For ages, we have been told to change our vehicle’s oil every 3,000 miles, which is an easy rule to abide by when the little sticker on our windshield is constantly there to remind us when to take our car in for an oil change. But there are ways to make an oil change last:
Break the “rule”
A vehicle can actually run between 5,000 and 7,000 miles on the same oil, which means an oil change at every 3,000 miles isn’t necessary. You can save both time and money by doubling the amount of time between oil changes.
Use the right oil
There’s a reason your owner’s manual tells you what weight oil to use – because that’s at what oil your vehicle operates best. Using the wrong oil (like a straight weight oil in a vehicle that recommends multi-viscosity oil) could cause lubrication problems in your engine, which could damage it.
Use a high-quality filter
When you choose a high-performance or extended-performance oil filter for your vehicle, you’ll be able to keep your engine cleaner and save money on oil, future filters, and maintenance time.
Consider synthetic oil
Synthetic oil is an artificially made motor oil that is thinner than conventional oil and provides a better lubrication for engine parts. Because of its cleaner composition, you can change your oil less often (like every 8,000-12,000 miles). Synthetic oil costs more than conventional oil, but because you can use them longer, the prices just about even out.
Check before you change
If you’ve given yourself a mile limit for when you’re going to change your oil next, check it before you change it. New engine oil is a gold color while dirty engine oil is near black, so check your dipstick and use your best judgment – you may not need an oil change as soon as you think!
Record your information
Keep track of when you change your oil, how dirty your oil is, what filter you used, what oil you used, and more. This will help you make the best decisions next time.
If you want to make driving even easier for your fleet members, invest in fleet fuel cards from Fuel Express! They’re accepted at over 320,000 gas and maintenance locations nationwide and come with great tracking and GPS features.
