Your Complete Guide to Oil Changes
Learn all about getting an oil change and how to perform one like a pro.
Out of all of your vehicle’s preventative maintenance tasks, changing your oil is one of the quickest and easiest jobs. Oil changes are relatively inexpensive and a quality oil change service generally takes under 30 minutes to complete. So why are oil change services so important?
We asked our ASE-certified pros why an oil change is hands-down the best tool in a vehicle owner’s toolbelt for a better performance and a longer lifespan. In this guide, we’ll cover the benefits of a high-quality oil change, what to expect during your visit, and even where to get coupons for oil changes and other services.
Top Benefits an Oil Change Service Provides
A routine oil change service is part of an overall preventative maintenance plan that helps your vehicle keep running at its best. In conjunction with improving your engine’s performance, oil changes provide a host of additional benefits to your vehicle, including:
- A more efficiently running engine: Oil helps to remove the dirt and debris that accumulates the more you drive your vehicle. Especially with the arid and dusty climate we have in the Tucson area, regular oil changes are vital for keeping the accumulation to a minimum. They help put less stress on your engine, so it doesn’t have to work as hard, which improves the overall efficiency of the system.
- Improved gas mileage: Your oil serves to dissipate heat away from all of the components working to power your vehicle. Oil that is fresh and clean can minimize friction and may result in better gas mileage.
- A longer lifespan for your engine: A sludge will develop as your oil ages and accumulates more and more debris. This dirty oil is not very good at dissipating heat and it can eventually reach the point where it is unable to remove any additional debris. An oil change helps to maintain a clean engine that works better and more efficiently, which could potentially result in a longer lifespan for your engine.
- Reduced pollution to the environment: The heat and sludge that develops from old oil can result in more pollutants from your vehicle being released into the air we breathe. Clean oil allows your engine to run and emit less of these harmful pollutants, making it much safer for our environment.
- Less downtime: Regular preventative maintenance is one of the easiest ways to avoid unexpected issues. During a routine oil change, we’ll have our ASE-certified master mechanics under your hood looking over your most vital systems. If additional issues are found in the process, we’ll help you prioritize what services are needed and when. We recommend fixing issues early to keep minor problems from escalating further.
Regular oil changes are the cheapest and easiest way to assure that your engine is always running at its best. To schedule an oil change service with us, check out our handy online scheduler.
What to Expect During an Oil Change Service
When you trust your vehicle with BRAKEMax, we take that trust very seriously and work hard to provide you with the best oil change service experience possible. This starts with an exceptionally clean and tidy facility you can wait in to pass the time, as we’re working on your vehicle.
While every vehicle has its own unique requirements, there are a number of standard tasks our ASE-certified professionals perform during your oil change service, including:
- Properly lubricating your vehicle’s chassis
- Removing old oil and filter
- Replacing oil filter and up to five quarts of Premium Valvoline 5W-20 or 5W-30 oil
- Providing a courtesy tire rotation, if requested
In addition, there will be an expert set of eyes on your engine and its important components as we perform a quick inspection that can help us spot any issues present. If we notice something isn’t quite right, we’ll help you understand your options and provide you with a prioritized service timeline for when each repair should take place.
When Should You Get an Oil Change?
Based on the engineering of the vehicle, every automobile manufacturer will release their own service schedule. This means the recommended time can vary considerably. With that said, our region of Arizona experiences pretty extreme temperature swings and other environmental factors that can make getting regular oil changes a priority.
Our ASE-certified master mechanics recommend that vehicles in the Tucson area have their oil changed once every 3,000 miles, or every 3 months–whichever comes first. Sticking to this schedule is the best way to keep your vehicle running at its best.
Full Synthetic Oil Change vs. Conventional Motor Oil Change
We’re often asked if synthetic oil really is better than conventional motor oil for your vehicle. While we use nothing but Premium Valvoline oil for every oil change service, there is a noticeable difference in the level of performance provided from a full synthetic oil change.
Full synthetic oil is engineered with chemical additives that enable it to do its job better. With this engineering, it can help dissipate heat and keep debris away longer than conventional motor oil. As a result of its advanced engineering, full synthetics are more expensive than conventional motor oil. A synthetic blend oil change, however, is a good middle road and it can help clean and protect your engine, especially if it has high mileage.
Choosing the Best Oil Filter
The best oil filters are those made by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). OEMs produce oil filters that are the exact size and match with what your vehicle’s manufacturer recommended. In addition, these companies generally have higher quality assurance standards than the off-the-shelf varieties you might find at an online retailer.
At BRAKEMax, we exclusively use OEM filters to provide the best match for your vehicle for the best performance, moving forward. Since oil filters are a vital piece of machinery for your engine’s overall performance, let us provide you with the best one to help keep your oil free of debris and other contaminants.
Are Cheap Oil Change Services Worth It?
Sometimes, cheap is connected with something that’s not high quality. But at BRAKEMax, you won’t ever have to choose between a high-quality oil change and a good price. We offer oil change coupons and fluid specials year-round, so that our customers can always receive a great price on their oil change services. Check out our coupons page for a full list of all the latest deals and promotions we currently have available.
What Does ASE Mean?
Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) is a rigorous examination that requires technicians to demonstrate advanced knowledge and skill in servicing vehicles to the highest standards. We take pride in the fact that all of our technicians are ASE certified because it is an important distinction that shows our customers that the individuals working on their vehicle are the very best available.
Schedule an Oil Change Service Near You
As much as we love seeing our customers and as comfortable as our facilities are, we know that no one really wants to spend a long time waiting for their oil change service. That’s why we offer the convenience of online scheduling for your oil change. This allows you to select the date and time that works best for you and you will only have to come in when it’s time for your vehicle to be serviced.
Even better, if your vehicle is located within three miles of your nearest BRAKEMax service center, you can also take advantage of our free concierge pick-up and drop-off service. We’ll pick up your vehicle, service it to the highest standards, and after the oil change service is complete, we will return your vehicle at no additional cost.
