Even if your car sits in storage in Lexington all year long, you still want two oil changes every year at the bare minimum. Oil breaks down over time, even if it doesn’t get used. When you get an oil change, you’ll want a filter change too.
How often should you change engine oil?
However, this limit has been raised for more advanced engines. Manufacturers of modern cars and trucks recommend an oil change duration between 5,000 miles and 7,500 miles. In some instances, the limit can go up to 15,000 miles when using a high quality synthetic motor oil.
What is the recommended synthetic oil change interval?
Manufacturers’ recommended synthetic-oil change intervals vary greatly. For the vehicles in Car and Driver’ s long-term test fleet, those intervals range from 6000 to 16,000 miles (and almost always include oil-filter changes).
Do I need to change the oil in my car?
Obviously, the car you use the most will have more mileage in a shorter period of time, which means you’ll need to replace the oil in it more frequently. Another factor that concerns oil changing is the model of your car. It turns out that modern cars have modern-day engines, which are more efficient than generations before (obviously).
Why should I change the oil after 2 years?
The reason why you should change the oil after two years, isn’t because of the oil is breaking down, it’s because the oil filter not design for a long period.
Why change oil every 3 months?
The “every 3,000 miles or every three months” rule is outdated because of advances in both engines and oil. Many automakers have oil-change intervals at 7,500 or even 10,000 miles and six or 12 months for time. “Your owner’s manual has more detailed information about your car than any mechanic does,” Ibbotson says.
How often should you change your car’s oil?
Having your car’s oil changed at a repair shop or dealership usually includes a multi-point inspection to check fluid levels, filters, and other components. In previous decades, a rule of thumb was to change a car’s oil every 3,000 miles. Since 2010, many vehicles use synthetic oil that can go up to 10,000 miles between changes.
What happens if you don’t change your oil?
Of course, if you don’t change your oil on time and with the proper products, it could void your car’s warranty. However, car experts now say that the standard oil change interval of every three months — or every 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) — is old news, and that most cars can travel quite a bit farther before needing the oil replaced.
Why are oil change intervals longer?
Today’s longer oil change intervals are due to: Improved “robustness” of today’s oils, with their ability to protect engines from wear and heat and still deliver good fuel economy with low emissions. More automakers using synthetic oil. Tighter tolerances (the gap between metal moving parts) of modern engines.
Is your mileage wrong for your next oil change?
Car dealers’ service departments are also guilty of incorrectly listing the mileage for the next oil change. We’ve seen them recommend a 3,000-mile oil change on a car with a 10,000-mile interval and also list a 5,000-mile recommendation on a car that has a variable oil change schedule.
