These days most people say that fuel economy or gas mileage is one of the most important factors in determining which vehicle to buy. And many people are aware that you can drastically affect your gas mileage in the way that you drive, with your tire inflation and other factors. However, not a lot of people are aware that the type of oil that you put into your vehicle can also significantly impact the fuel economy of your vehicle.

At Fort Collins Foreign Car Service, our auto technicians and experts are all about helping to educate our customers and provide car help and advice to help our customers better take care of their cars. Since fuel economy is one of the most important factors in owning a car these days we are aware that it is something that everyone is looking for tips on.

So, that’s why we have a new installment in our long-running Car Help 101 series and it’s on the importance of oil in your car and how it impacts your fuel economy. If you haven’t noticed, oil is basically the lifeblood of your vehicle’s engine. It lubricates and ensures the smooth operation of all engine components. So, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise then that using the wrong kind of oil (or dirty oil) can impact your gas mileage.

Heavier weights of oil such as 20W-50 are harder to push through the engine and can decrease fuel economy, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use that type of oil if it is recommended in your car’s operator’s manual because there are other advantages to using heavier oil, and some engines require it.

Basically, the most important thing to remember is that not all oil types are created equally. You need to get the right kind for your car’s engine and then make sure that you get regular oil changes done by a qualified auto technician.

If you have further questions about oil or fuel economy, or just need some car help or an oil change done right by the experts, bring your vehicle into us at Fort Collins Foreign Car Service and we’d be happy to help.