A large part of owning a car is learning the best practices for its care and maintenance. That’s why learning even the small things for car care can be so important for an owner. As such, here’s a simple guide on why different cars need different kinds of oil and why you should learn about the oil your car uses.
Viscosity
The first thing you should learn about oil is that every oil has a viscosity rating, which tells you how thick the liquid is. The main reason this matters is because of the ways the oils interact with the weather. Higher viscosity is better in hotter temperatures, but in cold weather, it can be damaging for the engine. This is why different cars need different kinds of oils, and picking out the oil you’ll use based on viscosity is a smart thing to do when shopping.
Synthetic
Synthetic oil comes in many forms and viscosities, but the main defining feature is that chemical engineering changes the composition of the oil. This alters the shape of the molecules, which makes synthetic oils a lot better at handling extreme heat and cold.
Synthetic Blend
Synthetic blend oil is a mixture of synthetic oils and conventional oils, resulting in a new oil that is resistant to lower temperatures and oxidation. There are a variety of recipes for synthetic blends, so you can choose the one that best suits your driving needs.
High Milage
This is specialty motor oil meant for the newest cars on the market and those with few miles. Much like synthetic, this motor oil has several additives and special formulas that help reduce oil burn-off and prevent oil leaks. Your car will run longer and healthier with this option.
Conventional
Conventional oil is where it all started—it gets the job done for the average driver. With a wide variety of recipes and designs, almost anyone can use conventional motor oils, but they do lack protection from temperature and oxidation.
When you’re choosing the motor oil for you, just pick the ones that fit your driving style best, as there’s no one correct answer. You should learn more about checking your car’s engine fluids before you focus solely on motor oil, as they can cause many issues as well.
