Do you change your oil every 3000 miles?

[isucyfan]

This article makes me feel better, because I don't. I probably average 5000 miles or so between changes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/11/yo...cuts.html?_r=2

[Al_4_State]

I thought it was pretty well known that the whole 3,000 miles thing was made up between the oil companies and mechanics.

My family's farm changes oil close to 10K on pickups and cars, and they run great. Just make sure it isn't burning oil.

[simply1]

I go by the oil life monitor mostly, my dad won't budge off Dino oil and 3000 miles, but it served him well so. The filter quality is important too, though wish the article had mentioned that.

[dmclone]

What's funny is a lot of the car companies that offer free service for the first few years now only recommend it a 7,500 miles or more.

I usually base it on the type of driving I do and the kind of car I'm driving at the time. My current car has a turbo so I don't wait as long as some previous cars, in my previous car I used synthetic and went about 6-8K miles. Oil changes are pretty cheap when you think about it. It's the things like air filter cabin that they rip you off. I just changed my air filter cabin with a part that costs me $4 and 15 minutes of my time researching and installing. I believe the dealer wanted $60.

I also check out the message boards for my specific car. A lot of people send in their oil to have it analyzed, which gives you a good idea of how often to change it.

[rworkman83]

I normally do it about every 6,000 miles or so.

[CycloneErik]

around 6000 here

[nj829]

Just had mine changed today, around 7500 miles. It's a Honda and was down to 5% on the oil meter. The dealer wanted another $90 to change my air filter and cabin filter, and around $40 more to change my wiper blades. Crazy the upcharge on those services when I can do it myself in 10 minutes for a heck of a lot less!

[IceCyIce]

Depends on the Oil. Synthetic oil will last longer and only require a filter change. The owners manual will give you the accurate service schedule. I change ever 5,000 within 500 mile because it's easy to remember and your not changing your oil every month

[Wesley]

The list of vehicles researched was underwhelming.

[clones26]

I look at my oil life gauge, i was told to change it when it gets to below 5% oil life, which usually ends up being every 6-7k miles

[CyCloned]

I have always changed at 3 to 4K, and have not wrecked an engine yet, so it must be working. A lot depends on how you are driving. I know my wife's Buick has a monitor that tell you when it is time to change, and I am not sure what the parameters are, but we went to Canada and back, and then to Omaha, and back plus the 25 she drives for work every day for another 4 weeks and it said the oil life was still 55%. I figured that was like 5 or 6K, so I changed it anyway.

I have seen what happens to some engines that get changed every 10,000 miles.

[cychhosis]

Look at the oil. You're thinkin' with your dipstick if you think the answer to the question is on the odometer.

[justcynn]

We are usually between 5-8,000 on the wife's van, on my car I go by the % left and try to get it done when it goes below 20%. BUT - my Sister has a new Acadia, supposedly under warranty - got the oil changed at different places since the car was new, had an engine problem - turns out the Filter from one of the places she went was bad and allowed paper in the engine, GM says its not our problem, $2,000 later she now has to try and prove her case to a Oil Change place and hope for reimbursement - I have always been very non-chalent on Car Maintenance - with this story in mind if I ever do buy a new or newer car again covered by warranty - I will be a lot more dilgent about the service schedule and likely get it done at a dealer. Used to be I would buy on price alone and then get service wherever, now will be buying based on Price and Service

[BigBake]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the oil life % displayed on most newer cars is nothing more than a calculation. It doesn't check or monitor the actual quality of the oil. Mostly a measure of time and miles driven since last time it was "reset". Because I believe you have to reset it 100% when you change the oi.

[dmclone]

I stopped going to jiffy lube type places about 20 years ago when I caught them trying to scam me by showing me a dirty air filter out of another car and then breaking a part and trying to say "We noticed that this part is broke on your car". I've heard too many nightmare stories to save the $10. I'm sure some are good but I'd rather go to the place where they work on the same cars all the time.