How long to change oil and rotate tires

Having your tires serviced is an essential part of proper car care. Tire service commonly includes some fairly basic services including tire inspection and repair (looking for tears and pinholes in your tires), checking and adjusting your tire inflation, and making sure that you have the right tires on your vehicle. One of the commonly overlooked forms of tire service is tire rotation which sometimes falls by the wayside during your tire care.

What is Tire Rotation?

A tire rotation involves moving the tires on your car around to different locations so that a different part of the tires touched the road and experiences friction with the road. The friction from the road wears down the tires but typically only touches a portion of the road. By rotating the tires you can reduce the wear on one spot and allocate it to a different part of the tire which lengthens the life of the tire significantly.

How Long Does a Tire Rotation Take?

While many people worry about how long does a tire rotation take, the answer is a relatively short period of time, typically it takes less than an 1 hour of total time. 

How much Do a Tire Rotation Cost?

The cost of a tire rotation is often less than $100, but be sure to ask your tire repair technician for the exact quote. This can result in a significant amount of savings by extending the lifespan of your tires significantly.

Remember: Tire rotation is considered a normal part of tire service. Vehicle owners should consider having it done at least once a year to make sure their tires are wearing properly.

Are you wondering about how long does a tire rotation take? Contact our ASE Certified technicians at Dependable Car Care today for more information about tire service and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop proudly serves residents in the community of Ventura, CA, and surrounding area.

Aside from the brakes, your tires are arguably one of the most important parts of your car because they are tasked with keeping you safe while on the road.  Many people often overlook simple tire maintenance, opting for other routine fixes like oil changes, brake checks, etc.  While those steps are essential in prolonging the life of your vehicle, proper tire maintenance can increase your gas mileage, extend the life of your tires, and prevent flats.  Below, we’ll explain how often you should rotate your tires.

Why we rotate

This may be common knowledge to some, but did you know that tire rotation has nothing to do with rotating the tire around an axle?  Tire rotation means you take all four tires off the car and put them on a different axle.

Some tires will wear down quicker depending on your type of vehicle.  Because your car often bears the majority of the weight in the front, your front tires can wear down twice as quickly as your back tires.  In order to compensate for the uneven wear, mechanics will swap your rear tires with your front tires.  Your trusty mechanic may also swap tires from the left side to the right and vice versa because one side may be subjected to more stress.

What if I skip regular tire rotation?

You could be putting yourself in danger if you neglect to rotate your tires.  Your car could begin to pull to one direction if one tire is significantly more worn down than the others, and it can also increase your chances of popping a tire at high speeds.

Also, you may be hitting the gas pump more frequently if you fail to regularly rotate your tires.  The more evenly dispersed the tire wear is, the smoother the car will run.  The less friction or pull caused by a vehicle, the less work it takes to run, which in turn saves you gas.

When should I rotate?

Although it will depend on your specific vehicle, most owners’ manuals suggest that you should rotate your tires every 3,000-10,000 miles.  Since you should get your oil changed every 3,000-7,000 miles, a good rule of thumb is to get your tires rotated every other time you change your oil.

Some places may even offer the service as part of their oil change package.  Most auto shops will at least check your tires during an oil change and recommend a rotation if they notice a different in tread wear.  A standard tire rotation usually costs between $20-$30, making it a cheap tune-up that shouldn’t be skipped.

Changing the oil is an essential vehicle maintenance item, and it needs to be taken care of at certain intervals to best protect your car. Thankfully, it's not an exhaustive maintenance item, and a professional service technician at Maguire Chevrolet Trumansburg can take care of it in minutes.

How long does an oil change take? We're here to answer that question for drivers in Trumansburg, Watkins Glen, and Cortland. Our goal is always to get you and your car back on the road as soon as we can.

GETTING AN OIL CHANGE

After your car has been taken into the service bay, expect the oil change to take about 30 to 45 minutes. That's all it takes. Should the air filter need to be changed, or your tires require a rotation, then it may take a little longer.

An oil change involves draining out the existing oil and replacing the oil filter, then placing new oil into the engine. If your check engine light has turned on, we'll be sure to inspect the engine to ensure everything is running efficiently. Fluid levels, including coolant, transmission fluid, and brake fluid, will be checked, and if anything needs to be topped off, we'll take care of that, too.

WHEN TO CHANGE THE OIL

Each manufacturer will tell you different things when it comes to changing the oil. That means it's best to keep your owner's manual by your side, though asking our service technicians over the phone is perfectly fine by us. Make sure to check the odometer or the sticker the technician placed inside your windshield the last time you were here.

If we're talking about conventional oil, then it's likely your owner's manual will tell you to bring your car in for that oil change every 5,000-7,500 miles. Some manufacturers won't require a visit until 10,000 miles or one year of driving.

If you're not sure of when that last oil change was, there are some things you can look out for:

• Loud engine sounds

• Oil smell inside the cabin

• More frequent trips to the gas station to fill up

If the oil isn't properly lubricating the engine, that can cause excess friction, and therefore, the loud noises. If this is something you're hearing, it's time to stop in for an oil change.

OUR CHEVROLET SERVICE CENTER

Of course, we don't just stop with oil changes. Turn to our experienced service technicians for a tire rotation, brake pad replacement, or wiper blade replacement.

It takes just a few moments to schedule a service appointment right here on our website. It saves you a call, too. Feel free to check out our service and parts specials, and see how easy it can be to save on your next visit.

YOUR CAR BENEFITS WHEN THE OIL IS CHANGED

A timely oil change keeps the engine running as it should and protects the long-term health of your car.

Schedule your next oil change here at Maguire Chevrolet Trumansburg. We look forward to seeing Trumansburg, Watkins Glen, and Cortland drivers at our service center for this important vehicle maintenance.

How long should an oil change and tire rotation be?

How long does a tire change and rotation take?

Are you supposed to rotate tires after oil change?

How long does it take to do an oil change?