Gillman Honda San Antonio is proud to serve the San Antonio, TX area with our comprehensive Honda parts and service center. The most common – and most important – regular service you can get done for your car is an oil change. But how do you know when it’s time to bring your car in? And why should you get your oil changed on a regular basis? Let’s get to the bottom of those questions.
Your car’s engine has a lot of moving parts – about 10,000, actually. All those moving parts create friction, which is necessary for your car to move, but is also bad if that friction is created without the proper lubrication. Your engine can get seriously damaged if the oil inside of it is old and expired. Fresh and clean oil helps the moving parts of the engine glide effortlessly together like they are designed to do. Old oil slows that process down and can actually make it worse.
How do you know when your oil is ready to be changed, before the “check oil” warning light appears on your dashboard? Usually, when you get your oil changed, your technician will put a sticker on the corner of the dashboard window on the driver’s side. The sticker usually has a mileage limit and an approximate date to return for your next oil change. It might say something like 5,000 miles or June 1st, or whichever comes first.
For a long time, until the last few decades, the recommended amount of miles before getting your oil changed was 3,000 to 3,500. This was based on the fact that the oil being used was made differently than today’s oils and didn’t last as long in the engine. The oils used in today’s cars can last up to 10,000 miles between changes, especially if they are synthetic.
We hope this brief guide on when to get your oil changed was helpful. If you are unsure when you should get your oil changed, our friendly service department would be more than happy to check for you and answer any questions for you. If you need your oil changed today, come visit us our location. See you soon!
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