Getting your oil changed regularly is one of the most important aspects of keeping your car or truck properly maintained. Some recommend that you change your oil as often as every three or four months, or about every three-to-four thousand miles, while others, such as the editors at Edmunds.com, maintain it’s possible to go much longer without getting your oil changed.
If you’re unsure about how often you should change your vehicle’s oil, consult the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines. Other than frequency, the main thing most drivers should consider when it comes to oil changes is the price.
So just what is a good price for an oil change?
The price of an oil change can vary greatly, depending on whether you take your car or truck to your local mechanic or to a national chain like Jiffy Lube, Meineke or Midas that specializes in oil changes. Sometimes chains will try and upsell you other services like transmission fluid, tire rotations, or air filters. These add-ons can drive the price up and before you know it, what was supposed to be a simple oil change can end up setting you back $200 dollars or more.
However when it comes to just a basic oil change with conventional grade motor oil, you really shouldn’t pay more than $25 to $30 according to CostHelper.com. On the other hand, if you’re using higher-grade semi-synthetic or fully synthetic oil, than you can expect to pay around $45 to $70 for an oil change, also according to CostHelper.com.
Conventional grade motor oil is cheaper to produce than synthetic oil, and is therefore more affordable. Conventional oil is derived directly from crude oil and is effective at providing lubrication at high temperatures and maintaining good stability over long periods of use.
CarsDirect.com describes conventional oil as “a lubricant that is derived directly from crude oil.” Conventional oils are typically cruder than synthetic oils and don’t run as cleanly. They also break down over time, and when they do they leave sludgy deposits inside your engine. Eventually these deposits bake on, almost like cooking oil, and can lead to increased wear and tear on your engine’s parts.
Introduced in the 1970s, synthetic oil is more expensive than conventional grade motor oil, but offers better protection for your engine. While conventional oil is merely refined, synthetic oil, according to CarsDirect.com, “begins its life as conventional oil and is then modified to improve its protective and lubricant properties.
Many synthetic oil blends are specifically engineered to increase the performance and life span of high-mileage vehicles. Other synthetic blends are engineered to boost high-performance engines, while still others are engineered to improve fuel economy.
Synthetic oils contain added lubricants than enable them to better keep engine parts slick at high temperatures. This improved lubrication decreases wear and keeps your engine running better longer.
As synthetic oils have a reduced breakdown, they typically don’t require changing as often as conventional oils do. So while what is a good price for an oil change can double when you opt for synthetic over conventional oil, you could end up saving money in the long run by cutting down on how often you require getting your oil changed.
Today many drivers prefer synthetic oil as it performs better, lasts longer and leads to fewer oil changes. According to the experts at CareCare.org, using synthetic oil is also better for the environment.
Synthetic oil can last up to three times as long as conventional oil before breaking down. So going synthetic can reduce the amount of oil waste you produce every year.
Even if you can’t afford $60 or $70 for synthetic oil, don’t put off getting your oil changed. While synthetics are better, especially if you have an older model vehicle, conventional oil does an adequate job of lubricating and protecting your engine.
Over the past 20 years conventional oils have been further refined resulting in oils that flow better over a range of different temperatures. Thinner conventional oils reduce friction and improve fuel efficiency.
There are also synthetic blends; that is oils that are “literally conventional oils mixed with some amount synthetic oil,” according to the Sweethome.com. This combination of synthetic and conventional oil produces a lubricant that is marginally improved over conventional oil but more affordably priced.
Whether you use conventional, synthetic, or a synthetic blend, the main thing is to always get regular oil changes and follow manufacturer recommended guidelines in order to protect your vehicle and preserve its long life.
