Introduction
One of the most routine maintenance procedures suggested by your car manufacturer is the regular changing of your automotive oil. It is a procedure which, although costly, is the main reason why a car can offer its owner decades upon decades of use before the engine finally conks out. One way of understanding the importance of this procedure is to think of your car in terms of human anatomy. The oil of the car is its blood supply which ensures the car’s life. The human body can manage to process the blood of its impurities over time, keeping a human in tip-top condition. But a car does not have this capability. Over time, the sludge will build up and slow down the car. If left unattended, it can actually render the car useless. Kind of like when the human circulatory system develops a problem. When we have a problem with our blood, we undergo dialysis to remove the impurities and prolong life. Changing your car oil on a regular basis is not so different from that.
Discussion
How often an oil change is done actually depends upon the length of time a vehicle remains in regular use. For commercial vehicles, the rule of thumb is every 3 months otherwise the vehicle will have a tendency to smoke belch. Private vehicles will do with a twice a year oil change. Although, the vehicle manufacturer usually has suggestions regarding the frequency of oil change, which is usually found within the owners manual. The common suggestion is to do the procedure every 6,000 miles. The most important thing is that you actually keep a schedule of your oil change in order to develop a sense of vehicle maintenance schedule. A routine that saves every car owner the cost of a tow on a dark night out on the highway due to maintenance neglect.
More importantly, a car owner must make sure that the car runs using the manufacturer suggest oil type and grade. Due to the oftentimes confusing and numerous motor oils available in the market these days, it is best to use the manufacturer suggested oil grade. This ensures that the oil viscosity (thinness or thickness) is always at the proper grade as approved by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for most motor vehicles. I would recommend the use of the Multi-grade type, that is the kind that adjusts and keeps its viscosity in extreme cold and hot temperatures. This ensures that your motor will work at its optimal best in any weather situation. Due to global warming, it never hurts to make sure that the engine will be protected against sudden exterior temperature changes.
A car owner can opt to have a professional do the oil change, which entails draining the old oil, changing the oil filter, and replacing the air filter as well. Or, choose to do it himself. The latter being a cost efficient way of changing oil even though it is a bit time consuming and is most often a very dirty and greasy job. If you choose to have a professional do the job, make sure that he follows the manual suggestions to the letter in order to ensure that no problems shall develop within the system. Watching him do the procedure enough times will also allow one the opportunity to observe the proper way of changing the oil with the full intent of trying his hand at it at a later date.
Conclusion
In the end, the most important reason to ensure a proper oil change boils down to environmental protection. Regular oil changes lessen the greenhouse gases that poison the earth’s atmosphere. However, improper disposal of your old motor oil can also harm the environment. Improper oil disposal can cause soil and water contamination. Make sure the used oil is collected for delivery to the local recycling center. If you choose to do the job yourself, deliver the used oil to the nearest recycling center as well. Remember, by properly changing your car oil, you prolong the life of your engine and help save the environment as well.
References / Bibliography
“Changing Your Oil: What Every Driver Should Know”. Web.
“How To Change Your Car Oil”. Carinsurance.com. N.A. Web.