Do your car, truck or SUV engine a favor and change the oil

When summer comes to Richmond, it's a good time to change the oil in your car, truck or SUV.

It’s June in Richmond, IL. There’s no denying it – summer stretches out ahead of us like a blissful vision of warmth and opportunities for enjoyment. Of course, summer can sometimes take that idea of warmth to extremes and this is why you should make sure you car, truck or SUV is up to date on its oil changes.

When summer comes to Richmond, it’s time to get out of the house and find some outdoor activities to occupy yourself. This may involve driving extended distances. But even if you’re staying close to home, when the thermometer spikes, you want your vehicle prepared for the experience.

Rather than ‘blissful’ warmth, summer sometimes offers blistering heat, scorching heat, the kind of heat that feels as though a blast furnace is baking the countryside. Personally, you’ll want to stay hydrated and wear some SPF 50 or so on your exposed skin.

The sun can do a number on the finish of your car, too. Keeping it in the garage, when able, will go a long way to protecting its finish. You can also park it under trees but then you’re dealing with sap and bird droppings.

Whether your car’s finish is fading or not, if you don’t take care of the engine, a time will come where it will refuse to take you where you want to go. In the meantime, it’s efficiency will drop along with its resale value.

Engine oil reduces friction. In the middle of winter – on a frigid day well below zero in winter – the temperatures inside your engine are sufficient to bake a turkey. And that’s with a fresh bath of oil to reduce that friction. Imagine the temperatures that are possible in your engine on a broiling summer day in June or July.

Now picture that hot summer day with an engine that has old, dirty, worn-out engine oil. It’s not difficult to imagine the stress on that engine. That stress translates to wear and tear. Wear and tear is normal as you operate your car, truck or SUV. But you want to keep it to a minimum.

That’s what timely oil changes offer – the optimal opportunity to keep wear and tear on your vehicle’s engine to a minimum. Summer in Richmond, IL, is a wonderful time of year. Make sure your car, truck or SUV is up to date on its oil changes and you’ll have a little extra piece of mind to help you enjoy the season.