Sometimes it’s easy for us to say we are getting an oil change without fully understanding the why and how, and it’s always best to go into a service knowing exactly what you’re getting.

Put simply, an oil change is a service where you take out the motor oil from your engine and replace it with new oil, along with replacing the oil filter. This procedure is really important because motor oil and your filter are key components for your vehicle’s health.

Motor oil is what keeps your engine lubricated, and if left unchanged for long periods, it begins to break down and become less effective. This increases the possibility of rust and erosion on the metal components of your engine, impacting your car’s overall performance.

Essentially you need to change your oil every time it loses its ability to lubricate and protect your engine, but it’s hard to gauge when that is, so we recommend following certain rules of thumb widely accepted in the automotive community.

The best way to know when to get your oil changed is check your owner’s manual, which should give you the manufacturer’s recommended mileage between oil changes. This length is typically between 3000 and 5000 miles, but will depend on the make and model of your vehicle.

If you want to add even more mileage to the intervals between your oil changes, switching to synthetic oil is proven to increase this mileage by over 33%, and can improve both engine performance and fuel efficiency.