# How often do you change your oil?



## myquitehead

Realistically, how many miles do you go before changing oil, on average?


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## Tumbleweed36

Hi,

I have been on the 3000 mile binge for years and never have had internal engine problems, so it works for me. It is a whole lot cheaper than working on an engine and that way, my dealer (yep, get a 16.99 price from my Buick Dealership for lube, oil, filter, and top off fluids) does an inspection under the car on a regular basis while doing the lube. I call that a bargain.


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## superflysmith

My new vehicle only has 1000 miles on it and I changed it at 800 miles just to get the metal shavings out. I will change it at 3000 miles and than every 3000 after that since I have three years maintanance free I would be stupid not to keep up with it. After 3 years I'll probably switch to synthetic so I can go longer between oil changes.
My Wrangler on the other hand goes about 5000 miles between changes. :sayno: I should really try to keep up to date with it.


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## whodat

2000 miles because its all local stuff


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## Speedo

I don't change my oil! I take it in for service every 3,000 mile and let them do it.... :sayyes:


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## yustr

Question: I drive my car only about 500 miles a month (if that). So 3000 miles takes 6 months to reach - 5000 would be nearly a year. Is there a time-to-change recommendation? I've heard every 3 months but that's from the oil changing industry so I have my suspicions.


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## MD_Willington

Every 5000 km, I run semi-synthetic...


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## bry623

I change mine every 3000 miles. I travel a lot and already have done it 4 times this year.

My wife's new van (it's a year old) gets done every 3 months, since she doesn't quite drive 3K in that time, but I kind of have to or they would void my waranty.


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## dai

every 5000km semi synthetic oil and filter


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## JamesO

As they say, oil is cheaper than steel, even at today's oil prices. The cost difference between changing your oil at 3500 miles vs. 5000 miles over 150000 miles of vehicle operation is about $400. Any major oil related failure will cost much more than $400 to repair on almost any car. So I see changing oil as a good investment that can be spread over a long time period. Kind of an insurance policy.

I run full synthetic in all my cars. Change the oil and filter about every 3500 miles. If you really want to protect the engine, put a magnetic drain plug and a bypass oil filter on the engine. A bypass oil filter is a VERY fine filter (3 micron or less typically) that constantly is filtering the engine oil. With a bypass oil filter installed you can extend your oil changes to 15,000 miles or more depending on your driving conditions. Problem is these can be large, so room for installation, mounting and service can be an issue. I plan on installing one on my newest vehicle as soon as the kids are back in school.

Also do not forget about a quality air filter and change if often, this is another source for dirt in the engine that can work its way into the oil. If you have a turbo engine, check the air filter every 2500 miles depending on how hard you drive the car!

JamesO


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## crazijoe

3K on the cheapest name brand non-synthetic. (Havoline, Tropartic, Shell) Most the time I will stock pile Quaker State when it is on sell at Menards. Bought 30 cases when it was on sale for .99/qt. a year ago. Guarantee you won't find that any more.


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## johnnynoc

If its a normal daily driver and you arent beating the hell out of it then 3k for dino oil and 5k for synthetic is a good rule to follow. I always err on the side of caution.
My car used to be driven often and hard but now its likely to only see 3 - 5k miles a yr tops. I use Mobil 1 and change it every 4 months regardless of how many miles. I know its never going to be over 3k miles in 4 months but i just do it for my piece of mind more than any technical data to back that up.


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## twajetmech

*Oil 101*

OK, if you have a new car, break in the engine using regular oil like Pennzoil or QuakerState. Regular petroleum oil will allow some wear in the engine (mainly at start-up) which is a good thing for now. After the break in period (check your sevice manual) change your filter and oil to a full snthetic oil. Syntheic oils will not allow any significant wear in the engine and have the added benefit of keeping the contaminates generated by the combustion process suspended in the oil where the filter can do its job, petrolium oils break down at high temps and allow the contaminates to form sluge in the engine, synthetic oils will not allow sludge to form and break down at much higher temps. However if you have an older engine that has been running for the last 30,000mi on petroleum based oils I do not reccomend changing over to synthetic oils....for one, the seals in your engine have become conditioned to the petroleum oils and will begin to break down. An older engine is likely to be worn, the cleaning properties of synthetic oils will slowly clean the engine, and while that sounds good, your engine may now begin to loose compression since the sludge that onece took up clearances within the engine are now being cleaned away. Now, regardless of which type of oil you are using, changing the oil and filter every 3,000mi is still a good thing, for petroleum oils, this helps remove contaminates from the engine and replenishes the additives in the oil that aide in lubricating everything, oil that has not been changed will become acidic over time. For synthetics, it is neccessary to replenish the additives, which under normal use break down, the oil is still good, but it is the additives that require the need for change. Technically synthetic oils don't need to be changed... Aircraft (like 747's) almost never have their oil changed....just added to as needed, however the oil filters are changed every 50 hrs or so ! reason being, the micron filters do such a good job thay there is no need to change the oil, and by repenishing what oil is consumed during operation will also continuosly replenish the additive pakage in the oil. As a rule of thumb for an automobile however regardless of oil type 3,000mi is a good interval to change your oil and filter.


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## bluesplyr

*Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act*



bry623 said:


> I change mine every 3000 miles. I travel a lot and already have done it 4 times this year.
> 
> My wife's new van (it's a year old) gets done every 3 months, since she doesn't quite drive 3K in that time, but I kind of have to or they would void my waranty.


Your warranty will not be affected if you go beyond 3000 mile oil changes.


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## Monterey Jack

Turbo vehicles every 1500-2000miles, the trucks every 5K miles. last truck had 186K on it and no issues regarding piling problems when changed every 5K miles. Amsoil "claims" to last 15K last I heard, but I wont try it.


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## bandit109

Always 3K miles. Cheap insurance. I was curious though, I just bought an 03 Accord V-6 w/ 50 k miles on it . I can tell it doesnt have synthetic oil in it & thats what I've always used on my new trucks. Would there be a problem switching to synthetic assuming the prior owner never used it ? We bought an 06 Accord 4 banger last year & putting mobil 1 added a couple mpg & made it run alot smoother . Wasnt sure if there would be a wear problem -- dont wanna cause any leaks !


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## bandit109

Another thought --- What does everyone think about oil stabilizers/synthetic oil stabilizers.


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## !! Grand Am !!

I go between 5k-6k miles between changes.

bandit, you can switch to synthetic at any time. Also, contrary to popular (mis)information you can switch back and forth between the two whenever you want.


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## crazijoe

Monterey Jack said:


> Amsoil "claims" to last 15K last I heard, but I wont try it.


The oil may last 15K but the additives and detergents don't.


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## yustr

I think I asked this once but its got even more pressing now that my son is away at college and hardly drives at all:

If I drive less than 300 - 400 miles/month - how often should I change the oil? Six months still doesn't equal 3000 miles. My son drives even less. :4-dontkno


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## crazijoe

You should change it on a schedule regardless of miles. The dirt and contaminents in the oil can be harsh on bearing surfaces. Most oils that contain high detergents can be most harmful in vehicle that are driven sort distances or used to infrequent oil changes due to the acid build up from condensation in the oil. This acid can start eating into soft metals such as bearing surfaces. Ususally this can be seen as pits in the bearings. Vehicles that benifit from a high detergent oil would be ones that get driven often and ran for extended periods of time. A good example of high detergent oil would be Shell Rotella or Cheveron Delo which are used mostly in diesel engines. I have also found that Texaco Havoline, which is used in common gasoline engines, to contain high detergents. Pretty much you should pick your brand of oil by the way you drive because all manufacturers do not use the same amount or type of detergents. 

I own several classic cars such as a 72 El Camino SS, 70 Cutlass Supreme SX, etc. They only get driven maybe 500 miles a year if that. I change the oil in them right before I put it away in storage for winter every year, regardless. I don't like the thought of dirty oil sitting in the crankcase and on the bearings all winter.


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## whodat

> I own several classic cars such as a 72 El Camino SS


Joe, honestly i think you had better let me store that for safe keeping in my garage.

:sayyes:


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## crazijoe

Actually the El Camino is my wife's. She's owned it for 27 years. Well before I met her. And yes it is a legit SS. We pulled the build sheet between the fuel tank and the body on the last restore. We also have a all original '54 Ford P/U that we have plans for a street rod.


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## whodat

allright Joe, so i guess the answer is no....:sayno: 

i wish i still had my grand national, i bought it brand new, 6 miles on it, stored in my garage, unregistered. :heartlove 

the big crasherooni in the stock market...
no more grand national


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## bandit109

You guys use oil stabilizers ?


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## crazijoe

bandit109 said:


> You guys use oil stabilizers ?


No,
I don't believe in them.


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## bandit109

I have an older Jeep with over 215 k miles on it ---- when I first bought it it smoked alot so I put a stabilizer in it & it worked great, but they seem to thicken the oil up too much to put in a newer engine. I saw a synthetic oil stabilizer at the auto parts store the other day, but I'm hesitant to put that in my newer car. Figured i'd be just as well to start using a synthetic oil in it & not take a chance.


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