When you think of the term “car care” what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Do you think about keeping the car clean? How about changing the tires or getting a tune up? Of course those items do involve car care but the most overlooked and in my opinion number one car care activity is changing the oil. You may ask yourself which oil to choose, synthetic or regular?

Synthetic oil has the same molecular structure as regular oil except that it does not break down as easily. In fact, it will last twice as long as standard oil. On the other hand, you really will not save any money by using synthetic oil with your car care, because it costs twice as much. Car care can involve many other expenses so if money is not a problem then it is highly advised to use synthetic oil for your car.

Before switching to a synthetic oil though, take a close look at the kind of miles that you put on your car. If most of your mileage comes more from long distance driving then from highway miles, then synthetic oil might be a good idea. However, if most of your driving is stop and go, stop and go, then choosing synthetic oil as your car care choice may be a waste of resources. This is because if your car is making many stop and go driving moves, then the oil tends to get just as dirty no matter what type it is and dirty synthetic oil is just the same as dirty regular oil.

I want to do my own car care when changing the oil, what does the number on the side of the containers mean when I shop for oil?

Some people like to indulge in their own car care by changing the oil themselves. This may or may not be you but regardless, it’s good to know what those grade numbers mean on the sides of the oil containers. Also, the service man or attendant might ask you what oil you want when giving your automobile car care.

A car needs thinner oil in the winter and thicker oil in the summer. The number on the oil can, 10W30, for example, indicates the thinness/thickness of the oil for winter and summer driving. Here are two other words for “thinness/thickness” you may have heard, one in high school physics, the other at the garage: Viscosity and Weight.

10W30 means the viscosity of the oil is 10 at zero degrees Fahrenheit (W stands for winter), and 30 in heat. The oil gets thicker as the engine gets hotter to better protect the moving parts. It is thinner when the engine is cold to make the car easier to start.

Author - Keith Winton

Keith Winton writes regular articles on many and varied Automotive topics…Find more of his articles at drive-werks.com