There are four oil types for cars, trucks, and utility vehicles. The type that is best for your automobile depends on what your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends. Dad’s Automotive advises you can find the recommendation for the best motor oil for your automobile in the owner’s manual. It will not only list the type of oil that you should use but also the weight. For example, if you drive a BMW, the manufacturer recommends synthetic motor oil. Let’s talk about the different types of motor oil below.
Conventional
Conventional motor oil takes first place when it comes to total sales. In other words, this oil is the one that is used the most. Conventional oil has been around for over a century. It is extracted from crude in the ground and does an excellent job of protecting standard engines with low mileage. Conventional motor oil is the most recommended oil on the market, and it needs to be changed every 3,000 miles for maximum protection.
High-Mileage
There will come a time when it will be a good idea to use high-mileage motor oil in your automobile. This time is when the odometer reaches 75,000 miles. At this point, your vehicle is considered high-mileage, and the engine needs the extra protection provided by this specialized oil to prevent it from developing oil leaks. This is the most common problem older engines have. High-mileage oil is conventional oil with additives.
Synthetic
As we said above, BMW recommends synthetic motor oil for its engines. The reason why is that these engines are considered high-performance. Synthetic oil is produced in a lab and contains additives to give engines optimal protection against wear and tear. Synthetic motor oil also stands up to the elements better, so if you live in an area that has extreme temperatures, it’s a good idea to put synthetic oil in the engine.
Synthetic Blend
Finally, some drivers prefer a happy medium, and that happy medium is synthetic blend. This motor oil is a combination of conventional and synthetic with additives to keep an engine protected quite well. The benefit of this oil is that it gives you better protection than straight conventional oil does but it doesn’t cost as much as synthetic oil. If you are looking for something in between the two, synthetic blend is an excellent choice.
Call Dad’s Automotive in New Era, MI, to schedule your next oil change. We can discuss the different motor oil types with you and determine the best one for your automobile.