the mainstream and become a tried and true method for extending your engine life and increasing the time between oil changes.

As its name implies, synthetic oil is refined by workers before being sold as opposed to regular motor oil, which is essentially sold in its raw state. Synthetic oil is customized and tailored down to a molecular level to do its job as best it can and meet the specific demands of modern engines. Different brands of synthetic oil contain different cocktails of additives to create their unique formula and overall effect, so it’s important to research the different brands before making your final purchase.

So, while the higher price tag may scare many consumers away, synthetic motor oil really does pay for itself. Between less frequent oil changes and generally improved health for your vehicle, the advantages of this crude oil alternative add up rather quickly.  And again, it is highly recommended that you research the available options on the market to find the oil that is the best reviewed and best tailored to your specific vehicle.

Get Your Next Oil Change at McCluskey Chevrolet

In addition to our wide selection of new and used Chevrolet vehicles, McCluskey Chevy has a team of highly trained and professional technicians available seven days a week to provide oil changes and a variety of other services.

Here at McCluskey, we realized that your schedule is busy and hectic. This is why we work to make our oil change process as quick and pleasant as possible. Along with your oil change, our team will provide a complimentary inspection for any wear and damage through our completely free 27-point inspection. While this is a routine checkup, it will ensure that your car continues to run smoothly for the years and miles to come.

Our customers can also enjoy our lobby while they wait on their vehicle. We offer complimentary Starbucks coffee, chocolate and other snacks. Once your car is ready, you can enjoy your freshly oiled vehicle and the free car wash that we provide to every customer.

Our flexible hours are Mon-Thurs 7:30am-3:00am, Friday 7:30am-6:00pm, Saturday 9:00am-4:00pm and Sunday 10:00am to 4:00pm. If you have any questions regarding our hours or an estimate for work, please contact our services team at 513-697-5200. Even with these incredibly flexible hours we still understand that taking the time to schedule an appointment may be forgotten. No worries! You can simply drive in and get an oil change with no appointment needed.