Have you ever tried to throw yourself down a slip-n-slide without turning on the water? Well, we haven’t either. But we can imagine it wouldn’t be a pretty sight.

It’s also not a pretty sight when you try to run your engine on low oil or the wrong kind of oil. But it can get confusing. There are so many choices. Conventional. Synthetic. Synthetic blend. Choosing the correct oil is critical to engine life. So, how do you choose what’s right for you?

At Christian Brothers Automotive Round Rock, our ASE certified technicians approach routine oil changes with the same level of excellence and care as when they replace an entire engine. All too often we get new customers whose cars are failing due to careless oil changes. Nobody has time or money for that.

We strive for transparency, and we think you should know what’s going into your engine and why. We’ve broken down the different types of oils into the good, better, and best.

The Good, Better, and Best of Engine Oil Types

The Good – Conventional

This is the dinosaur of car engine oils. Notice that we didn’t call it the “bad” oil. Simply put, it works okay, but it isn’t up to par with the synthetic oils.

Did you know that up to 75% of engine wear occurs as the engine warms up? Conventional oils don’t provide the critical amount of lubricant needed when you first start a cold engine. And they certainly aren’t up to the task of handling engine temperature extremes.

Though this may seem like the best choice for your wallet now, your engine – and your wallet – may pay the price later for choosing an oil that does little to protect or extend the life of your engine.

The Better – Synthetic Blend

Synthetic blend is the middle child of oils that rarely gets any attention. Think of it as the hybrid between conventional oil and full synthetic oil. While it may offer slightly better engine protection than its predecessor, it’s also more expensive and doesn’t touch the performance of full synthetic oil.

The Best – Full Synthetic

“Best” doesn’t begin to describe the superiority of full synthetic oil for your engine. Unlike other oil types, full synthetic won’t break down when it faces extreme temperatures caused by the engine or the weather. That’s why full synthetic oil gives you the best protection for your engine.

Synthetic oil minimizes wear by creating less resistance inside the car’s engine. Less resistance means you’ll get the best engine efficiency, the best horsepower, and the best fuel economy out of your car. So even though this is the most expensive oil, you’ll be spending less on gas, changing your oil less often, and getting the longest life out of your engine.

Bonus Oil – High Mileage

High mileage oil touts itself as the oil once your car hits 75,000 miles. That may be true for some cars. But not all. No two engines have the same amount of wear on them at 75,000 miles.

High mileage oil is a great option when you have an engine that is getting a little tired and you want to prolong its life. However, be careful not to use high mileage oils before your car needs them. Otherwise, you may do more damage than good.

Our ASE certified technicians thoroughly inspect your car every time you visit us. We can tell you when the time is right to switch to high mileage oil.

What Type of Oil You Should Choose for Your Car

So you’ve got down the basics of oil types. Now what?

All oils have an API service rating which indicates the quality of that oil. Turn to your owner’s manual to know exactly what rating your engine needs. You can always exceed the recommended rating, but dropping below the recommended rating could be disastrous for both your engine and your wallet.

At Christian Brothers Automotive Round Rock, we use only the highest-quality oils and filters on the market. Our ASE certified technicians service all makes and models and can tell you what oil is right for your engine.

The oil change was timely, staff was warm and confident…and the owner is amazing! – Karah Ricketts

No matter what oil you choose, regular oil maintenance will extend the life of your engine. Follow the manufacturer recommendations or ask one of our technicians how often your oil should be changed.

Are you ready to make the right oil choice for your car?

Schedule an appointment with us today. We’ll help you make the right decision.

“Everything was fast and it was such a welcoming feel!” – J.M.

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