Hands down, oil changes are one of the top things you can possibly do to keep your car running in optimum shape. The oil in a car runs through every part of the engine, making sure each moving part is able to do its job adequately each time you turn on the ignition—but how often should you be replenishing your car motor’s fuel?

Oil changes can quickly get confusing because while they are essential, there are a lot of variables involved in how often they should be changed. The type of car you drive, your driving habits, the type of oil you use and how often you get other elements of your car serviced can all impact how frequently your oil should be changed, so below, we will run through some tips that can help you stay on top of it.

How to Know When to Change Your Car’s Oil

Check your owner’s manual. Your car’s owner’s manual is a great place to find all sorts of information about your vehicle, including guidelines for how often to have your oil changed as well as what type of oil to use. Some manuals will recommend changing the oil every 3,000 miles while others will go up to 10,000. This will provide you with a good baseline for keeping track of oil change frequency for your car.

Consider your driving habits. If you drive your car under normal conditions most of the time, you can likely wait longer between oil changes. However, if you drive in ways that are hard on a car, such as primarily taking short trips, driving in stop-and-go-traffic, exposing your vehicle to extreme temperatures or towing heavy loads often, you should likely err on the side of having your oil changed more frequently.

Make sure you know what type of oil you get. While many car manuals will let you know what type of oil to use in your vehicle, not all do—so it is important to know what type of oil your car is running on so you can be sure you are keeping up with the proper changing intervals. Synthetic oils tend to last longer, but are not applicable for every car or driving scenario.

Do you need to bring your car for an oil change? We’re here to help. Contact us today to schedule a service so you can be sure your car is taken care of.