Las Vegas Oil Change Service Guide: Tailoring to Desert Driving Conditions

two auto mechanics performing an oil change service

When it comes to keeping vehicles in full working order, regular oil changes are essential. But there’s a catch: An oil change schedule that works perfectly for one driver might not be sufficient for someone else. For example, extreme heat and traffic can increase a car’s need for oil changes — and people living in Las Vegas are deeply familiar with these factors.

Are you wondering whether you’re due for an oil change in Las Vegas? This is how you can create an oil change schedule that takes local conditions into account (and everything else you need to know about oil change service).

The Benefits of Oil Changes

Before scheduling a conventional or full synthetic oil change, Las Vegas drivers should read up on why this service is so important. Among other benefits, fresh oil can:

Keep Your Engine Clean

Your engine should be as clean as possible, and keeping up with oil changes can help. With assistance from an oil filter, motor oil can trap contaminants like dirt and debris as it flows through your engine. However, your oil filter won’t be able to trap these contaminants forever. Eventually, it will become clogged; when it does, it won’t be long before your oil starts getting grimy.

Oil changes are the only way to remove dirt and other foreign particles from your motor oil. If you get a full-service oil change, you’ll also get a new oil filter — effectively allowing you to restart this process.

Absorb Excess Heat

While a vehicle’s engine operates, its moving parts will create a significant amount of heat. In fact, that warmth would be enough for your engine to overheat if left unchecked. Fortunately, motor oil can absorb and redistribute this heat.

As you might expect, older motor oil is less effective at heat distribution than fresh oil. However, the problem goes beyond that — old oil can actually start reflecting heat instead, making it nearly impossible for your engine to function as it should. In this scenario, you’ll need an oil change right away.

Lubricate Moving Parts

If the moving parts in your engine aren’t lubricated, they’ll start to grind against each other, which can severely damage your vehicle’s inner workings. Along with its other jobs, motor oil is responsible for keeping these parts running smoothly.

Of course, dirty oil doesn’t lubricate engine parts as effectively as clean oil does. If your oil is old enough, it doesn’t matter how much of this fluid you have left — your engine parts will start rubbing against each other anyway. And if you continue to neglect your oil change needs, your engine could seize up.

Boost Your Fuel Efficiency

A car that has access to clean oil won’t suffer from excess friction and heat while it runs. Instead, it can operate at maximum efficiency and won’t need to burn as much fuel as a result.

Reduce Emissions

As if the benefits listed above weren’t enough, clean motor oil can make your vehicle more eco-friendly. That’s because fresh oil will remove built-up hydrocarbons in your car’s engine.

All About Oil Change Scheduling

There’s no denying that regular oil changes can deliver noteworthy benefits — or that neglecting this service can lead to trouble for your vehicle. But to ensure you’re getting the most out of your oil changes, it’s wise to create an oil change schedule that is ideal for your situation. By doing so, you’ll be able to find a balance between waiting too long for another oil change and getting this service before you need it.

As is the case for other routine maintenance services, your car’s manual is an excellent place to start when creating an oil change schedule. But there are other factors you’ll need to keep in mind, such as the type of oil you use.

Under normal conditions, cars using full synthetic oil should get oil changes every 5,000-7,000 miles.
Conventional oil should be changed well before this point — say, every 3,000 miles.
Finally, synthetic blend oil needs to be replaced every 5,000 miles.

Do you frequently haul heavy loads or exhibit other severe driving habits? If so, there’s nothing to worry about — but you’ll probably want to set up oil changes more frequently than this advice suggests. And the older your vehicle gets, the more often you should schedule oil changes.

How To Create a Las Vegas Oil Change Schedule

The oil change tips listed above can be helpful, but they weren’t created with the needs of Las Vegas drivers in mind. After all, this city is located in the Mojave Desert — the hottest, driest desert in North America. In demanding conditions like these, it’s best to play it safe by getting oil changes more often than you might think you need them.

Of course, Las Vegas isn’t just a desert community. This is also a major metropolitan area, which means local motorists will inevitably find themselves dealing with traffic. Thus, most Vegas-area drivers should schedule oil changes every three months or 3,000 miles — even if they don’t use conventional oil.

What Oil Type Is Right for You?

Now that you have an oil change schedule in place, you’re ready to move on to the next step in this process — finding the right oil type for your vehicle. That means you’ll have to choose one of these motor oil varieties:

Conventional Oil

Conventional oil is made from enhanced crude mineral oil. Since most products in this category have been partially refined, they can provide better viscosity and protective abilities than unaltered crude oil would deliver on its own.

Currently, conventional oil is the most popular type of motor oil on the market — and a big part of that is its low cost. But even though it costs less than competing products upfront, drivers using this type of oil will need to get frequent oil changes.

Full Synthetic Oil

Unlike conventional oil, full synthetic oil is not a naturally-occurring material. As its name implies, this oil variety is made entirely in labs and factories. That allows full synthetic oil to meet high-performance standards, making it an attractive option for drivers who want the best from their motor oil.

Full synthetic oil can deliver unmatched engine protection, and it will last longer than any other oil type before it starts to break down. The only real downside is that you’ll need to pay extra for this oil variety. Even so, you’ll be able to wait longer between oil changes with full synthetic oil than you would with conventional oil.

Synthetic Blend Oil

Conventional and full synthetic oil both have their pros and cons, which means choosing one of these products can be tricky. Synthetic blend oil is a combination of the two oil types described above, allowing it to serve as a middle-ground option.

When you get synthetic blend oil, you’ll benefit from better engine protection than conventional oil would provide. At the same time, you won’t have to spend as much as you would for a full synthetic oil change. Las Vegas residents should also note that synthetic blend oil won’t last as long as full synthetic oil (although it should have a longer life span than conventional oil).

High-Mileage Oil

Do you drive a relatively old vehicle in the Las Vegas area? If you do, there’s a chance that none of these oil types is the best fit for your needs. Instead, drivers with cars that have been on the road for 75,000 miles or more should look into high-mileage oil.

In some ways, high-mileage oil is similar to full synthetic oil — these oil varieties both go through similar production methods. But unlike any other oil type, high-mileage oil features a unique blend of seal conditioners, anti-corrosion agents, cleansers, and viscosity modifiers. That means this type of oil does an excellent job dealing with corrosion, oil burn-off, and other issues typically seen in older vehicles.

Standard Oil Changes vs. Full-Service Oil Changes

One of the most significant factors you should consider while searching for an auto shop is the level of service you’ll get from your shop of choice. The business you choose for this work will give you a standard oil change or a full-service oil change — and the difference between these two jobs is more significant than you might expect.

A standard oil change is what most people think of when they set up an oil change. The mechanics handling this work will remove your vehicle’s dirty oil and replace it with up to five quarts of fresh oil. But even though there’s nothing wrong with getting a standard oil change, it’s not the best oil change you can get in or around Las Vegas.

Full-service oil changes also focus on removing and replacing your vehicle’s oil. However, these oil changes don’t stop there. Instead, your full-service oil change will also include maintenance tasks, such as:

Vehicle Inspection

If your car isn’t regularly looked at by industry professionals, it could develop problems before you know it. During a full-service oil change, mechanics will perform a 22-point inspection of your vehicle to ensure it’s still running as it should.

Oil Filter Replacement

Like motor oil, oil filters can become less effective over time. An oil filter helps to remove contaminants from oil, but it will become clogged at some point — and when that happens, oil will have a hard time passing through it. Most full-service oil changes include oil filter replacement, making it easy for local drivers to avoid this situation.

Chassis Lubrication

The components found in a modern vehicle chassis don’t need to be lubricated as often as these parts did decades ago. However, you should still grease these components every so often — or let the qualified mechanics at your local Las Vegas auto shop take care of this during a full-service oil change.

Tire Rotation

Tire rotation involves regularly moving your wheels from one position to another, which allows them to wear as evenly as possible. Typically, motorists should get this service taken care of every 3,000-7,000 miles — a schedule that aligns neatly with most drivers’ oil change needs. For a small additional fee, reputable auto shops will handle tire rotation as part of your next oil change in Las Vegas. That means you won’t have to set up an appointment specifically for this service.

Beyond Oil Changes: Other Maintenance Services To Prioritize

Taking oil changes seriously is a great way to help your engine run smoothly for years to come. But to get the best results, you’ll need to combine this service with additional maintenance tasks like:

Tune-Ups

Tune-ups don’t consist of a single service. Instead, this process covers maintenance tasks such as replacing spark plugs, topping off fluids, and inspecting belts. You should get tune-ups at least every two years or 30,000 miles — by doing so, you’ll increase your car’s life span and get the best possible power and mileage from your vehicle.

Brake Checks

Without a fully functional brake system, you won’t be able to drive safely in Las Vegas. The simplest way to avoid unexpected brake problems is to get this system inspected every 6,000 miles or six months. If you notice unusual noises, brake fluid leaks, or any other signs of brake trouble before this point, schedule a service appointment immediately.

Car Battery Replacement

Your car’s battery is responsible for getting your vehicle started, but these components have a life span of five to seven years. When your battery reaches this point (or has trouble doing its job), you’ll want to invest in a car battery replacement.

Preventative Maintenance

Like tune-ups, the term “preventative maintenance” describes a process instead of a single task. These check-ups, which include transmission maintenance, in-depth inspections, and other tasks, should be handled at 30,000, 60,000, and 90,000 miles.

Tire Service

If you don’t take good care of your tires, they could start to wear unevenly — which can cause serious issues. To avoid this outcome, be sure to include tire services like tire rotation, wheel alignment, and tire balancing on your maintenance schedule.

Where Should You Get Oil Change Service?

These days, competition between auto shops is fiercer than ever before — and that means searching for “oil change places near me” isn’t enough to guarantee you’ll find a trustworthy auto shop. Instead, you’ll need to know what separates the best shops in this part of Nevada from the rest.

If they find themselves in need of a full synthetic oil change, Las Vegas residents should look for shops offering benefits such as:

ASE-Certified Mechanics

Oil changes might not be the most complicated auto service, but you should still put some thought into finding people you can trust to do this work. Underqualified mechanics could miss serious red flags while inspecting your vehicle, make mistakes resulting in oil leakage, or accidentally cause other problems.

Instead, it’s best to look for an auto shop advertising ASE-certified mechanics. These technicians are the best workers the industry has to offer, meaning they’re ready to handle quick oil changes and more complicated repair and maintenance tasks.

Other Necessary Auto Services

If an auto shop provides full-service oil changes handled by ASE-certified technicians, you might think your search is over — but there’s still more to consider. Even though oil changes are a crucial part of auto maintenance, there are many other services in this category you’ll want to keep up with. And if your car needs unexpected repairs, you shouldn’t have to find another shop to take care of this work.

Because of that, your auto shop should provide auto repair and maintenance services like:

Opportunities To Save

As far as auto maintenance work goes, oil changes are relatively affordable — emphasis on “relatively.” That said, looking for rock-bottom oil change prices isn’t a great strategy if you want to save on this service. By doing so, you might get shoddy workmanship or miss out on a full-service oil change.

A better way to save is by choosing an auto shop that offers reasonable rates upfront and helps its customers cut costs elsewhere. Online oil change coupons are one of the most common ways to save money on oil changes and other auto services, but the best shops don’t stop there. Ideally, your auto repair shop will also provide financing options such as credit cards.

Lots of Locations

No matter where you are in Las Vegas or the surrounding area, you shouldn’t have to travel far to take care of oil changes. Instead of operating out of a single site, the top car repair shops in the area maintain multiple auto shop locations. That way, they can meet their customers wherever they are.

Whenever they need a conventional or full synthetic oil change in Las Vegas, local residents know where to go for this work — Tire Works Total Car Care. As Nevada’s most trusted auto shop, our ASE-certified mechanics can deliver the full-service oil changes you’re looking for. Getting started is as simple as booking an appointment online.

Book An Oil Change Service Today!