Oil Changes and Engine Health: How Regular Maintenance Prevents Costly Repairs

It’s wise to know when you need an oil change in North Richland Hills, TX — this is an essential part of protecting your vehicle’s well-being. While regular oil changes provide countless benefits, avoiding this service can result in just as many drawbacks.

Would you like to learn more about the importance of oil changes? Keep reading to learn how prioritizing this service will lower your risk of needing costly auto repair work in the future.

How Oil Change Service Can Improve Your Vehicle

Oil changes are perhaps the most critical maintenance task for drivers in North Richland Hills and beyond. After all, fresh motor oil is responsible for handling jobs such as:

  • Cleaning your engine: Dirt and other contaminants in your engine must go somewhere, and new motor oil can help catch these materials so they won’t have a chance to build up and cause trouble.
  • Redistributing heat: Engines generate warmth while they operate, and that means they can overheat. Fortunately, motor oil can move heat away from particularly heat-sensitive engine parts.
  • Cutting down on friction: Motor oil is a lubricant, making it far easier for your engine’s moving parts to operate as they should.
  • Reducing your risk of engine rust: In addition to its other benefits, fresh motor oil plays an active role in preventing rust formation in your engine.

The Consequences of Ignoring Oil Changes

The benefits listed above should be enough to convince you that oil changes are worth your while. Even so, it’s still surprisingly common for drivers to neglect this work. When you wait too long to take care of oil changes, you’ll:

Suffer From Reduced Engine Performance

You might not consciously notice changes in how your engine runs after skipping one or more oil changes; by their very nature, these changes are gradual. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t happening — or that they aren’t severely affecting your vehicle’s well-being.

If you’re using older oil in your engine, you’ll have to deal with:

  • Increased noise: When your engine doesn’t have access to fresh oil, its components will rub against each other. That can create loud, unpleasant sounds while your vehicle operates.
  • Reduced horsepower/torque: Increased contact between your engine’s moving parts will also cause extra friction and heat — energy that would have been converted into horsepower and torque.
  • A more sluggish engine: As a result of your vehicle’s lower torque and horsepower, it won’t be able to accelerate quite as fast as it would with clean oil. Additionally, it will have to work harder while pulling heavy loads.
  • Fuel economy issues: Avoiding oil changes will cause you to burn more fuel while driving. That means you’ll need to buy gas more often than usual, whether you primarily drive in urban traffic or on highways.

Run Into Engine Damage

Significant engine damage is the biggest issue associated with using dirty motor oil. The lubrication provided by oil is essential to your engine’s ability to operate; without clean oil, your engine could seize or encounter other problems before you know it.

Let’s say you’ve ignored your vehicle’s oil change needs for an extended period. This decision might not cause noticeable issues for a while, even though you’ll likely suffer from the behind-the-scenes problems described in the above sections. But at some point, you’ll inevitably encounter catastrophic engine failure — meaning you’ll need to replace or rebuild your engine or buy another car. Of course, these options are much more expensive than simply getting a regular oil change service. 

While this is a worst-case scenario, even short-term oil change delays can have a negative effect on your engine. Waiting a few months too long for an oil change will cause increased engine wear, which could easily lead to problems later in your vehicle’s life span. If that isn’t enough, this engine wear will also directly impact your car’s resale value.

Risk Voiding Your Vehicle’s Warranty

Finally, if your new or certified pre-owned vehicle is under a dealer’s or manufacturer’s warranty, you need to keep up with oil changes to preserve this policy. Not getting regular oil changes can eventually be enough to void your car’s warranty.

Get the Best Oil Change in North Richland Hills

When you know a thing or two about oil changes, it’s easy to see why this service is the foundation of any car maintenance schedule. But not every Texas auto shop offers equally high-quality oil change service, so you should do some research before choosing a business to handle this work.

To make sure you’re getting a high-quality oil change in North Richland Hills or Euless, give Parra Car Care a try! No matter what repair or maintenance service you need, our team of ASE-certified mechanics is up to the challenge — and you’ll be able to save with our selection of online oil change and auto repair coupons. 

If you’re due for an oil change, schedule an appointment at Parra Car Care today!

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