Oil Changes: How Often Do You Need Them?

There are many misconceptions relating to vehicles. One of them is that you should change your car oil every 3000 miles. If that is not true, then how often do you need to change your car oil?

There is no standard answer. Experts recommend that you change your car oil after at most 10,000 miles. However, you should change your car oil based on the age of the car, the type of engine, your driving habits, and the make of your vehicle.

Age of the car

The older the car, the more frequent the oil change. Cars that were modeled in 2007 or older should change the oil after every 5,000 miles. People who own cars released in 2008 or younger should also consider changing their car oil after every 7,500 miles. However, if you have not traveled that far in 6 months, you should still change your car oil regardless. This applies to all car models.

Driving habits

The habits of the driver also come into play when it comes to oil changes. People with older car models with less typical driving habits should change their car oils after every 5,000 miles. In the same way, people with car models younger than 2008 with less typical driving habits should change their car oils after 7,500 miles. Less typical driving habits include driving at extremely low speed for long distances, carry heavy objects, driving off-road, and driving in dusty conditions. These conditions can put your car under pressure and you need to go in for maintenance more often.

Make of your car

Your car manual will also suggest how often you should change your car oil. Your manufacturer knows more about the vehicle and the company will be in the best position to tell you when to change your car oil.

Get advice from the mechanic

If you are not sure about what you should do, get in touch with your local mechanic. They know more about these things since they have been dealing with cars. For instance, if you live in Las Vegas, visit a Las Vegas oil change shop for advice.

The color of the oil

Although the color of the oil will not help you to conclusively determine when to change it, it can help you to determine the health of the car. If everything is alright with your vehicle, the color should be clear black brown.

Oil pressure light

The pressure oil light will illuminate on your dash if there is a problem. If there is a leak, system issue, or your break is failing, the pressure oil light will illuminate the dash.

You may be wondering why it is important to change the car oil when you need to. Car oil changes may look minor but they are essential in maintaining your car’s health. If you do not change your oil when you need to, you will be doing a lot of harm to your vehicle. If you are changing the oil more frequently too, you are just wasting resources although it does not harm the vehicle in any way. You should remember to dispose of your car oil properly. Take it to the mechanic for recycling.