NJ Used Car Trader » Oil Change

Helpful Tips for Maintaining a Used Car

patrick — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:01:41 +0000

After you have purchased a used car, maintaining your vehicle becomes extremely important. Though most used cars have an advantage over new vehicles as far as price, maintaining a used car can be a bit expensive. This is because previously owned cars tend to have more “wear and tear” on their mechanical parts, which raises the probability that some of a used car’s parts may have to be replaced.

To properly maintain your used car, the best preventive measure you can take is to drive smart. Driving excessively fast, or repeatedly using the brakes at high speeds can cause damage to your used car. The engine, brakes, and other parts of your used car can be guaranteed to last longer if you use common sense when you drive. Your car is a valuable tool, and maintaining your used car will help prevent expensive repairs such as engine failure.

Another great preventive maintenance procedure for your used car is to regularly get the oil changed. This may seem like an unnecessary annoyance, but in reality, getting regular oil changes will help prolong the life of your engine. “Old” or overused oil can clog important parts in your used car’s engine, and may also contribute to engine failure. Getting an oil change is relatively inexpensive, usually from $30-$50 depending on the type of oil that your used car requires.

Used car maintenance may seem like a relatively minor part of owning your car, but properly maintaining your used car can help lower your overall expense in owning a used car. Preventive maintenance is especially important, since this can aid in preventing possibly expensive repairs. Remember, your used car needs regular tune-ups, so don’t neglect you used car’s maintenance. If you follow these tips, your used car will run better, with less overall expense.

The Importance of Changing the Oil in a Used Car

patrick — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:25:29 +0000

Changing the oil in your used car on a regular basis is very important for maintaining your used car’s engine. Oil helps the engine to run by keeping all of the moving parts properly lubricated. After running for several thousand miles, the oil tends to become contaminated by carbon, debris and other substances that can hinder the effectiveness of the oil. If the oil isn’t able to properly provide lubrication for the engine, serious damage to the engine can occur.

Since replacing the engine in any car, even a used car, can be extremely expensive, it’s easy to see that the relatively low cost of an oil change is a small price to pay for preventing expensive engine repairs. Most oil change services at a professional garage are under $50, even for the premium services. Most of the cost depends on the type and grade of oil that your used car requires, so make sure to choose the best option depending on your used car’s performance.

Your used car’s engine is the most important part to keep your car running, and can also be the most expensive to fix. The preventive maintenance of an oil change can help avoid high engine repair costs, and will also allow your car to achieve maximum horsepower. Be sure to keep track of when your used car needs an oil change, since this is essential for your used car to properly function.

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Topics Oil, Oil Change, Tips, used car

Changing your Used Car’s Oil

patrick — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:17:02 +0000

There are plenty of places to get your used car’s oil changed in New Jersey, however you can save some money doing it yourself as well. This isn’t for everyone, however if you think you can handle it than we are here to guide you. Follow these steps in detail:

Run the car for about 10 minutes, warm oil drains faster than cold.
Park the car on a flat surface, turn off the engine, and engage your parking brake.
Crawl under the car, locate the drain plug (can be found in your user manual). Place oil drain pan under drain plug, and loosen the plug with a socket wrench.
Remove the plug by hand, REMEMBER the oil is going to come rushing out, and it will be hot.
Allow all of the oil to drain into the pain, repositioning if necessary.
Wipe off the drain plug, and opening.
Replace the drain plug gasket.
Replace the plug, start bolts or screws by hand to prevent cross-threading, then finish with your socket wrench.
Find your oil filter.
Place your oil pan underneath your old oil filter, unscrew the oil filter.
Use a rag to clean the area where the filter is mounted to the engine. Be sure the filters’ rubber seal is not stuck to the engine.
Using new oil, coat the new rubber seal of your new filter lightly.
Screw the new filter in by hand.
Locate your oil filler cap and remove it.
Place a funnel in the opening and proceed to fill with new oil, check your manual for exact amounts, usually between 4 and 5 quarts.
Replace the cap, run the engine for a moment, and check the dipstick. If you need more oil then add it.
That’s it your done! Clean up your mess with old rags or paper towels, and properly dispose of your oil, either at a recycling center or your local mechanic.

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Topics New Jersey, Oil Change, used car

What Kind of Oil Should I Use in My Used Car?

patrick — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:44:18 +0000

In our previous article, we talked about the how often you should change your oil, depending on the type of car you had, and what your daily driving conditions were like. In this article, we are going to discuss what type of oil you should use in your used car, in order to sustain the maximum life your car will give you.

There are four major types of oil in today’s world. Premium Conventional Oil is the standard oil for new cars. Most manufacturers will generally specify 5W-20 or 5W-30 in the owners manual. Sometimes 10W-30 is also recommended. Between these three ratings, most conventional, light-duty vehicles on the road are covered.

The next type we have is Full Synthetic Oil. This is hands down the best oil you can have performance wise. It maintains peek lubrication at extremely high temperatures, while still flowing well at low temperatures. HOWEVER that being said, not every engine is built for this type of oil, and most consumers do not need it. In fact, some used cars may not be getting the protection necessary with this type of oil. Full Synthetic is generally used in performance cars.

Synthetic Blend Oil is a favored choice among truck and SUV owners. As its title suggests, it is a combination of full synthetic and conventional oil. The synthetic aspect helps keep the vehicle running optimally under high load or high stress conditions. Generally Synthetic Blend Oil does not cost much more than conventional oil.

Lastly we have High Mileage Oil. Obviously this type of oil is designed for high mileage vehicles, especially those with over 100,000 miles on them. Many times this type of oil have protective lubricants that fill in cracks and such to prevent leaks. It is also thicker to prevent oil loss from being burned by your engine.

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Topics Oil Change, Oil Types, used cars

How Often Should I Change my Oil?

patrick — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:38:29 +0000

Did you know an oil change is one of the greatest preventative measures you can take to sustain a used car? In Middlesex NJ, there are hundreds of places to get it done, often costing as little as twenty dollars. But why is it important to get done, and how often should you do it?

How often you should change your oil depends on what kind of vehicle you have. Most manufacturers suggest you change your oil once every 7,500 miles, or once a year, whichever comes first. This is true for most passenger cars or small trucks. If your vehicle has a turbo engine in it, or uses a diesel engine, most manufactures recommend every 6 months, or 3,000 miles. Those are the recommendations for “ideal” driving conditions. However, if you drive in hot weather for long distances on the highway, extreme colds, dusty roads, ect, you are in the “severe service” driving section. Thus, it will be natural for you to need to change your oil even more.

A new car can easily get by with once every 7,500 mile oil change, however as a car ages, and parts start to wear, it is wise to start changing more often. This is why most oil companies suggest you change your oil every 3,000 miles regardless of your vehicles type. So what do you do for your used car? There are three factors to consider. First, what does your owners manual say? Use that as your baseline. Next, what conditions are your driving in? If you are just taking it a few miles a day in ideal conditions, you can stay at your manufacturers recommendations. However if you fall into the “severe service” category, adjust how often you do change your oil accordingly. Finally, how many miles are on your vehicle? There isn’t a set way to figure this, however if your vehicle has over 100,000 miles on it, it is safe to recommend a change once every 3,000 miles.