Picking The Right Motor Oil For Your Vehicle: What You Need To Know

For many people, the extent of car knowledge does not extend far.

Some may be proficient in figuring out problems dealing with their car, while other people are left confused about their vehicle.

Mechanics exists because some cars may be very complex.

Every car comes with a manual showing many things about your car that you may

want to know, including the type of gas and the type of motor oils the car uses.

There are many different types of motor oils, as different oils have different functions, but it is important that you know the kind of motor oil your vehicle uses, as some oils can

be detrimental to a car’s condition.

Here are a few pointers in picking the right motor oils

for your vehicle.

What Are The Tips For Motor Oils?

1. What's In The Manual?

- Every vehicle purchase will come with a manual for the vehicle, and usually the

manual tells you the kind of oil needed for the vehicle.

While this may not always be the case, for cars, trucks, and other vehicles, the oil is

usually recommended in the manual.

This will help give you a general idea of what oil works best for the vehicle.

2. Does It Meet Standards?

- Since motor oil come in all types, a classification

and rating board has been established in

order to qualify certain types of oil.

According to popularmechanics.com, these oils are generally classified with two symbols.

One symbol is API (American Petroleum Institute), and the other is API SL.

The regular API says that the motor oil is certified for gasoline engine intakes, while

the API SL certifies that it meets requirements of SL tests.

The kind of car will determine the representation of API, as there are SM and SN labels to date more modern cars, but SL

seems to be the most popular for use, which makes it more fitting for motor oil choices.

3. What Type Of Motor Oils?

- There are many types of motor oil, each differentiating in quality and price.

Currently, there are Conventional, Premium Conventional, Full Synthetic, Synthetic Blend,

and High Mileage oils.

A basic breakdown of these oils is as follows: Conventional Oil is usually the most common

one picked, as it is usually the cheapest at dealership.

Conventional Oil is usually best for older cars, or for those who are constantly getting

their oil changed.

Premium Conventional Oils are geared towards newer cars, and while they offer a

more fluid function with the engine, they are usually much more expensive than

Conventional.

Full Synthetic oils are long lasting, built specifically for high performance vehicles and high tech engines, usually for sport

vehicles.

Synthetic Oils are a mix between Premium and Full Synthetic, but they are more

Premium than Synthetic.

Usually best for pickup trucks and vehicles that are expecting long hauls on the road.

Lastly, High Mileage Oils are made for cars that have exceeded many miles, and are

looking to last for their owners.

They are geared towards cars that are frequently used for long road trips, usually

for people who vacation or who are on business frequently.