If you're looking for “how long does it take to change oil?” Typically requires between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on where you're getting the job done.
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Your vehicle's oil is one of the critical fluids you need to maintain at a specific level over time. Not only you must maintain the oil level, but also you need to change the oil depending on how often specified in new vehicles owner’s manual.
An oil change can become a headache to many busy drivers, but we can't doubt that it is an essential maintenance. So, learning about “how long does it take to change oil?” helps you get an idea about how long you can wait and plan before your vehicles are due for an oil change.
This article provides you with a detailed description of how long to expect when changing your vehicle's oil. Then, we will break things down by when you change the oil yourself, at an independent shop or a dealership. Finally, we will provide you with some details about the importance of oil change and why it is very critical not to skip an oil change even if it's taking you some time to do it.
Why does your car need oil, and why do I need to change oil frequently?
Before we dive into the details about “how long does it take to change oil?” First, we must understand the importance of oil in your vehicle and why it is critical to perform oil changes regularly.
In any vehicle equipped with a combustion system, many internal components interact with each other. These components require a specific level of lubrication to prevent them from creating some friction that could result in many temperatures. When the temperature rises beyond a specific level, it causes engine overheating that could kill your entire vehicle.
Therefore, having enough oil helps provide these components with the required lubrication and prevents any friction. However, maintaining a proper level of oil is not only all you need. You will still need to change the oil once and then, depending on what's specified, new vehicles owner’s manual.
When oil stays in the vehicle, it doesn't keep its characteristics. In other words, the longer the oil sits in the car, the weaker against it and the more it breaks down, which means that it won't lubricate the engine properly. As a result, you must change your vehicle's oil once it completely breaks down and is not effective in cooling down your engine.
When should I change my vehicle's oil?
The frequency of changing your vehicle's oils depends heavily on your vehicle type and the type of oil you're using. You should have exact details in your vehicle’s owner’s manual about how often you should change your vehicle's oil.
It's been a common practice to change your vehicle's oil once every 3000 miles; however, that's no longer valid. Instead, experts see that you can wait on your vehicle's oil change up to 5000 to 7500 miles. In addition, there are some specific synthetic oils that you can use, so you don't have to worry about oil change up to 15,000 miles.
You must follow up with your manual and get an idea from your vehicle's warranty if you have one. Unfortunately, some warranties won't pay for oil change unless the contract defines the frequency or the vehicle's owner’s manual. Therefore, you must remember that some independent shops might hunt for money and convince you to perform the oil change before your vehicle even needs it.
How long does it take to change oil?
An oil change is not a very complicated job, and it should be done roughly within 30 to 45 minutes. However, keep in mind that this timeframe might change significantly depending on where you get the job done and other factors.
For example, if you decide to change your vehicle's oil, you will save a ton on waiting for a busy dealership or independent shop. However, it will take you much longer to learn how to change the oil if it's your first time. Also, there is a very high chance of introducing some mistakes that could evolve, requiring more repair time.
On the other hand, if you decide to go with a small independent shop, you will get experienced mechanics to do the job for you, but if the shop is busy, you need to consider the waiting time. That's why we always recommend that you schedule an appointment so you know when the mechanic is ready to work on your vehicle.
Finally, whether you decide to go with a dealership or a small independent shop, if your vehicle requires some additional maintenance or repairs, this adds up to the total waiting time and the total time you can spend waiting for your vehicle to finish the oil change. In other words, if the mechanic decided to change the filter or probably fix something, this should be considered in the overall time frame that you are analyzing waiting for your vehicle at the oil change.
How long can I go without an oil change?
As we indicated earlier, the frequency of oil change depends on multiple factors and if you want to get off an estimate of how long you can wait without an oil change, think about a range from as low as 5000 miles to as high as 15,000 miles. If you don't want to worry about frequent oil changes, you might want to switch to full synthetic oil.
However, we recommend you refer to your local owner’s manual and confirm that your car is compatible with this type of oil because some older vehicles might get some problems once using synthetic oil.
Can you drive immediately after the oil change?
Of course. An oil change is not that type of repair that requires your vehicle to settle down for some time. Instead, you can immediately drive your vehicle safely without any problem. That's why we always recommend that you never skip an oil change because you are in a rush and all that it takes you is just 30 to 45 minutes to perform an oil change, and then you can go back to your daily errands without any worries about the vehicle.
What happens if you ignore oil change?
Ignoring an oil change is a simple recipe for damaging your engine. Since the oil is necessary to lubricate the engine's internal components, it's obvious that the first negative consequence is engine overheating. There are, however, some other issues you might deal with when ignoring an oil change, including:
1. Significant reduction in your vehicle's performance
One of the first things you'll notice immediately once you skip an oil change is reducing your vehicle's overall performance. Oil changes when it stays in your vehicle, and the longer it stays, the thicker it gets. When the oil is very thick, it means that it has a lot of contaminants and debris.
Once the oil collects all these contaminants and debris, it fails to drop the engine temperature down, and therefore, you'll see that the engine suffers, and stress is to generate the required amount of energy it's used to produce.
2. Drop in your vehicle’s gas mileage
The more stress on your engine, the more fuel use; therefore, one of the very bad consequences of skipping an oil change is reducing your vehicle's gas mileage. Therefore, you will notice that you must visit the gas station more frequently than usual, indicating that your vehicle's gas mileage is dropping.
3. Unexpected breakdowns
If you don't want to deal with unexpected breakdowns that require very high repair costs, you would never want to skip an oil change. However, when the oil is dirty and can't reduce the engine's temperature to the operational level, you will most likely end up with a failed engine. Installing a new engine is never closed to performing a quick oil change.
4. Dirtier engines
Oil does not only lubricate the engine, but also it cleans it up by collecting all debris and contaminants as it's flowing around the engine. Therefore, when the oil is already dirty, it can't pick up more contaminants, and you will end up with a lot of sludge collected in the engine.
When sludge buildup in the engine impacts its performance and causes horrible consequences that you never want to deal with, some severe sludge buildup requires installing a brand-new engine or a rebuilt engine, which is a very expensive repair.
5. Voided warranty
Did you know that when you skip an oil change, you might void your vehicle's warranty? Yes! Read the warranty contract, and the people work carefully, and you'll find that oil change is a must to maintain the warranty and preventing voiding it.
Manufacturers and automotive experts understand that oil is a critical fluid in your vehicle. However, by skipping an oil change, you're risking dealing with major breakdowns that might cost the manufacturer a lot. That's why they will insist that you perform all required regular maintenance, whether it's an oil change or anything else listed in your vehicle's owner’s manual.
6. Drop in your vehicles or sale value
Interestingly, skipping an oil change might impact your vehicle's overall resale value. This is because people rely on regular maintenance receipts to prove that they've been taking good care of their vehicles before selling them. Therefore, if the potential future buyer figures out that you did not perform oil change frequently and there are many gaps in the oil changes, this might raise red flags and discourage the buyer from purchasing your vehicle.
That's why it is very important to think ahead and not only think short-term about what will happen to the vehicle and what type of mechanical problems you'll deal with. Statistics show that people change their vehicles once every ten years; therefore, if you've been owning the vehicle for close to 10 years, you must think about the resale value when dealing with this vehicle.
Conclusion
Learning about “how long does it take to change oil?” It's critical to give you an idea about what to expect when going for an oil change. Typically, oil change would take you somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on who's doing the job and we're doing it.
Ignoring the oil change is never a good idea because it can immediately lead to significant issues in your vehicle, including engine overheating, reduction in performance, problems with the warranty, it was with gas mileage, etc.
If you for any reason skipped an oil change and had to deal with significant damages in your engine, that's not the end of the world. You can always sell the vehicle and use its value towards a better card with no issues. However, you won't find a private buyer to accept a vehicle with a damaged engine, and therefore, we advise you to get in touch with Cash Cars Buyer instead.
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