Personal Finance and Your Car's Oil Changes: Something to Consider

We agree that regular service and maintenance on your auto is necessary, right? You have to do it or you'll be sitting on the side of the road.

Let's talk about synthetic oils versus regular petroleum based oils as your choice for your car in a way that you may not have considered.

Regular oil changes are about $25-$30 per average car, depending on where you go. These need to be done in the range of 3000-5000 miles. The nature of driving that you do, age of your car, etc., will be a great determiner of your advised maintenance schedule.

Have you considered switching to a synthetic oil? I am not a car person in any way. There will be no discussion here of viscosity, chamber pressure, or detergent oils compared to non-detergent oils. I am not going there. I am looking at this question from the perspective of my use of time, money, our world's environmental climate, and dependence on foreign petroleum.

A typical oil change takes about an hour and costs $30, as I said. You get this maintenance done on your days off work, because your favorite shop is not open on Saturdays. I don't want to spend my time away from my job waiting for car repairs to be completed.

I switched to synthetic oils years ago for several reasons. I can go 7,000 miles between changes and spend less time in waiting rooms on days when I want to be with my kids. Also, even though a synthetic costs more, about 50% more, each visit to visit the mechanic costs less than it did before because I'm going half as often.

Look at the math: In a year of 15,000 miles, that's roughly four oil changes at $30 and four hours wait time. With synthetics, that's roughly two oil changes at $45 and two hours wait time. Benefits of cost and time earned right away.

Last issue, the environment and dependence on foreign petroleum. Synthetics are not petroleum based, so they do not have the same polluting manufacture or disposal concerns. Since they are not regular oils, we can make them here in the US. No need to look anywhere else. We are self-sufficient in this regard.

Less time in the shop, less cost overall, an environmental plus, and our self-sufficiency. This is a no-brainer switch for your personal finances and your car.