With an average cost of about $20 bucks, an oil change is one of the least expensive automotive maintenance services you can treat your vehicle to.

Regular oil changes are critical to the continued performance of your vehicle’s engine. You could keep up with all the other maintenance on your vehicle, but if you neglect your engine, it’s over.

Skipping oil changes causes wear and tear on critical engine parts that can seriously reduce the number of miles you’ll get out of your vehicle, limiting its road worthiness by as much as a few years.

What would happen to your engine if you never got an oil change?

As you drive and the engine parts do what they do, the oil collects particulates like dirt, and metal shavings. As the oil gets thicker, its lubricant properties sharply decline.

In fact, as the oil becomes more viscous and coarse, it actually compounds the wear and tear on your engine. Metal parts rub against metal parts until they create so much friction they seize and your engine stops running altogether.

Granted, it takes a pretty long time to reach total engine failure, but if you don’t change your oil, it will definitely happen.

The Cost of Engine Neglect

The average cost of an engine replacement is about $3,000. Depending on the age or condition of your vehicle, you may spend more replacing the engine than the vehicle is actually worth.

If it’s not cost-effective to replace the engine, you may wind up having to buy another vehicle or become very familiar with Chicago area bus routes and train schedules.

When should I change my oil?

Under normal conditions, you should change your oil as often as recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer at any of our Chicago area locations. However, if you do a lot of driving in dusty regions, your oil make pick up dust and contaminants more quickly, and thusly, you may need to change your oil more often.

If you don’t have your owner’s manual, ask your Tuffy technician for free factory scheduled maintenance guidelines.

During your oil change at any of our Chicago area locations, our technicians will:

• change your oil and filter
• check and refill all your fluids
• examine belts and hoses
• inspect wiper blades and exterior lights

We’ll even set you up with a regular maintenance schedule and remind you when it’s time for your next appointment, so you have one less thing to remember.