Heated seats are negotiable. Snow tires may not be a necessity. But across the board, no matter what kind of car you drive or where you live, oil changes are key to extending the life of your car. Oil changes are the foundation of all maintenance, as fundamental to mechanical wellbeing as brushing our teeth is to ours. It’s the number one way to reduce the risk of engine problems. Still not convinced? Check out these top five reasons to have an oil change:
Reduce engine friction:
As oil ages and becomes dirty, it loses its friction-reducing capabilities, which increases wear within an engine. Changing oil regularly ensures that engine friction is kept at a minimum by replacing old, degraded oil with new, clean oil.
Keep it cool:
Regular oil changes ensure that a car’s engine has a steady supply of clean engine oil that is better able to flow and absorb engine-related heat, which reduces engine operating temperatures.
Prevent corrosion:
Along with sludge, that is naturally produced by combustion, your oil can also accumulate debris such as water, dirt and dust. This debris can actually corrode the inside of your engine. An oil change allows you to clean out any oil with saturated debris.
The power of filters:
Oil changes come with with new filters. The filter works to keep the sludge from reaching your engine. But if the filter is not changed regularly, it too becomes clogged with particles from old oil, dirt or combustion sludge and decreases the amount of good oil that gets to your engine. Not something to mess with or procrastinate too long for—a decreased amount of oil to your engine could kill it.
The lowdown on leaks:
With age, some cars might leak gasoline or coolant into the oil that can cause significant damage to your engine. The only way you would know that is by changing your oil—it’s a great way to stay informed about your car’s health.
Oil changes, while tedious, are the smartest way to upkeep your vehicle–and a lot cheaper than a new engine.