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There are several schools of thought regarding on a car's oil change schedule. Some drivers maintain that their car oil doesn’t need to be changed until the oil light comes on. Of course most lights don’t come on until the ten thousand mile mark and this is a long time to go without changing your fluids. Going this long between changes can actually increase the possibility of harming your car’s engine and shortening the life span of your car. The other school of thought is to change your oil every 5,000 to 7,500 miles or once a year, which ever comes first. This is probably the most adhered to time line by most drivers who want to error on the side of cautious car maintenance. Finally of course there is the school of thought that states that the oil should be changed at 3,000 miles or every six months, which ever comes first. This is considered best for severe driving conditions, which most driving falls under. Severe driving conditions can include what most people would consider normal driving conditions such as making frequent short trips of less than ten miles, especially in cold weather climates. Severe driving conditions can also include driving frequently in stop and go traffic, which fits most big city driving conditions and of course driving on dusty dirt or gravel roads found in many rural communities. Even driving at sustained speeds in hot weather can be considered severe driving conditions by definition. Which ever school of thought you fall into, the important thing is understand that oil wears out over time and looses its viscosity. Old oil can become contaminated with gunk which is a combination of moisture and acids from soot, dirt and particles of metal from normal engine wear that find their way in. Left untreated these contaminates can form sludge which is the death for any engine. Once sludge begins to take root in your engine it can become very difficult to eradicate it. Sludge can become so hard it has to be chipped out and if it has made its way into the moving parts of your engine it will require extensive work to replace damaged parts and chip out sludge where ever possible. Proper maintenance can go a long ways to avoid this problem in the first place which is where a timely oil change comes in. So if you are trying to decide at what mileage marker you should go into the shop at, take into consideration the age of your car, your driving habits and the climate you drive in and talk to your mechanic to fully understand what is the best recommendation for your particular needs to ensure the long and healthy engine life of your car. An oil change in Jonesboro can do a lot toward ensuring your car's long and health life. Learn more here: http://www.meineke-jonesboro.com/.
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