Oil Change Interval – What you need to know.
Q: Dear Doug,
Do I really need to change the oil in my car every 3 months or 3,000 miles or is this just a scam to get me to spend more money than necessary?
Lynn, Springville, NY
A: Hi Lynn, Keeping your car properly lubricated is one of the most important things you can do to extend the life of your engine. That being said, many of today’s vehicles are engineered so that they can go much longer than 30,000 miles before the oil needs to be changed. Improved formulas for oil also contribute to the longevity of your car’s lubrication.
Check your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommendation for your specific make and model. Many cars have an indicator in the gauge console that will appear when it is time to change the oil and filter, making it easy to determine when this service needs to be performed.
I always recommend, however, that if you are subjecting to your vehicle to extreme driving conditions, such as frequent traveling over dirt roads, lots of stop-and-start city driving or the like, that you conform to the shortest interval recommended in your owner’s manual. And don’t forget the lube!
Stop on in to Concord Mechanical or Ellicottville Auto Care and talk to one of our service technicians. We’ll be happy to check your vehicle’s oil and help you decide if it’s time to change it or not.
–Doug
