Fort Worth

The price for an oil change normally comes down to a choice between conventional or synthetic oil. The type of oil depends on your driving conditions. Conventional oil works best for drivers who travel on flat terrain in regular traffic with no extreme weather. Synthetic oil is engineered to contain fewer impurities and outperform conventional oil in some situations. Some newer cars are designed specifically to take synthetic oil. It costs two to four times as much as conventional oil.

So when is synthetic worth the extra cost? It’s best for certain environmental conditions, such as hilly or mountainous terrain, extreme temperatures, or dusty areas. If your driving routine involves heavy loads, start and stop traffic, or many small trips daily, synthetic oil is also the better choice.

Every 3 months or 3,000 miles is the standard duration between oil changes, but there are many exceptions to the rule. Newer model cars can go anywhere from 5,000 to 7,000 miles on one change. Engines using only synthetic oil can sometimes go as long as 15,000 miles before needing a change. If your car is using conventional motor oil instead of synthetic, we also recommend a periodic engine flush to help fight sludge build-up. When in doubt, check your car’s manual for recommended oil change intervals, or check your car’s oil with a dipstick.

An annual 20-point inspection is required to pass a Texas state inspection. The inspection covers a few, broad areas. For basic safety and functionality your car’s horn, windshield wipers, mirror, steering, seat belts, brakes, tires and wheel assembly are inspected. Your car’s lighting systems, including beam indicator, tail lights, brake lights, license plate light, rear red reflectors, turn signal lights and headlights are also inspected.

Other points of the inspection include checking your serial number or VIN, inspecting the gas caps on more recent car models, and approving the shade of your window tinting. Depending on which Texas county your car is registered in, you may also need to pass an emissions inspection.

Your car’s manual will have a full list of services and recommended intervals in months or miles. Staying up to date on these services will keep your car running in peak condition. These are the frequencies of the most popular services:

• Power steering service: 2 years or 50,000 miles
• Fuel injection service: 3 years or 45,000 miles
• Radiator service: 3-5 years or 30,000 miles
• Spark plug tune-up: every 80,000 miles

Of course if your car’s performance is noticeably degraded, you should have the problem examined immediately.