What Oil Does Your Car Take?

Your vehicle comes with a recommended service schedule, devised by the factory to ensure optimal performance as the years go by. Oil changes are included at every routine maintenance visit, and for good reason: this quick and simple service keeps your engine clean, prevents overheating, and maintains performance and efficiency.

In most cases, a passenger vehicle will likely need an oil change about every 10,000 miles, but this frequency can differ based on the age of your vehicle and the type of oil you’re using. If you’re wondering what oil yours takes for the best performance, read on! We’ll be covering what you need to know about oil types in the guide below.

Engine Oil Grades & Density

There are two main oil types available for your vehicle: conventional motor oil and synthetic oil. We’ll discuss the differences between them in the following section, but for now, let’s look at oil density. Whether you buy conventional or synthetic oil, it should be one of the following two grades:

• 5W-20
• 5W-30

5W-20 or 5W-30 grades offer the proper density for your engine. These oil types have the right amount of viscosity to flow and coat all parts of the engine and properly protect them from friction and overheating. Our team can answer questions about selecting the right oil type when you visit the Covert Buick GMC Austin service center or order oil change supplies online.

Oil Type by Engine: Conventional vs. Synthetic

What oil does your car take, conventional or synthetic? And what about synthetic blends? At the end of the day, it’s up to you. Your vehicle’s combustion engine will run just fine on conventional oil if you follow the recommended oil change intervals. However, keep in mind that age can impact what kind of oil your car takes; high mileage motor oil is recommended for older vehicles.

Does synthetic oil improve gas mileage? Not directly. What it does do is keep your engine cleaner—and a cleaner engine operates with less friction. If you’re using conventional oil and miss some of your vehicle’s recommended oil changes, sludge will build up in your engine, causing it to run a bit hotter. The result could be lost efficiency. In other words, using synthetic oil enables you to change your car’s oil less often without sacrificing fuel economy. Synthetic blends offer some of the longevity benefits of synthetic oil, but at a lower cost.

Benefits of Synthetic Engine Oil

Still not sure what oil type your vehicle should take? The bottom line is that while conventional oil will work great for your vehicle, synthetic oil offers benefits that some drivers will appreciate. It costs more, but you might choose synthetic oil over conventional because it:

• Resists breaking down for longer than conventional motor oil
• Can last up to 15,000 miles between oil changes
• Keeps your engine cleaner
• Provides better protection from engine overheating when temperatures are high
• Enhances the performance of turbocharged engines

Schedule Certified Buick, GMC Service in Austin

If your car, truck, or SUV is just about due for an oil change, be sure to check out our current service specials to see how much you could save at your next appointment! We’re also happy to help if you have questions about what oil your car takes or how to change motor oil yourself. Reach out to our service center to speak with a technician today.