Getting the Most from Your Car's Performance – The Right Oil is Essential

Our cars are some of our most prized possessions. We sink a lot of money, time and energy into our cars, so it's only natural that we expect them to operate efficiently. When some people get a new car, it's almost like a relationship. They treat the car gently and do everything they can to keep it running well, but they rarely keep up these efforts over the long haul.

While you may not have the time or energy to pamper your car all the time, you can take some simple steps to keep it running great. When it comes to a car's performance, motor oil has to be one of the biggest considerations. So, even if you can't baby your car forever, you can take good care of it by simply putting some thought into the kind of oil that you use.

If you ask most of the employees at the oil lube shops what you can do to improve a car's performance, motor oil changes are always going to be the first tidbit of wisdom they have to offer. You, on the other hand, need to think a bit deeper and consider not only changing the oil in your car, but also choosing the right oil for your unique situation.

The make and model of your car, how often you drive it and how long you plan to own your car, all factor into making the best oil choices. Don't expect the oil shop to tell you this, though, they simply want you to come back regularly, so they keep making money. Take the time to learn a bit about the things that go into choosing the right oil for your car, and you will be doing your part to take better care of it over the lifetime of your ownership.

Image by Ollie Crafoord via Flickr

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Getting the Best Performance from your Vehicle

When you bought your car, you obviously wanted to get the most out of it that you could. We often baby our rides in the beginning, but tend to slack a little over time. One area that nearly everyone can improve on is choosing the right oil for their car. To get to a level of peak performance, motor oil has to be one of your top considerations. In fact, few things contribute as much to your car’s performance as the oil that you choose. Many people go a little over the top, though, and end up spending too much money on synthetic oils, when that may not even be the best choice for their car.

All things considered...
Since there is so much depending upon your motor oil for top car performance and long engine life, it's obvious that you have to consider a few things to make the best choice for your car. To get your car to the highest level of performance, motor oil has to be considered carefully, and the right kind has to be used. Many lube shops and garages will lead you to believe that oil is a one-size-fits-all choice as long as you change it regularly. Don't fall for this.

The best place to start is with your manufacturer's documentation. You should easily be able to find a recommended viscosity for the oil you choose. Sticking with this as your starting point for oil is usually a safe bet. Of course, the way you drive, the make and model of your car and other factors will play into your ultimate, long-term oil solution, but you are safe to start with what the manufacturer recommends. From there, do some research to find the absolute best choice in oil for your car.

Image via Wikipedia

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Performance Motor Oil - Help Your Engine Help You

Besides using high performance motor oil, what can one do to improve engine function?  Are there other products one needs to usealong with quality motor oils?  What are they? First, it is important to utilize an efficient air filter.  There are primarily four options: cellulose media air filters, foam media air filters, cotton gauze media air filters, and nanofiber air filters (AMSOIL).
 Image via Wikipedia
While foam media and cotton gauze filters offer good air flow qualities, they are not as efficient as cellulose or nanofiber filters.  Cellulose media filters build up a “dust cake” during their early life which helps increase their efficiency in removing contaminants from your air intake.
AMSOIL nanofiber filters are absolutely efficient down to 2 microns.  While the superior air flow qualities of foam and cotton gauze filters may be preferable for racing applications, cellulose and nanofiber filters are clearly preferable for protecting your engine from contaminants coming in through your air intake. Second, it is also essential to use a quality oil filter.  Traditional, off-the-shelf, cellulose filters are only 70 to 80% effective and only efficiently filter particles of a 30 to 40 micron size.  High efficiency filters, which are made
of combination of glass, synthetic and cellulose fibers, are often effective down to 15 to 20 microns.  As the majority of engine wear is caused by particles between 5 and 20 microns, it only makes sense to make use of an oil filter which can capture a larger percentage of these contaminants.  Doing so will significantly reduce the amount of wear to your engine from these particles. As you can see,using quality filters is important for protecting your engine.  While using a high performance motor oil will help your engine run more
smoothly, it is also important to employ quality air and oil filters in conjunction with this oil. Doing so will maximize the reduction of particles which can cause wear in your engine.

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What is The Deal with Performance Motor Oil?

You have probably seen all of the commercials for performance motor oil  on television.  Oil makers claim that the oil they produce can extend the life of your engine, increase fuel efficiency, and allow you to go longer in between oil changes.  The question is do any of them live up to their claims, or is it all just marketing hype?

The truth is that many of the high performance oils DO offer some benefits over lesser quality oils, but the claims they make can often be exaggerated.  Most oils will do an adequate job of protecting your engine, and, if you're looking for adequate, then you've got plenty of oils to choose from.

What you want to know is, when should you choose a performance motor oil, and how do you know if the claims made by the manufacturer are accurate?  Again, I reference a common theme and that is, don't rely on someone else to tell you if an oil is good or not.  Learn the basics so that you can make that determination for yourself.  There ARE better oils out there, but, don't let the manufacturers con you with their clever advertisements.  Do your research and PROVE or DISprove their claims for yourself.

One of the advantages that high performance oils (generally synthetic) MAY offer is that they can remain cleaner, longer than conventional motor oils (for a number of reasons that are all outlined in great detail within "The Motor Oil Bible").  The longer an oil stays clean, the better your car will perform, and the better protection it will receive - that is a fact.  However, don't assume that, just because an oil carries a premium price tag or alit of glitzy advertising and sponsors, that it's necessarily a PREMIUM oil.

One selling point used to promote some high performance motor oil is that you can go longer between oil changes.  If you are used to using the standard recommendations of changing your oil every 3,000 miles, you will see a significant increase in the lifespan of your oil.  Of course, many newer vehicles are already calling for longer oil drains of 5, 7, even 10,000 miles or more, even with petroleum oil.  So, is there really a significant benefit to moving to a premium oil?

The answer to that question depends  upon how you drive, what you drive, where you drive, how long you wish to own your vehicle AND which premium oil you may be considering.  The truth is, there are those that MAY be worth he premium, depending upon your situation.  But, the only way you're going to know is by understanding how oils work, what the differences are between oils and how to objectively compare those high performance motor oils for yourself. 

"The Motor Oil Bible" is the only viable resource out there that will answer all of these sorts of questions (as well as many more) in a way that just about any vehicle owner can easily understand.


The Motor Oil Guy