Oil Changes Allow Your Engine To Run Smoothly

Every vehicle owner knows that their car requires regular oil changes. However, many don't quite understand the importance of oil changes. This leads to many vehicle owners allowing their oil to go unchanged for too long, damaging the internal components of their engine.

Oil is used in a vehicle's engine for lubrication and to keep the vehicle from overheating while running. When the car is running, the oil moves throughout the engine, where it picks up excess water and dirt. Over time, the oil will begin to be polluted with these excess materials and not run smoothly. If left unchanged, this loose debris will end up building up around your engine's internal components. This will lead to expensive cleanings and potential engine failures.

Best Oil Change Chain Locations

While an oil change is a type of vehicle maintenance that can be safely performed by the vehicle owner, most don't desire to do so. Whether it's lack of knowledge or time, leaving oil changes up to the professionals can be the best way to go. Determining which oil change professional to trust with an oil change can be a bit of a conundrum at first. There are many auto shops out there that perform oil changes because they are one of the easiest maintenance tasks to perform. To weed through the muck, here are some of the top oil change retailers with a decent number of locations across the country: 

• Jiffy Lube - One of the most trusted oil change centers, Jiffy Lube, is present across the nation. This international chain also offers a ton of other auto services like brake, battery, filter, fluid, and tire changes.
• Valvoline - What started out as a brand name for one of the top car oils on the market has now turned into an instant oil change center. Valvoline offers many conveniences for the driver, including the ability to stay in their car for the oil change.
• Take 5 - Take 5 is a fairly new franchise that has taken over the nation by storm. Similar to Valvoline, Take 5 offers contact-less oil changes where the owner can remain in their vehicle while the service is being performed.

Changing Your Own Oil

As mentioned above, oil changes tend to be one of the easiest at-home vehicle maintenance tasks that car owners can perform. If one knows how to do it, they can save themselves some extra funds on the cost of labor to get the job done. However, it's important that one has a full understanding of how to change the oil, the materials needed, and the right equipment on hand to get the job done effectively. What follows is the basic steps to complete an oil change: 

• Jack Up The Vehicle - It doesn't matter whether one is using a hoist, jack stands, or a ramp. It's imperative to get the vehicle off of the ground and give the person room to work.
• Remove The Undertray - Most vehicles are fitted with a plastic undertray that protects the oil pan and filter from damage and debris build-up. Once one locates this undertray, they'll need to remove it. Most undertrays are held on with screws, plastic clips, or bolts.
• Let The Oil Flow And Remove The Filter - Now, it's time to remove the car's drain plug to let the oil come out. This can be unscrewed with the proper-sized wrench. It's important to have an oil receptacle to collect the engine oil that comes out of the vehicle while it fully drains. Next, remove the oil filter into the receptacle as well.
• Reinstall The Drain Plug And New Filter - Next up, one should reinstall the drain plug and screw the new filter into place. Be sure to follow any torque specs recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
• Fill It With Oil - The last step in any oil change process is to fill the engine back up with oil until it reaches the appropriate oil level. Be sure to check for potential leaks at the filter or drain plug during this step

Finding Oil Change Coupons

When looking to get a discount on one's oil change, using a coupon is a great place to start. Many online coupon websites will share various coupons that are valid. They'll simply need to be downloaded and printed off. It's also possible to check the website of the oil change franchise that you'll be visiting to see what sort of deals they may have going on. It’s possible for coupons to be national, or regional, so make sure that you read the details. Oil change coupons can save quite a bit of money on your regular maintenance.