Choosing the right motor oil for your pre-owned vehicle is an important decision. That’s because putting the wrong type of oil in your car can do a lot of damage.
At The Auto Connection, our highly-trained auto technicians are happy to discuss with you the proper motor oil for your pre-owned vehicle. One question that often comes up when we’re working with our customers, is whether it’s best to switch to synthetic motor oil.
There are pros and cons to using synthetic motor oil for your pre-owned car. Before you make a decision, check your used car’s owner manual for guidance or speak to our service center. We have ASE certified technicians on staff who have the knowledge and expertise to discuss the best motor oil for your pre-owned car.
Does a pre-owned vehicle need synthetic motor oil?
Here are the pros to synthetic motor oils:
- Synthetic oil, polyalphaolefin oil or PAO blends, cause lower engine wear, extending the life of your engine.
- You don’t have to change your oil as often if you use synthetic oil. This also depends on whether you use a full PAO synthetic oil or a synthetic blend. Oil changes may be needed every 7,500 or not until every 25,000 miles depending on which oil you choose for your pre-owned car and the recommendations in your car’s owner manual.
- It’s better for the environment. Synthetic motor oils help meet cleaner air emission standards.
Here are the cons to synthetic motor oils:
- Synthetic oil is much more expensive than regular motor oil. If you plan on keeping your pre-owned vehicle for a long time, using synthetic oil would be less expensive in the long term but definitely more expensive in the short term.
- Synthetic oil can cost around $6 per quart, while traditional motor oil costs $1 per quart.
Remember, not all synthetic oils are the same. There are full PAO synthetics, synthetic oil from petroleum oil basestock and synthetic blends. If this all sounds too confusing, talk to our auto technicians at The Auto Connection’s service centers. We are happy to explain the differences so you can keep your pre-owned car running great.
+ Come check out The Auto Connection’s inventory of high quality, pre-owned vehicles. We are the premier buy-here, pay-here used car dealer in Virginia and North Carolina.
+ We have four locations in Virginia: Norfolk, Richmond, Danville and Newport News and one dealership in Wilson, North Carolina, to serve our great customers.
