Many car owners continue to change their oil every 3,000 miles, about twice as often as what most car manuals recommend.
Reed Saxon, AP
The sticker in your windshield says it’s time to get your oil changed. But should you?
Many car owners continue to change their oil every 3,000 miles, about twice as often as what most car manuals recommend, according to an article by Edmunds.com, an online car-buying guide.
"Vehicles are so sophisticated that oil is one of the last things that customers can have a direct influence over," Matt Snider, project engineer in GM's Fuels and Lubricants Group, told Edmunds." There's maybe some feeling that they're taking care of their vehicle if they change their oil more often."
The practice not only wastes money and oil, but also increases the dumping of used oil.
Other possible culprits for this behavior include outdated advice from previous generations and the 3,000-mile reminder stickers mechanics leave in windshield after servicing cars.
The average amount of miles a car can go before it needs an oil change is 7,800 miles, according to Edmunds.
Owners should consult their car’s manual to know how many miles they can go before changing oil.
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I've always ignored the 3,000 mile/3 month recommendation that these places tell you. I figure that just means more money for them, I do it on average between 5-6k miles, never had any problems...
I don't know... I think the auto manufacturers want you to change it less often so the engine wears out sooner. This is a conspiracy.
Old habits are hard to break. Years ago, when engines were less sophisticated and wore out sooner, 3000 miles was reasonable. Nowadays, engines and oils have been improved tremendously. The comment about auto manufacturers wanting engines to wear out More..