Oil Change

[Elworth]

So, I have gone about 3200 miles since my last oil change and I'm trying to decide if I should head down to get another one today. On the tag they plaed in my vehicle, they say I can still go another 2800 miles without one...

What do you guys think? How often do you get the oil changed in your car?

[dynk]

I like to do mine every 3000 to 3500 miles. It helps your engine last longer. Go ahead an do it, it is actually cheap preventative maintenance.

[GL]

I change mine every three months regardless of my milage.

[Orlandude]

If your car uses that new synthetic oil, you don't have to do it as often. But generally, I change the oil in my car every 3500-4000 miles...religiously. It was something my father taught me years ago and he was right. In doing so, I have never had engine problems with any car I've ever owned. That oil is the "life blood" of your car. Keep it clean and change it often (and the filter) and you'll have a car that will last a long time.

Not changing the oil regularly is the biggest single cause of major engine problems and it's so preventable. People just don't do it as they should.

[Eagle653]

Orlandodude is right. There are some oils that should NOT be changed as often as 3000 miles. The mechanic putting the sticker on your car knows what type he put into it. I would follow that and not change it sooner. Doing so, with those oils, can actually do more harm than good because they actually reach peak performance later. Fresh is not always good. It used to be a rule of thumb that you should change oil every 3000 miles or 3 months. Not many know that this is no longer the case, depending on which of the many types of oil was used at your last change.

For instance, when I got my new Honda last May, there were warning stickers all over and in the manual to NOT change the oil for 10 months or 8000 miles. I thought that very odd and inquired and got a (too lengthy and detailed) explanation as to the new oils they're using. When I did have it changed, the sticker now reads 6 months or 6000 miles. As long as it's under warranty, I'm not going to second-guess them.

[Elworth]

Yeah, I've been using the full synthetic oil for the last 4 or 5 oil changes. So, I guess I will wait...

[Orlandude]

For instance, when I got my new Honda last May, there were warning stickers all over and in the manual to NOT change the oil for 10 months or 8000 miles. I thought that very odd and inquired and got a (too lengthy and detailed) explanation as to the new oils they're using. When I did have it changed, the sticker now reads 6 months or 6000 miles. As long as it's under warranty, I'm not going to second-guess them.

Stick with your warranty Averageguy. To the letter. You are right. I had a problem several years ago with a car that had a turbocharger on it. (I'll never buy another one). Turbochargers require FREQUENT engine oil changes or they burn up and are very expensive to replace (about $1500) Mine did burn up and the warranty company tried to fight me on it because they didn't want to pay for it. I had to produce receipts for every single recommended oil change. Fortunately I kept them all and was able to provide them copies. Had I not been able to prove that I changed the oil, they would not have honored the warranty. Case in point...if your car is still under warranty, follow their guidelines specifically and keep those receipts. Don't trust that the dealer is going to be on your side if a fight breaks out. They won't. If something goes wrong, they can and WILL try to fight you on it.

[T-Rexx]

If you love your car, you'll never use cheap, "synthetic" anything.

Nothing but pure, natural oil for my car (extra-virgin, of course!).

[Elworth]

Actually, the full synthetic oil is supposed to be better for your car than the regular motor oil. I don't know what the difference is though...

[190E]

Synthetic is better in certain motors depending on age and how it's being used. What's more important is the weight and viscosity. It is true that with the synthetics and the blends they can go from 5-8,000 miles.

[081581]

The Toyota manual for my '98 Camry recommends an oil change every 3000 miles if the driving is primarily "city driving", i.e., more "stop and go traffic", and every 7000 miles, if the driving is primarily on highways. My dealer has its own maintenance schedule, which calls for more frequent parts and oil replacement than does the Toyota manual.

However, I am very cynical about following the dealer's recommended maintainance schedule, because the dealer has a "conflict of interest", i.e., the dealer makes more money the more frequently I bring the car in for oil changes and parts replacements. So, I follow the recommendations in the Toyota manual.

An interesting observation I have made is that a greater percentage of women follow the dealer's recommendation on the frequency of oil and parts replacements, than the percentage of men who do. I'm not sure exactly what that means, except perhaps that women are less secure about the maintenance of their cars than men.

081581

Inquiring minds want to know.

[davy]

i'm a little suspicous of the claims synthetic oils claims they have. so i stick with natural

i use castrol's 20/50 on my car and i change it every three months 'cuz i can never remember the mileage when i changed it. and despite being a 15-year-old car, she runs without any engine problems.


no.. i don't own stock in castrol.

[MidnightPrism]

Every 3 months or 3,000 miles unless I'm using a synthetic

[looseliam]

I recommend 3000 miles to my customers hoping they hear 4000. Under no circumstances would I let oil go longer than 7000 synth or not.

It makes me cringe when I hear of 10,000 mile oil change intervals, and oil marketed for 15,000 miles.

Oil still gets dirty. No matter how long the molecules hold up.

[blooeyz]

I listen to click and clack the tap it brothers on NPR every weekend and they say that today's oil doesn't need to be changed that frequently.
but if it makes you feel better, go ahead.

[Austin40acres]

I get an oil change, lube, and filter every 3 months or 3,000 miles just because I think the lube and filter are probably just as important as the oil. They also check the air filter, wiper fluid, tire pressure, etc.

So, it's a relatively cheap way to make sure that almost everything is acting as it should.

A4A

[seven_sins]

My car manual ('99 Honda Accord) specifies once every 12 months for my driving conditions. I have it changed every 6 months. I remember the days when I had it changed (or I changed it myself) every 2 or 3 months.

[Snickers52]

A very highly qualified mechanic told me once that the whole thing about changing your oil every 3000 miles is a bunch of hooey unless you drive on predominately dirt roads with a lot of starting and stopping. He said if you mainly drive the freeways in the city or on long trips you should change your oil every 7500 miles.

[mike_n_herrin]

i was just contemplating this today. I'm over 3 months but not to my milage yet. My car's owner's manual says that i have a chang oil light and that i should change my oil when that light comes on. the only time i've ever seen that light come on was my drive from IL to here. I changed my oil the week before i left IL and it was on the day after i got here. Now that isn't to say i've never changed my oil lol. I have changed it every 3,000 miles since i bought the car brand new in Dec of 2001. But I don't do it every 3 months. I've been here 4 monts and i have another 300 miles to go before i hit 3,000. But i think i'll do it tomorrow if they are open on a sunday.

[hotdog1846]

I follow what my owner's manual says (1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee): every 3000 miles if you go off-road, which I do (on purpose, of course. )

[long_haired_boy]

Orlandodude is right. There are some oils that should NOT be changed as often as 3000 miles. The mechanic putting the sticker on your car knows what type he put into it. I would follow that and not change it sooner. Doing so, with those oils, can actually do more harm than good because they actually reach peak performance later.

How so? Are there some time-release lubrication qualities of some oils? Sounds like an urban legend to me.

[190E]

http://www.performanceoiltechnology...._intervals.htm

Pretty ineresting article, since we're dragging up threads.

[jwest]

so glad i dont have to worry about things like this

[buzzj]

It's very cheap insurance! Shoot for 3,000 miles!!