Oil Change Every 3,000 Miles??

When you get your oil changed, they put that little sticker on your windshield to remind you when it’s time to get your next. The sticker always gives you a mileage of 3,000 miles or 3 months into the future, whichever comes first.  3,000 miles used to be the standard, but they’re making cars better than ever now. Do you really have to have an oil change every 3,000 miles?

Modern car manufacturers usually recommend an oil change every 7,500 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. However, they recommend oil changes every 3,000 miles or 3 months if you drive in "severe" conditions.What do they mean by "severe" driving? "Severe" conditions include driving in hot, cold, dusty, and ocean-side environments, towing a trailer, making many short trips and city driving. That's a large percentage of the drivers out there!

They say that over-maintaining your car is a waste of money and I agree, but oil changes are very inexpensive. It should only cost about to get an oil change. If you drive under any of these "severe" conditions, it's definitely worth the extra a year. The alternative is that your car might not last as long or will need costly repairs. If you maintain your car well, it should last 200,000 miles or more. The longer you can make your current car last, the more money you'll keep. Wouldn't it be great if you could pay your car off and then save the money that you're no longer using for car payments. You'd be able to pay for your next car with cash!

Because of the inconvenience of being without your car, many of us fail to get regular maintenance done. But an oil change should take less than an hour if you go when the shop isn’t busy. Since an oil change is such a simple matter, every repair shop does them. You can get an oil change from your mechanic, your car dealership, or your local WalMart. If you can get an oil change done while you're shopping, you'll save time. There are even specialty shops that will guarantee to have you out in less than an hour! And many shops are trying to make their waiting areas more pleasant and convenient. Many offer coffee, free wi-fi and television.

I recommend an oil change every 3,000 miles for most cars. It’s cheap, it’s easy, and it’s a good idea. So find the shop that's convenient for you and get into the habit of changing your oil regularly. When you're still driving your paid-off car and it's still reliable, you'll be glad that you invested a little extra time and money.

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