What Kind of Motor Oil Should Go in Your Car?

If you’re like most drivers, you’ll probably be in need of an oil change every three to four months. But whether you change the oil yourself or hand a Jiffy Lube coupon over to a mechanic to handle it, you’ll need to know what kind of oil your car needs.

Putting the right type of oil in your car helps take care of the engine and prevents your car from meeting an early grave. No one wants that.

Finding Out What Engine Oil Your Car Needs

Thankfully, there’s one sure-fire way to know what kind of engine oil you should be using.

Look inside your car’s manual.

That’s right, it was right in front of us this whole time. Manufacturers list the recommended motor oil for a car’s specific make and model right in the product manual.

Many mechanics will swear by certain brands of oil, but really the most important thing to pay attention to is the thickness, or viscosity, of the oil. This measurement is indicated by the numbers on a motor oil’s label. Here’s a quick crash course.

Oil will be labeled in a XW-XX format. So for example, 10W-30. The first number indicates how thick oil gets in cold conditions (hint: the W stands for winter) and the second number indicates how thin the oil gets in hot temperatures.

The higher the number in front of W is, the thicker the oil will be in the cold. The higher the second number is, the less likely the oil will thin out in the heat.

Many manuals will list an alternative oil in addition to the recommended on the off-chance that you aren’t able to find the recommended one.

Difference Between Conventional and Synthetic Oil

Your product manual will also tell you whether or not you should use a conventional or synthetic oil in your car. Synthetic oils are typically used for certain car brands and types of vehicles while conventional oil is, well, the standard. However, some vehicles like trucks or SUVs will require that you use a synthetic blend. These offer some of the same benefits as full synthetics but at a more affordable price.

You’ll typically want to stay with the oil that is recommended by your manufacturer. In other words, don’t switch from synthetic to conventional unless it says to in your manual. However, if your car is older, you may want to consider high mileage oil. This oil comes with special features for when your car has experienced some wear. It also can help prevent things like oil leaking from your vehicle.

There you have it! Changing your oil no longer has to lead to wandering around an auto store or staring blankly at a mechanic when he asks what oil you want. You already have the answers you’re looking for right in your owner’s manual.