How Regular Oil Changes Can Maximize Fuel Efficiency

Every driver in North Richland Hills, TX, knows what it’s like to grumble about gas prices, especially if your car doesn’t get as many miles per gallon as you’d want. Luckily, cutting down on the amount of fuel your vehicle uses isn’t difficult. You just have to make a few small tweaks to your driving habits and prioritize an auto maintenance service you should already be getting—that is, oil changes. 

Setting up an oil change in North Richland Hills might not be the first thing you think of when trying to boost your car’s fuel economy, but this service can seriously improve your car’s gas usage. Here, you’ll find all the information you need about the connection between oil changes and fuel efficiency.

How Oil Change Service Can Improve Your Fuel Economy

Your vehicle’s fuel economy is directly tied to how hard your engine needs to work. If you’ve just gotten an oil change service, the moving parts in your engine will be thoroughly lubricated. Because of that, your engine will be able to function with little to no difficulty—and it will burn a minimal amount of fuel as a result.

On the other hand, an engine using old oil won’t have a similarly high level of lubrication. That means its moving parts will start to rub against each other, lowering your fuel economy in the process. With that in mind, it’s easy to see how prioritizing oil changes can reduce your vehicle’s overall fuel usage.

Local Fuel Efficiency Factors

In some ways, the intense summer heat seen in North Richland Hills can actually help your fuel efficiency—your engine won’t have to warm up to an ideal temperature, and cold air creates more aerodynamic drag than warm air. But there’s a catch: During this time of year, you’ll almost certainly be using your vehicle’s air conditioning system while driving. A/C usage in extreme heat can lower your fuel economy by 25% or more.

Since North Richland Hills is so close to Fort Worth, it’s also worth noting that the stop-and-go traffic commonly seen in urban environments is terrible for your fuel economy. Even though your car isn’t moving in these situations, your engine is still burning gas—and getting zero miles to the gallon. While automatic start-stop systems can help alleviate this issue, it’s still a good idea to get oil changes more frequently than average if you regularly visit the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area.

Other Ways to Boost Your Fuel Economy

Even if oil changes weren’t already a crucial auto maintenance task, they would still be a great way to enhance your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. That said, this isn’t the only way drivers can maximize their miles per gallon. To get the best possible fuel economy from your vehicle, you should also:

Keep Up on Vehicle Maintenance

Like dirty oil, failing spark plugs, clogged air filters, and bad connections can negatively affect your car’s fuel usage. All of these issues have one thing in common: regular maintenance service will help you catch them as soon as possible. 

Pay Attention to Your Tire Pressure

Underinflated tires can have a surprisingly significant impact on your fuel economy. To avoid this, make sure to check your tire inflation every so often. You can find the correct PSI for your tires by looking at the walls of your tires or referring to your car’s manual.

Drive At a Steady Speed

Believe it or not, your car will start to lose fuel efficiency once you hit 45 mph or so. Because of this, you’ll want to stick to the local speed limit and use cruise control when you can. Along with that, gradual braking and acceleration will allow you to use less fuel.

Avoid Idling

As previously mentioned, idling uses much more fuel than you might expect—and it creates far more pollution than normal driving does. That shouldn’t be a huge problem if your vehicle has a stop-start system, but it’s still in your best interest to avoid unnecessary idling.

Clean Out Your Car

Having just 100 pounds of items in your car is enough to lower your fuel economy. While this shouldn’t prevent you from keeping an emergency kit in your vehicle, it’s wise to get rid of old books, blankets, and lawn chairs in your trunk. 

At the same time, consider removing any bike racks and other roof-mounted add-ons, as these can add weight and create extra wind resistance. If you plan to haul extra cargo, rear-mounted boxes are a more mileage-friendly alternative.

Get the Best Oil Change in North Richland Hills

Whether you drive a highly efficient car or a gas guzzler, scheduling an oil change in North Richland Hills can help your vehicle run more efficiently than ever. Of course, you’ll need to think carefully about your options before choosing one of the many auto shops in the region to handle this work.

Since 1975, Parra Car Care has been the best place to get oil change service in this part of Texas. We employ ASE-certified mechanics and offer multiple convenient locations in North Richland Hills and Euless. 

Plus, getting started is as simple as scheduling your appointment online!