When you take your car or truck in for an oil change, there are other auto services you may want to consider adding while the vehicle is in the shop. The oil change alone will only take a few minutes, and most shops allow enough time for other services if you need them.
Oil Change
When you take your car in for an oil change, the tech working on your car will drain the oil and remove the engine's oil filter. The condition of the oil can tell a lot about the state of the engine if you look closely at it.
Milky oil indicates water or other contaminants in it and could be a sign of a failing head gasket on your engine. Metal shavings in the oil often point to excessive wear in the engine, especially for a car with a lot of mileage on it, and oil that smells burned is usually a sign of an engine that has been run hot enough to scorch the oil inside.
Have the tech look at the oil coming out of the car to determine if anything stands out when they drain it out of the engine. Sometimes the oil condition can prompt you to change to a synthetic or high mileage oil to protect your engine better and extend the life of it.
Tire Rotations and Brake Inspections
When you take your car into the shop for the oil change, the technician will put the vehicle on the lift to get under it. Since the vehicle is off the ground, this is an excellent time to have the tires rotated, and most shops will add that service for a few dollars extra.
When the tech removes all the tires from the car to rotate them, they can also take a minute to check the brake pads and shoes for you. The brakes are easy to check once the tires are off, and if you have them checked regularly, you can change the pads and shoes before they are worn enough to cause damage to the rotors and drums.
Suspension and Steering Inspections
During the oil changes is also an excellent time to check the suspension for any signs of wear or road damage. The tech will check the shocks and springs for you and let you know if there is anything to be concerned about.
The steering linkages, the tie rods, and the ball joints can also be check while the tech is under the car, but you will need to ask that they check all these things, or you will just get an oil change while the vehicle is in the shop.