The Best Oil in Winter
The Best Oil in Winter
Posted on November 5, 2021
Amid all the advanced engineering wizardry found in a modern car, it's one of the most humble and everyday components that could be the most important of them all. The oil in your car is essential to protect all the moving parts, keeping them from damage and extending the life of the vehicle, while also maximizing your car's performance levels and reducing fuel consumption.
Choosing the right oil and changing it on schedule is one of the best ways of looking after your car's mechanics, and the type of oil you choose is particularly important in winter. As the temperature plummets, regular engine oil will get thicker and flow less easily, giving less protection in those vital few moments after starting the engine on a cold winter morning.
Buying an oil especially formulated for winter use is vital if you want to avoid engine degradation, and here's what you need to know before doing so.
Look for the 'W' Rating
In one sense, buying a winter oil is extremely easy: just look for the 'W' at the start of the oil's rating on the product label. The lower the W value, the better the oil will perform in cold temperatures, as it will flow more smoothly and provide more protection before the engine warms up.
In general, a rating of 5W is enough to handle the typical winter weather in the Wetaskiwin area, although some advanced products go all the way down to 0W to give ultimate protection even in the worst Arctic blasts.
Synthetic or Conventional Oil?
Engine oil is available in two main kinds, synthetic and conventional. Conventional oil is the most common choice, as the name implies, and it's formulated to meet all the industry requirements and give good protection over a wide range of conditions. It's also affordable, and is available in variants specifically designed for use in new or old engines where it will work most efficiently.
However, synthetic oil is a newer kind and is fast growing in popularity. It's available as both blended products which contain a mix of conventional and synthetic oil, keeping the price down a little, and also full synthetic oil which offers the best performance although at a higher cost.
Full synthetic oil is purer than conventional oil, and the lower levels of contaminants mean it flows freer at lower temperatures. Although conventional oil is fine for most cars in most weather conditions, if you regularly experience severe low temperatures, then it's worth paying a little extra to use synthetic at your next oil change.
What's more, synthetic oil is also flexible enough to offer excellent protection at high engine temperatures, so if you can only choose one oil type to use all year round, make it a synthetic one.
Experts in Used Cars in Wetaskiwin
At Cars and Trucks Cost Less we're experts in supplying used cars that handle the worst of Wetaskiwin winters with ease. Visit us to browse our inventory of top-quality used cars and drive away with a deal that won't be beaten in the Wetaskiwin area.