As a driver in Kyle, TX, you know how important it is to get regular oil changes. Prioritizing this service can go a long way when it comes to extending your vehicle’s lifespan, helping it run as efficiently as possible, and even saving you money down the line. In fact, scheduling regular oil changes might be one of the most important things you can do as a car or truck owner.
What you might not know is that scheduling oil changes the right way can get complicated. Among other things, you’ll need to set up an oil change schedule and make sure you’re working with a reputable shop for an oil change in Kyle, TX. Here, you’ll find Reliable Automotive’s in-depth checklist for oil changes in Kyle and beyond.
Step One: Know When You Need Oil Change Service
Stop us if you’ve heard this one—your car needs an oil change every 3,000 miles or three months. That isn’t bad advice since these milestones serve as good starting points for many drivers trying to schedule oil change service. But this saying doesn’t tell the whole story, either. When you’re working to determine when you need an oil change in Kyle, TX, ask yourself these questions:
How old is my vehicle?
When you’re scheduling an upcoming oil change, the age of your car or truck is a factor in how frequently you should change your oil and oil filter. If your vehicle is still on the newer side, you can get away with having your oil changed less often. That’s thanks to newer engines being able to use oil more efficiently and the lower amounts of debris and metal filling build-up they need to deal with.
Am I a “severe” driver?
Don’t worry—this isn’t the same thing as asking if you’re a terrible driver! “Severe driving” refers to driving in ways that put additional pressure on your engine. Anything from driving on dirt roads to long-distance driving at speeds under 50 mph is considered severe driving. If your driving habits tend to fit this category, you’ll want to set up oil changes twice as often as usual.
What temperatures do I usually drive in?
Kyle residents are no strangers to hot weather. Like severe cold temperatures, hot temperatures can affect your vehicle’s ability to get the job done—and that has an impact on your oil, too.
What kind of oil do I need?
You’ll need to make one major decision during your upcoming oil change, and that’s whether to get conventional or synthetic oil. The former option will save you money upfront, but you’ll also have to replace it more often. The latter will cost more when you get an oil change, but your car won’t need oil changes as often as it would otherwise.
Now that you have these tips, it’s time to put them to use. Start with three months or 3,000 miles, and add or subtract miles/time based on the above factors. For more help, check your car’s manual or ask one of the oil change experts at Reliable Automotive in Kyle for their recommendation.
Step Two: Double-Check Your Oil Level
If you’re still wondering whether it’s time for an oil change or not, your best bet is to check your oil yourself. The good news: This isn’t a complex process, even if you haven’t done it before.
There’s a good chance you won’t need to check your oil manually if you have a newer vehicle. These cars often have monitoring systems that can keep track of their overall condition—including their oil level. That’s not the case for older cars, though, so it’s wise to know how to check oil manually.
Park your car and give it a chance to cool down before turning it off to start the oil check process. Once you’ve done that, look under the hood and find the dipstick in the oil reservoir. Take it out and wipe off the excess oil before putting it back in. When you pull it out a second time, you can measure the current level of oil in your vehicle—it should be within the marked area on the dipstick. If it’s not in that range, schedule an oil change as soon as possible.
Step Three: Find the Right Shop for Your Kyle Oil Change
There are all sorts of businesses providing oil change service in this area, so selecting one for your next Kyle oil change can be quite the undertaking. To simplify the process, zero in on some of the most important things to consider when making this decision:
Low Prices, High Value
Let’s face it—even if oil changes aren’t the most expensive car maintenance service out there, no one wants to spend a penny more than they have to. With that in mind, there’s a good chance that finding a great deal is your first priority when it’s time for you to set up an oil change in Kyle, TX. Some oil changes offer more value than others, so make sure to check out our coupon page to find the best oil change deal.
At a bare minimum, you should expect to get a belt and hose inspection, fluid refills, and (of course) new oil and filters as part of your oil change. But if you’re a savvy shopper, these are far from the only services that your auto shop of choice will include with your oil change. Extra perks can include free tire rotation, chassis lubrication, and even shuttle service.
One more piece of advice: Drive-through oil changes are convenient, but they may come with a tradeoff. Most of the businesses offering these services focus solely on doing basic oil changes as quickly as possible. That means your car might not be getting the attention it needs, so you may want to bring it into a dedicated auto shop like Reliable Automotive instead.
Experienced Technicians
No matter how many services a shop includes with your oil change, you won’t get the treatment you deserve if their employees aren’t up to snuff. You’ll need to do just a bit of research to ensure that an oil change business works with qualified technicians, but the end result is worth it.
Businesses can boast about how skilled their employees are all day long, but that doesn’t mean anything if they can’t back it up with evidence. Because of that, keep an eye out for shops whose employees have ASE certification, widely considered a “gold standard” in the industry. Reliable Automotive proudly employs ASE-certified mechanics, and that’s one of the reasons why we’ve been able to build such a strong reputation in Texas!
Simple Scheduling
Everyone’s daily schedule is different—and that’s especially true with the rising popularity of work-from-home arrangements these days. While the 9-to-5 workday is still typical, other people work during the night or at other unusual times. Because of this, good auto shops need to be more flexible than ever to keep their customers happy.
Finding an oil change business that can schedule appointments ahead of time is vital, especially if you can take care of the scheduling process online. Fortunately, Reliable Automotive lets you do just that!
Set Up Your Appointment Today
If you need an oil change in Kyle, TX, or the surrounding area, you need the high-quality service that Reliable Automotive has made its name providing. Along with our oil change service, we can offer any other car repair service you might need—and we even have oil change specials and other deals available in the form of coupons. Schedule your next oil change online today!
