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Walk down the oil aisle at any auto parts store and there are at least a dozen oils with the same weight designation on the front of the bottle. There are many different brands and weights of oil including 10W30, 5W30, 5W20, 0W20. For European or diesel vehicles, there are additional weights and requirements.

It is important that you understand that all oils are not created equal. The better oils will have a listing on the back of the bottle that tells you what manufacturer approved that oil for use in their engines. The back of most cheap oils will show they are not approved by any manufacturer.

As a responsible car owner, you need to know what kind of oil your vehicle requires. Most newer vehicles will tell you what oil is required right on the oil fill cap. You can also look it up in your owner's manual. Make sure your auto repair shop understands this and is using the right oil for your vehicle. If they don't know what the correct oil is for your vehicle, then find a shop that does.

Using the wrong oil will damage the engine and lead to premature engine failure. In many cars, the check engine light will come on as a result of the variable timing system no longer being able to function properly, causing your gas mileage to go down.

Many manufacturers are requiring the dealers to send oil samples out for testing before approving warranty claims for engine repair or replacement. This means if you, or your chosen repair shop, used the wrong oil or did not have your car serviced as required by the manufacturer, you will not be covered under warranty. You will need to pay out of pocket for any repairs regardless of the mileage.

Let's take GM's dexos as an example, required by GM on all vehicles 2011 and newer. Dexos is a special standard of 5w-30 oil. It still falls into that $19.99 oil change special doesn't it? Most likely not. Many oils are not dexos approved. In order to adhere to GM requirements for this car your oil change price has gone up.

On a positive note, the higher price of an oil change brings with it a longer interval between changes. Through the use of an oil life monitoring system, many vehicles have gone from a 3,000 mile service interval to 5,000 or 7,500 miles. Some car manufacturers will even go as far as 10,000 or 15,000 miles. The oil life monitoring system factors in many things including mileage, cold start ups, engine load, engine speed, and idle time. If equipped, your car will let you know when it is time for service. If your car follows a longer service interval schedule, checking your oil level regularly becomes a necessity.

All engines will burn oil over time, some more than others. The oil life monitoring system does NOT factor in the oil level. Also, do not assume that the red oil light on the dash will tell you when you need to add a quart. This light is an indication of low oil pressure, not a low oil level. You MUST get in the habit of checking your oil level. If you are not sure how to check your oil, just ask. A seized motor from lack of oil will not be covered under any warranty, no oil sample required.

Any car can go well over 200,000 miles, if you take care of it. This starts with the most basic of all things, the oil change.