Oil Change Intervals 

 

New Oil Change Internal vs. Habbits.

The old standard of 3,000 miles is out of date and no longer applies to most cars. Many cars, even some older models, can be driven up to 5,000, 7,500, 10,000, and even 15,000 miles before the oil change.

 

Car dealers’ service departments are also guilty of incorrectly listing the mileage for the next oil change, some on purpose, some for the lack of knowledge. 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.

Here is an example of 2016 Audi Models, where first oil change is at 5,000 miles, and every 10,000 miles after that.

oil-change-intervals-per-manufacturer-audi-example

 

Mileage Indicator

Please be aware that even if you don’t break the suggested mileage indicated by your car manufacturer, a minimum of two oil changes a year (every six months) is still recommended. This is simply due to the fact that the oil will break down from its original state even when the car is not running, making it less effective at lubricating and cleaning the necessary regions of the engine.

Hopping

Another thing to keep in mind is driving distance: folks that do short hoping driving (< 10 minutes or 5 miles) should change their oil much more frequently, as many times the oil never gets up to proper operating temperature and thus is not lubricating the engine as it should.

Stop The Myth

Don’t get hung up on oil change myths. Read your owners manual and get familiar with your car. It is always a good idea to listen to your mechanic advice, but decision is always going to be yours.