Are you looking to change your oil and you look to find out what is the cheapest oil change near me? Well, if that is the case, then you are at the right place because, in this article, there will be quite a lot to cover when it comes to oil changes and why they have to be done in the right interval.
- What Are Oil Changes?
- Why Is This So Important?
- Pros & Cons
- Oil Types
- Service Interval
- What Oil Do I Need?
- Cheapest Near Me
- Final Conclusion
- FAQs
Doing the maintenance on the car is really important. And almost every expendable item on the car has a replacement interval that has to be followed in order for your car to function properly and not suffer some internal damage.
And when it comes to the mechanical components, there could be some serious damage done to the engine or transmission if the fluid changes are not done at the recommended intervals and the factory-recommended procedures are not followed while doing so.
This is why you should not always look for the cheapest place that offers oil changes but the place with the best reputation and good feedback overall. And this is why we are here to help you out.
First, we are going to learn more about what is an oil change and why oil changes are so important. Then we will cover the pros and cons of doing this type of service at home as well as we will answer some other questions concerning this topic. Аnd lastly, we will find out more about the cheapest oil change near me. So, if you want to learn more, follow along.
Oil Change
What is an oil change? Well, an oil change, or oil flush as some people call it is a special procedure that is taken on vehicles with an internal combustion engine. This procedure has the goal to replace the existing worn-out engine oil with new oil.
And this procedure is usually done at a service center that is equipped with a lift. Why is this necessary? Well, mainly because in order for the procedure to be properly done, the technician or mechanic, has to gain access to the filter (it’s recommended that you change the oil filter every time) and the oil drain plug that is located on the bottom of the engine.
This could be done at home as well with a little bit of ingenuity. But it is a struggle for beginners that are doing it for the first time. And more about this we are going to elaborate later on when we are going to discuss the pros and cons of doing this service at home.
The important thing that you should know for now is that this type of service has to be done at a specific interval. And this interval is usually determined by the type of engine oil. And these intervals can vary from 6,000 to 10,000 miles on average.
It’s typically not a good idea to test how many miles can you go over an oil change. The latter also applies to knowing how often to change motorcycle oil, as much as cars.
Why Are Oil Changes So Important
Now let’s move on and learn more about another topic before we cover the cheapest oil change near me. And this is the topic of why oil changes are so important for you as a car owner. Why the oil change is really an essential service that has to be done on time? Let’s elaborate.
As you probably know, inside the internal combustion engine, there are a lot of moving parts. These parts are made out of metal. And when you have contact with metal against metal, this will cause the metal to heat up and start to create damage inside the engine.
The most sensitive components inside the engine are the piston rings, rod bearings, main bearings, camshaft, and crankshaft.
All these components suffer and wear quite exponentially if there isn’t proper maintenance done to the engine.
And by this, we mean changing the oil and filter regularly at the recommended intervals. Since engine oil is really crucial when it comes to lubricating all these components that we mentioned previously. Therefore, be wary of the tell-tale signs that you need an oil change.
If there is a lack of oil and they are left bone dry, the components will wear out. Also, if the engine oil is not replaced on time, will lubricate the components properly. And this burnt oil will overheat the engine causing immense wear and tear on the components.
This is why flushing the engine oil is really important and this service has to be done on time in order for you to avoid some permanent damage done to the engine. One skipped service for 5,000 to 10,000 miles, can literally remove 30,000 miles from the engine’s life. So, learn the cheapest oil change near me if you want to avoid this.
Pros & Cons Of Doing Oil Changes At Hone
Now let’s discuss one interesting topic before we learn about the cheapest oil change near me. And what are the pros and cons of doing this service at home?
There are a lot of DIYers here and you probably want to test your skills and try to do this service at your home. And you are still undecided about whether you are up to the task or not, as well as what are the pros and cons of having this service done at home in your garage.
So, if this is the case, then you are at the right place because, in the following chapters, there will be quite a lot to cover. Now let’s begin with the pros of doing your own oil changes before we dive into the cheapest oil change near me and find more about the places that offer these services on the cheap.
Pros
The biggest pro of doing your own oil changes is the ability to learn. A lot of people want to be challenged and do something new and different.
They are not afraid and discouraged from failure and are eager to learn and upgrade themselves to a different level. Especially when it comes to simple jobs like flushing the oil on your vehicle.
This is one of the easiest jobs that you can do and then you can move on to more complex tasks. Like servicing your brakes, or possibly flushing the radiator coolant. That’s how you perfect yourself, you start from the basic stuff and then climb up the ladder.
The second pro of doing your own oil changes is probably the attention to detail. Since who will take care of the car better than you?
Sometimes, in service centers where people take their cars for an oil change, the service is done quite poorly since it is so cheap. So, they will not bother to clean up if they create a mess in your engine bay or make sure that everything is at the right spec. And you can have an oil leak, so you will have to take your car again to the shop to tighten up the drain plug.
And the last pro is that you will save some money. Not a crazy amount of money but still enough to notice the difference. But I don’t want to change my oil, what is the cheapest oil change near me? It has been shown that it is cheaper to change your own oil.
Cons
We covered the pros of doing your own oil changes. Now let’s take a look at the cons of doing your own oil changes. What are the cons? Let’s elaborate before we dive into the cheapest oil change near me.
The biggest con of doing this type of service on your car is the messiness of the job. When you do your oil change, you can expect to make your hands dirty. So, you need to be prepared for this. If not, you might want to look online for the cheapest oil change near me and do this job at a service center.
Another con of doing this type of service is probably the difficulty and tools needed. Namely, it can be rather difficult to come to the oil pan drain bolt and the oil filter in some cases.
So, you will definitely need to purchase ramps to do this type of service. And once the car is lifted in the air, you can get access to the bolt. This will require some extra expenses which for some people would seem to be economically unfeasible.
Another thing is that if you live in an apartment building without a garage, you will be less likely to do this service in your car since you don’t have the space to work on it. Then, you need to learn the cheapest oil change near me and get things done. But more on that, we will cover it in a bit.
Types Of Motor Oil
Now since we covered the pros and cons of doing your own service, let’s take a look at the different types of engine oil that you can find out there. Knowing the types will really help you out when it comes to finding the right engine oil for your application as well as the right viscosity that we are going to cover later on.
Conventional Motor Oil – The first type of oil that is widely used on cars is conventional motor oil. So, what is conventional motor oil? Well, this type of oil is engine oil that is produced from crude oil in most cases.
Engine oil is a byproduct of oil refinement. So, carmakers had found a purpose for this excess product and that is to lubricate the engine. In general, conventional motor oil was the first type of oil that was invented and was used predominantly up until the early 90s when new types of oil appeared.
Synthetic Blend Motor Oil – The second type of engine oil that is used on cars is the synthetic blend. So, what is a synthetic blend? A synthetic blend oil is basically a conventional oil with some extra synthetic ingredients that extend the life of the oil and improve its performance.
Fully Synthetic Motor Oil – And the last type of oil that is massively used today in modern engines is full-synthetic motor oil. So, what does this mean?
Well, this means that the synthetic oil is made through the process of synthetization, This means that it is chemically modified in order for its lubricating characteristics to be improved. This oil is also derived from petroleum-based products like crude oil and natural gas. But what about the cheapest oil change near me? More on that, next.
Oil Replacement Interval
Now let’s cover another interesting topic before we understand more about the cheapest oil change near me and that is the oil replacement interval.
Oil replacement interval is probably one of the most important intervals that you need to be aware of as a car owner. After all, a lot of things can happen if you don’t change your oil.
Every type of oil that we discussed previously has its own oil change interval since not all oils are created equally.
For example, conventional motor oil is the type of oil that usually lasts for the least amount of miles. This type of oil should be flushed most frequently than any other type of oil. Usually, the interval for replacement on this type of oil is somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 miles. And this type is often used on older cars that were manufactured before the 90s.
Newer cars on the other hand that is produced between 1990 and 2000, cars use most frequently a synthetic blend. This type of oil lasts for longer mileage. This type of oil should be flushed every 6,000 to 8,000 miles or so.
And the last oil replacement interval that we are going to cover is for the fully-synthetic motor oil. This type of motor oil lasts the longest. The recommended interval for this oil is about 10,000 miles.
Some oil makers claim that their engine oil can be pushed even more than this and give some really high numbers like 15,000 miles or more. But just to be on the safe side, it is a much better idea to flush at 10,000 miles. Doing an oil flush is not that expensive after all. But what is the cheapest oil change near me? More on that, we will cover it in a bit.
What Kind Of Oil Does My Car Take
Now let’s take a look at what kind of oil does my car take before we cover the cheapest oil change near me. Knowing the type and viscosity is really important before you buy.
If you own a relatively old car, that is from the 80s or older, then you highly likely need to get mineral oil. And also, these cars often require thicker oil like 10w40 or 20w50. If the car likes to burn oil, we would strongly recommend going for a 20w50 motor oil rich in zinc. Like the Valvoline that we are going to list next.
If you own a car from the 90s and up, you can go for a synthetic blend motor oil. A synthetic blend motor oil is a mineral oil with some synthetic properties. The recommended viscosity for many new engines is 5w30.
Or if the engine has high mileage, then we would strongly recommend going for a 5w40. Since high-mileage engines tend to drink more oil than normal. And this Pennzoil (which is regarded as the best oil for HEMI 5.7 engines) will be perfect for this application.
And when it comes to a relatively new car that is less than 20 years old, we would strongly recommend using a fully-synthetic motor oil. This type of oil works best with new engines and your engine will definitely benefit from using fully synthetic motor oil.
Our personal favorite when it comes to synthetic motor oils is Mobil 1 (a rival to the Castrol Edge) for high-mileage engines that are above 75,000 miles. There is hardly any oil that can outmatch the Mobil 1. Also, the recommended viscosity is 5w30.
But what is the cheapest oil change near me? Well, more on that, we will cover it in a bit.
How Much Oil Does My Car Need
And the last topic that we are going to cover before we learn about the cheapest oil change near me is the topic of how much oil does my car need?
And this is a problem that bothers a lot of owners out there on a daily basis. They actually don’t know how much oil they need to purchase for their car. So, how to determine this?
Well, the thing you want to do in this situation is to make sure that you check the owner’s manual and learn more about the oil capacity of your engine.
If you don’t have this owner’s manual, then you should go online and browse your engine type. Every engine has a code. For example, Chevy 350 oil capacity, Dodge 6.4 oil capacity. And once you browse these phrases online, you will get a couple of answers probably.
And based on these answers you can draw your conclusion. If most of the answers overlap with each other, then this is the right amount of oil that your engine takes.
And what is most important is to never underfill or overfill the oil. Always make sure that the oil is in check at the recommended levels. But what is the cheapest oil change near me? More on that, next.
Cheapest Oil Change Near Me
Now let’s discuss the cheapest oil change near me. Where to find the cheapest service out there? Well, this really depends.
There are a lot of shop chains that are present nationwide. The most popular are Firestone (their oil change prices are quite competitive), Goodyear, Valvoline (oil changes there are decently priced), Jiffy Lube, Mr. Tire, Midas, Meineke, and others.
But when it comes to the cheapest ones, you should definitely take a look at Costco and Walmart oil change costs. These two chains are the cheapest from the bunch. But when it comes to Costco (such as their gas), you can print some of the coupons that they offer on their website and save a ton of money in the process. But you have to be a member of their program. And if you are a regular Costco buyer, this is really an insignificant amount.
But if you want the cheapest possible oil change near me, then you should definitely head up to Groupon.com. On Groupon, there are always some excellent offers available. That should alleviate some of your concerns about how much does an oil change typically cost.
And this website is specifically tailored for shops in your area. You just type your location and there will be a ton of offers popping up. So, that is your last resort unless you want to do this work by yourself in your garage.
Cheapest Oil Change Near Me: In Conclusion…
In this article, we have covered quite a bit when it comes to oil changes. First, we learned what is oil change and why oil changes are so important. Then we covered the pros and cons of doing your oil change.
After that, we learned about the oil type and also the amount of oil that you are going to need in order to get things done. Once we covered that, we learned more about the cheapest oil change near me.
FAQs On Cheapest Oil Change Near Me
Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
How Long Does An Oil Change Take
Oil changes can be done in a rather short amount of time. It usually takes between 15 and 30 minutes depending on the type of car. Some cars have more extensive maintenance procedures. This is why it can take longer, especially sports cars that have a few drain bolts.
How Much Is An Oil Change
The oil change cost depends on a few factors. Namely, how extensive maintenance the vehicle requires and also the amount of oil needed. For standard cars with 2.0L engines or smaller, it will not cost more than $60. But if you have a bigger engine that requires a lot of oil, then you can expect paying even up to $150.
How Much Oil Does My Car Need
The amount of oil really depends on the size of the engine. Smaller displacement engines require a max of 5 quarts. While larger displacement engines will require more oil. And this will also mean a more expensive oil flush job.
How Long Does Synthetic Oil Last
On average, synthetic oil last for about 10,000 miles. There are also oils that can last a lot longer like 15,000 miles or 20,000 miles. But it is always best to flush the oil at 10,000 miles.
What Time Does Valvoline Open
This depends on the center that you want to visit. But the majority of the centers start working from 8 am to 7 pm, from Monday to Friday.
How Long Can I Go Without An Oil Change
If you are driving a car with synthetic oil in it, then you will be good for 10,000 miles between flush. If you are driving an older car that uses conventional oil, then flushing the oil between 6,000 and 8,000 miles is the way to go.
