What oil does my car need?

Your car needs an oil that matches both the viscosity grade (such as 5W-30) and the specification (such as ACEA C3 or VW 504 00) set by your manufacturer. You'll find both in your owner's handbook. Or enter your registration number above and Find My Oil will show the Duckhams oils that meet both.

Most cars take between about 3.5 and 6 litres for a full oil and filter change. Smaller petrol engines sit at the lower end; larger engines and many diesels need more. Find My Oil shows the exact capacity for your car.

If you're topping up rather than changing the oil, add a little at a time and check the dipstick as you go. Overfilling can damage the engine.

Most manufacturers recommend changing your oil every 12 months or around 10,000 miles (16,000 km), whichever comes first. Long-life (Flexible) servicing can stretch this to two years or roughly 18,000 miles (30,000 km). If you mostly drive short trips, tow, or drive in stop-start traffic, follow the Severe schedule and change it sooner. Find My Oil shows your manufacturer's exact intervals in both distance and time.

The best oil for your car is the one that meets your manufacturer's grade and specification, not the most expensive one on the shelf. An oil that doesn't meet the specification won't protect your engine better, and on many modern cars it can clog the diesel particulate filter (DPF) or petrol particulate filter (GPF). Find My Oil shows every Duckhams oil that meets your car's specification.

Only if your manufacturer lists it. Some cars list more than one grade, often for different climates, and any listed grade is fine to use. A grade that isn't listed can change how quickly oil reaches the engine at start-up and how well it protects at running temperature, and it may affect your warranty. If more than one grade suits your car, Find My Oil shows them all.

5W-30 is an SAE viscosity grade. The first number, followed by W for winter, shows how easily the oil flows when cold: the lower the number, the faster it reaches the engine at start-up. The second number shows how thick the oil stays at normal running temperature: the higher the number, the thicker the oil.

So, a 5W-30 flows more easily from cold than a 10W-30 and is thinner when hot than a 5W-40.

They're oil specifications: performance standards an oil must meet. ACEA specifications, such as A3/B4 or C3, are set by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association and apply across many car brands. Manufacturer approvals, such as VW 504 00, BMW Longlife-04 or Mercedes-Benz 229.51, are set by individual carmakers and are often stricter.

Many modern engines need one specific standard, and Find My Oil shows which your car requires.

They're the service schedules manufacturers set for different kinds of driving. Normal covers typical everyday use. Severe applies if you mostly do short trips, tow, sit in stop-start traffic, or drive on dusty or rural roads, and it means more frequent oil changes. Flexible, or long-life, servicing lets the car's own monitoring set the interval and usually requires a long-life oil specification.

Yes. Find My Oil covers vans and pick-ups as well as cars, including the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Vauxhall Vivaro. Enter the registration number to see the right oil, capacity and change intervals.

Choose your make and model from the lists instead of entering your registration. Very new, imported and private-plate vehicles aren't always matched by reg. If there's still no match, check the grade and specification in your owner's handbook and browse our oils by grade, making sure the oil you pick meets both. Or contact us and we'll find the right oil for you.

Not at the moment. For a motorcycle, use the grade and specification in your owner's handbook. Most motorcycles with a wet clutch need an oil that meets JASO MA or MA2, and car oil can cause the clutch to slip. See our 2-stroke and 4-stroke motorcycle oils.

Park on level ground, switch off the engine and wait five to ten minutes so the oil can settle. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, push it fully back in, then pull it out again. The oil should sit between the minimum and maximum marks. If it's near the minimum, top up a little at a time with the correct oil and check again. Some newer cars have no dipstick and show the level on the dashboard instead. Our step-by-step oil level guide also covers oil warning lights.

Duckhams oil is available in store at Screwfix across the UK and Ireland and at EG On The Move forecourts in the UK, and online from Amazon, eBay and Screwfix. Our Where to Buy page lists the stores near you, and every Find My Oil result links straight to it.