First step to get ready for your Christmas travel is to make sure your ride is in tip-top shape. An oil change will help your road trip get off to a smooth start.

TOP TIP: Find the right oil and filter for your vehicle using the My Garage tab at the top of the Supercheap Auto website.

What You'll Need:

• Funnel
• Oil Filter
• Engine Oil Flush
• Engine Oil
• Rags
• Gloves
• Car Stands
• Wheel Chocks
• Trolley Jack
• Creeper
• Drain Pan
• Tool Kit

Get the family car road-trip ready this Christmas

The best thing you can do for your engine is give it some fresh oil and a new oil filter. The job of oil is to keep things well lubricated, reduce wear and tear, remove the heat and catch the contaminants. Any carbon deposits, oil sludge or fine metal particles will be picked up by the oil and then trapped by the oil filter.

The filter is a bit like a vacuum cleaner. When it’s full it’ll stop working properly. Keeping the oil and filter fresh and clean will help your car run smoothly. It’ll be more reliable and give you some piece of mind for your upcoming Christmas road trip.

Changing the oil and filter is easier and cheaper than you think.

To do your own oil change you’ll need chocks, garage jack, jack stands and some personal protective equipment to keep you safe. These handy DIY tools will save you money in the long run, with no more expensive service bills.

You’ll need some oil.

To find the right oil, check out the My Garage app on the Supercheap website. Or check your car manual for the right type of oil.

Here’s how to change your oil filter.

Start with some SCA engine flush. This clever slippery stuff reduces engine wear, frees up sticky valve lifters (important engine bits) and removes sludge and deposits. It’s like a laxative for your car! Make sure it’s in park, or in gear, with the hand brake on. Just add engine flush and let your car idle for 15 minutes.

Let the car cool down for 15 minutes. Now grab some tools to remove the sump plug. Catch the old oil with a drain pan. Keep some rags handy. You’ll need an SCA 8L drain pan to catch the oil. Use a filter wrench to get the old filter off, then wipe the contact area clean for the new filter. Apply a smear of oil to the filter gasket. Now fill the oil back up with a SCA flexi funnel.

Run the car for a minute and top up if necessary. Clean up any mess with rags and SCA workshop degreaser. Dispose the old oil filter in line with local government regulations. Tip the old oil back in to the empty oil container and return to Supercheap for free disposal.

That’s it! 

Changing your oil is a great investment to make sure your motor hums perfectly on this year’s Christmas road trip.

Check out the great DIY videos on the Supercheap website. They’ve got step by step guides on everything you need to know.