Open navigation Main Menu Mortgages

Financing your home purchase or refinancing your existing loan Finding the right lender Additional Resources

Looking for a financial advisor? Do our 3-minute quiz and match with an advisor today.

Main Menu Banking

Calculators to compare accounts Use the calculators and get advice Bank reviews

Looking for a financial advisor? Try our three minute test and match to an adviser today.

Main Menu Credit cards

Compare according to category Compare with credit requirements Compare with the issuer

Looking for the perfect credit card? You can narrow your search using CardMatch(tm)

Main Menu Loans

Personal Auto Loans, Student Loans, Loans Loan calculators

Find a personal loan within 2 minutes or less. You can also answer a few questions to receive offers with no effect on your score on credit.

Main Menu for Investing

Best of Brokerages and Rob-Advisors. Learn the basics Additional sources

Looking for a financial advisor? Do our 3-minute quiz and connect the advisor you want today.

Main Menu Home equity

Find the lowest rates Lender reviews. Use calculators. Knowledge base

Looking for a financial advisor? Do our 3-minute quiz and connect with an advisor today.

Main Menu Real estate

Home selling or buying an investment property Finding the right agent resources

Looking for a financial advisor? Do our 3-minute quiz and connect with an advisor today.

Main Menu. Insurance

Car Insurance Homeowners insurance Other insurance Company reviews

Looking for a financial advisor? Do our 3-minute quiz and match to an adviser today.

Main Menu Retirement

Retirement accounts and retirement plans Find out the basics about retirement calculators Additional sources

Looking for a financial advisor? Do our 3-minute quiz and match with an advisor today.

Open search Close search

Submit

Get an oil analysis before buying a used car Advertiser Disclosure Advertiser Disclosure We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our goal is to help you make better financial decisions by offering you interactive financial calculators and tools as well as publishing original and impartial content. This allows users to conduct research and compare data for free and help you make sound financial decisions. Bankrate has partnerships with issuers, including but not limited to American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. How We Earn Money The offers that appear on this site are from companies that pay us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this website, for example such things as the order in which they appear in the listing categories and other categories, unless prohibited by law. This applies to our mortgage home equity, mortgage and other products for home loans. However, this compensation will have no impact on the information we publish, or the reviews that you read on this site. We do not cover the vast array of companies or financial offerings that could be open to you.

SHARE:

Maskot/Getty Images

3 min read Published 29 March 2022

Authored by Kellye Guinan Written by Personal and Business Finance contributor

Kellye Guinan is a freelance editor and writer with over 5 years experience working in the field of personal financial matters. She also works full-time as a employee at the library in her town in which she assists the community get information about financial literacy, in addition to other subjects.

Editor: Rhys Subitch Edited by Auto loans editor

Rhys has been writing and editing for Bankrate from late 2021. They are dedicated to helping readers gain confidence to control their finances through providing concise, well-studied data that boils down complex topics into manageable bites.

The promise of the Bankrate promise

More info

At Bankrate we strive to help you make better financial decisions. While we adhere to strict ethical standards ,

This post could contain the mention of products made by our partners. Here’s a brief explanation of how we make money .

The promise of the Bankrate promise

Established in 1976, Bankrate has a proven track experience of helping customers make wise financial decisions.

We’ve maintained our reputation for more than 40 years by simplifying the process of financial decision-making

process and giving people confidence in which actions to take next. Bankrate has a very strict ,

So you can be sure that we’ll put your interests first. Our content is authored by and edited by

who ensure everything we publish ensures that everything we publish is accurate, objective and reliable. Our loans reporters and editors focus on the points consumers care about most — the different types of lending options and the most competitive rates, the best lenders, the best ways to pay off debt and much more. So you’ll be able to feel secure when investing your money.

Integrity of the editorial process

Bankrate has a strict policy , so you can trust that we’ll put your needs first. Our award-winning editors and reporters produce honest and reliable content to assist you in making the right financial decisions. The key principles We respect your confidence. Our aim is to offer readers truthful and impartial information, and we have standards for editorial content in place to ensure this happens. Our editors and reporters rigorously fact-check editorial content to ensure that the information you’re reading is true. We keep a barrier between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive any direct payment through our sponsors. Editorial Independence Bankrate’s team of editors writes for YOU as the reader. Our goal is to give you the best guidance to make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines for ensuring that editorial content is not in any way influenced by advertising. Our editorial team receives no directly from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly checked for accuracy to ensure its truthfulness. Therefore, whether you’re looking at an article or review, you can trust that you’re receiving trustworthy and reliable information.

How do we earn money?

If you have questions about money. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you manage your finances for more than four years. We are constantly striving to give our customers the right advice and the tools required to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that our information is trustworthy and precise. Our award-winning editors, reporters and editors provide honest and trustworthy content to help you make the right financial decisions. Our content produced by our editorial team is objective, truthful and is not influenced through our sponsors. We’re open about how we are in a position to provide quality content, competitive rates, and helpful tools to you , by describing how we make money. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We receive compensation for the placement of sponsored products or services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our website. Therefore, this compensation may influence the manner, place and in what order items appear within listing categories and categories, unless it is prohibited by law. We also offer mortgage or home equity products, as well as other home loan products. Other elements, such as our own website rules and whether or not a product is available in your area or at your self-selected credit score range may also influence how and where products appear on this website. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include details about each financial or credit item or service.

A thorough analysis of engine oil provides insights into a range of issues. It is able to identify the contaminations that have leaked into the engine, such as antifreeze or gasoline. It can assess whether the oil and air filters are operating correctly. It can also find out what tiny metal particles have been removed from the interior of the engine and whether the levels are above, below or average for the type of engine and mileage. If you can spot potential costly issues, you will be able to avoid that may become a puddle of mechanical issues. 3 reasons to get an oil test prior to buying a second-hand car. It might not be the most common advice when shopping for a used car however, an oil analysis could reveal a lot. The quality of the engine can be quickly checked with the analysis of oil. Your choice to buy the car you want should be based on , and oil analysis may give you a good idea of the quality of the engine. 1. Assess the condition of the engine primary reason to have an oil analysis done is to determine the engine’s health. The oil analysis tests for oxidation levels, concentrations of metal particles, and the quality of the lubrication system, as well as other indicators. The previous owner must have maintained their engine and routinely scheduled oil adjustments. The oil analysis — together with the mechanic’s records- are a good evidence that the car has been well cared for. 2. Find and avoid potential problems Prevent potential problems with used cars, particularly older models, might not have been maintained correctly from previous owners. When you confirm that the engine is in good condition ensures that you’re not buying a car that may not last. In addition to checking the health of your engine it is also possible to identify potential issues down the road. As simple as being aware of the frequency of future oil changes can help you for the vehicle. 3. Inexpensive or free with the purchase of a used car dealerships can provide an oil test within the purchase package similar to getting an auto history report. In this case it could be offered for free or be included in the cost of administration. In any case, you’ll be able to get the results you want without having to do any additional effort on your part. If you’re , or the dealer doesn’t offer it, you can buy the oil analyzer for yourself. It could take longer to get an analysis, however it’s definitely worth it, particularly if the seller doesn’t keep track of their appointments with the mechanic. How do you get an oil analysis done An oil analysis can be conducted by a mechanic or yourself using an at-home tool. If you get it done by a mechanic, the biggest step will be waiting for it to be done and the results. If you decide to do it yourself, you should go over the steps on your kit and watch some instructional videos. Here are the most basic steps to warm up your engine, and then take a sample of the oil by using the tubing provided with the kit. The sample is sent to a qualified laboratory. See if the results are satisfactoryabout two or three daysand then review the report. The report may include helpful remarks, but if you don’t fully understand the results it’s best to consult the mechanic for a professional opinion. What to do if the results aren’t as good? The decision to make the purchase is entirely up to you. Every vehicle, old or new, requires maintenance. The oil analysis may identify potential issues but if they’re not expensive or cost more than what you’re willing to pay, it could still be worth it to buy the vehicle, especially when it meets your other requirements. If the expense of maintaining is too high then there’s no reason that you have to go through with the purchase. The problem can escalate and you could end up stuck paying much more than the car is worth if you regularly need to take it to the mechanic. Consider the cost of regular maintenance against the expense of engine problems that may or may not occur. However, if you’re financing your vehicle, you should be aware of the risk that additional repair costs could put you — leading to financial strain down the road. Next steps At the end of the day, an analysis of the oil only provides some insight into the future of the car and the condition of its engine. It’s an excellent diagnostic tool when you’re looking to buy a second-hand car. But it’s not the only tool, so carefully review every one of the safety and mechanical features of a car -including accidents’ history prior to making a decision to buy it. Related articles:

SHARE:

Written by Business and personal finance Contributor

Kellye Guinan is a freelance editor and writer with more than five years of experience in personal finance. She’s also a full-time employee at the library in her town which she assists her local community to access information about financial literacy, as well as other topics.

The edit was done by Rhys Subitch Edited by Auto loans editor

Rhys has been writing and editing for Bankrate since the end of 2021. They are committed to helping readers gain the confidence to manage their finances with concise, well-studied data that breaks complicated topics into bite-sized pieces.

Auto loans editor

Other Articles Related to Auto Loans 5 minutes read Oct 10 2022

Auto Loans 3 minutes read on Sep 27, 2022

Auto Loans: 3 minutes read August 25, 2022

Auto Loans 3 minutes read May 12, 2022

About

Help

Legal Cookie settings Don’t sell my info

How we make money Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for the promotion of sponsored goods andservices or for you clicking certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and when products appear within listing categories, except where prohibited by law for our mortgage or home equity products, as well as other home loan products. Other factors, like our own proprietary website rules and whether the product is available in the area you reside in or is within your own personal credit score may also influence how and when products are featured on this site. Although we try to offer the most diverse selection of products, Bankrate does not include details about each financial or credit item or service. Bankrate, LLC NMLS ID# 1427381 | BR Tech Services, Inc. NMLS ID #1743443 |

|

(c) 2023 Bankrate, LLC. The Red Ventures company. All Rights Reserved.

If you cherished this article and you simply would like to acquire more info pertaining to payday loans online same day arkansas please visit the web-site.