When to Change the Oil

Maximizing Your Maintenance Schedule

You want to keep your car healthy, but you don’t want to spend more than you have to. You want to get the professional care your car deserves, but you don’t want to visit the auto shop every month for service. Vehicle maintenance can seem like a moving target with so many factors playing into an individual car’s health and performance. Miller’s Automotive Service in Gastonia, North Carolina is here to cut through the noise and create a maximized maintenance plan for your oil changes!

Factors that Affect Motor Oil

How often you change your oil depends on several variables. There are a few standards you can follow, but if you want to maximize your maintenance budget, you may want to consider details specific to your unique driving habits. Here are the things our technicians consider when creating your customized maintenance plan.

Factory Recommendations

When your vehicle was designed, the manufacturers understood how often oil changes would be needed to protect optimal performance. This interval is provided in your owner’s manual and serves as a baseline for your scheduling. However, this doesn’t account for factors that vary with individual driving habits.

Type of Oil

Depending on the type of oil your motor runs on, your vehicle may need more or less frequent oil changes. Full-synthetic motor oils are known to outlast conventional alternatives, which is a benefit considering their comparatively high costs. Always consult a professional before changing the type of oil in your engine.

Driving Habits

Do you spend most of your time in stop-and-go traffic or whizzing down the highway? Are you a defensive driver or do you tend to hit both pedals hard between red and green lights? These differences in driving habits and styles can impact how long your motor oil lasts and when it should be changed.

Schedule Service

The technicians at Miller’s Automotive Service in Gastonia, North Carolina are ready to work with you! We can create an optimized oil change schedule that maximizes what’s already in your vehicle, without risking your budget for the engine’s health. Contact us today to learn more!