%26quot;If you think you're saving money by skipping an oil change, think again. Missing even one oil change can accelerate premature engine wear and cause engine damage, reducing long term car reliability.
When seeking long term car reliability, consider using what might be called the severe- or extreme-use maintenance schedule in your manual. Typically, drivers who need to follow such a schedule do a lot of city driving, live in a hot or cold climate or near the ocean, make a lot of short trips, tow a trailer, or drive in dusty conditions. If that sounds like it includes a lot of drivers, it does.
The difference between the regular maintenance and extreme-use schedule can be significant, with oil-change intervals as frequent as every 3,000 miles in the severe-use schedule, as opposed to the typical 7,500 in normal use.%26quot;How often do I REALLY need an oil change?3000 miles was the norm years ago on older cars but that is no longer necessary. Look in your owners manual it will tell you in there. My '99 Ford Ranger said change every 5000 miles. My '00 Chevy Blazer said to change every 7500 miles. And my '05 Chevy Colorado says to change at 10,000 miles or at least once a year. No kidding.
Newer cars are built with much tighter tolerances in the engine plus they %26quot;burn%26quot; a lot cleaner with fuel injection as opposed to a carburetor. So the oil stays cleaner longer.
I have followed the owners manual recommended oil change intervals in all my cars over the years and I have never had a problem. I traded the Ranger in with 120,000 miles on it and it still ran like new. I also had a '96 Chevy Beretta that I traded in once with 168,000 miles on it and that car also was still running like new.
Just change the oil when the manual tells you to and you will be all right.How often do I REALLY need an oil change?If you wont to keep your engine in good shape, then have it done between 3000- 3500 miles, you done need to play around when it comes to the engine oil , that's the life of the engine.It keeps the oil pump screen clean and open . look at your engine as you would look at yourself, the oil pump is like your heart , the oil is like your blood , if you take care of the engine like you take care of yourself then it's going to last for a long time.How often do I REALLY need an oil change?1) If your car is under warranty, then whatever the warranty says is the ONLY guideline you should be concerned with.
2) If your car is not under warranty, then I recommend 5,000 miles. Most manufacturers recommend 7000 miles under normal use, or 3000/3500 for extreme use conditions, and 5,000 is right in between, and (if you do your next change on a 5k or 10K divisor) is incredibly easy to remember.
3) If you truly believe you use your car in extreme conditions most of the time, THEN stick to the 3,000 (or 3,500) mile oil changes.
4) if you really want to change your oil absolutely as little as possible, you can send in samples of oil to be tested and be told (based on oil chemistry) when to change your oil -- but this means paying for an oil test every month or two. Here is one place that offer this service:
http://www.oaitesting.com/prices_automot
Note that doing this will cost about the same as an oil change itself...
5) Switching to synthetic oil does not mean you can automatically extend your oil change period. Synthetic oils still depend on chemistry additive packages (i.e. the oil bottle says %26quot;service SL%26quot; or SM or whatever), which are intended to be used up in regular driving. How long they last depends on your driving (hence typical versus extreme conditions, which have less to do with the oil and more to do with these additives).How often do I REALLY need an oil change?If you still have it under warranty, do it every 3000 miles or 3 months whichever is sooner.
Otherwise, you can push to 5000 easily (many manuals recommend 5000).
You can also go the for the oil that says you can go up to 5000/10000/etc... miles.How often do I REALLY need an oil change?Its recommended to change it every 3000 miles. Even factories recommend it. Unless you go with synthetics, then that's a whole different story.How often do I REALLY need an oil change?Even if it is. You can ruin your can not having an oil change every 3000 miles. It is to keep your car in great condition. You should still do it.How often do I REALLY need an oil change?As often as it says in the maintenance schedule in your owners manual. That's the book in your glovebox that you've never looked at.How often do I REALLY need an oil change?There is nothing more important in your engine than the oil. I change mine every 5000 miles and I have had a lot of cars go a lot miles without any major repairs.How often do I REALLY need an oil change?if ur driving a car under 100000km then change 5000km if ur higher then change at 4000km. i dont know where u got 10000 thats like over kill even with synthetic oil u should change at like 8000km.How often do I REALLY need an oil change?i wouldnt push it past 10000 because old oil can gunk up the motor
