If you learned car care from the last generation, chances are high that you were told to keep your oil changes to a strict schedule at the auto body shop: every 3-5k miles or every 3 months, whichever comes first. While this was once the gold standard of oil change rituals, the rules have changed a little. Now we have more efficient engines, cleaner oils, and even synthetic oils that can be specially designed for your engine. Because we have changed so many key components of the oil change, it’s about time we updated the schedule as well!
No one is denying that regular oil changes are good for your engine. However, it is the schedule that can be altered. Instead of every 3-5k miles, many cars can go 6-10k miles now between oil changes! This one simple change not only saves car owners a lot of time having unnecessary oil changes, but also saves a car owner some money. If you own a car and don’t drive it frequently, you still should aim to have your oil changed at least 1-2 times every year at the local auto body shop, regardless of mileage. Because it is the hot, circulating oil that cleans your engine, if you are an infrequent driver or short-distance driver, your oil needs a change to keep your engine in good lubrication.
If you’re not confident about looking after your car’s maintenance needs, a trusted auto body shop will be able to help you keep track.
