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Want to save some money on your vehicle? How often do you change the oil in your car? If you listen to advertising from Oil Can Henry and Jiffy Lube, you’d think a change every 3,000 miles was essential. You’d be wrong.
Last winter, an AskMetafilter user wondered:
Is the 3,000-mile oil change a scam? My wife, like a good American driver, goes for an oil change every 3,000 miles. My dad, like a good British driver, has never gone for an oil change in nearly 30 years on the road. There’s no equivalent of the quick-lube shop in the UK; manufacturers ‘recommend’ yearly/twice-yearly changes (or 12-18,000-miles) but standard practice is just to top up the oil level sporadically. Is there something specific to US-model cars or American driving practices that makes frequent oil-changes necessary, or is it just a nice little earner sustained by popular wisdom?
The responses vary — and nobody who answers is really an expert — but the consensus seems to be that yes, it’s a scam. (Or, more precisely, a marketing ploy.)
Change your oil every 5,000 miles or so, or as recommended in your owners manual. But don’t let yourself be swayed by advertising from quick-lube places: they’re just trying to increase their sales by 40%.
(To save even more money, learn to change the oil yourself.)
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June 11th, 2006 at 12:30 am
Actually, some of the local (non-national-chain) quick lube places here in So. Ill. have figured out that consumers have picked up on this. Last time I got my oil changed, the place wrote 5000 miles over the current mileage for the next recommended change.
June 11th, 2006 at 12:33 am
Amazingly, my 2005 Mini Cooper doesn’t have its first oil change until 10,000 miles and then again at 50,000 miles. I can’t fathom that.
June 11th, 2006 at 5:45 am
Interesting you mention this today. I purchased an ‘02 Toyota Prius in February, and have changed the oil once since then. I noticed I was over mileage again the other day and stopped in to schedule a change at the dealer for Tuesday morning.
The thing is, it is over 3,000 miles since the last change which is the recommended interval, but this hybrid doesn’t run on the gas engine 100% of the time, so how come they recommend a change that often. The oil still looks fairly clean - at least nowhere near a change seems to be in order yet, but his is the newest car I have ever owned, and I do want to take the best care of it I can to make it last another 200,000 to 300,000 miles.
I went to school with the shop manager. I’ll ask him for a more educated answer Tuesday.
I’ve been reading your blog for several weeks now, this is my first comment. You do a fine job writing. I admire your dedication.
June 11th, 2006 at 8:29 am
I live in the South known for its famous ‘good ole boy’ network and as I increase in age I’m slowly let in on some secrets.
I have become friends with the man in charge at our local oil/tire/everything change place and he’s told me that it’s crazy to come in every 3,000 miles. I driver a newer Chevrolet Tahoe and he’s told me I shouldn’t even start thinking oil change until I hit 5,000 miles. Even then I should only bring in when I’ve got the time.
June 11th, 2006 at 6:39 pm
I notice a trend in the most recent comments: you all drive newer cars. Manufacturers in recent years have started requiring the use of synthetic oils, which have a much longer lifespan. Oilchanges of 5-7.5k miles are not out of the ordinary with synthetics. Since my vehicles are the two biggest investments I have next to my house, I prefer to err on the side of caution. I do, however, change my own oil. It takes about a half an hour every couple of months to change the oil in both cars at a cost of $12-15 each (for oil and filter). A very small price to pay for piece of mind. My current two vehicles have 150k miles each on them, and I’ve never had any major problems with either. Of course, I firmly believe that the ‘74 Olds Cutlass I delivered pizzas with in college lived to the ripe old age of 300k miles due to regular maintenance. Your milage will, of course, vary. Pun intended.
June 12th, 2006 at 5:54 am
I have always changed the oil in my cars twice a year or about every 5000 miles. (We don’t drive much). It might be more often than necessary, but it’s really cheap insurance since any maintenance that’s needed from pushing it to the limit will cost way more than you save.
If I switched to once a year, that would save me about $30/year. If I keep the car for 10 years that’s $300. Anything that went wrong over those 10 years that was a result of not frequent enough oil changes would cost WAY more than $300 to fix, so pushing it too far seems like a really false savings.
June 12th, 2006 at 6:08 am
It’s $16 bucks at Walmart, it’s usually fast, and they never try to sell you anything.
OTOH, you might blow more than that while you are waiting!
Older cars need the oil changes. Newer ones, different ballgame.
If you are taking your car to the dealer for simple repairs not under warranty, please send the money you are wasting directly to me please instead ^_^
June 12th, 2006 at 7:18 am
5k or 6k is fine if you do mostly highway driving, don’t tow anything, and drive your car fairly gently. If you do mostly around-town driving, you should change your oil more frequently, but 3k is a bit too often. 5k is probably safe.
The most important thing is to CHECK your oil regularly. If the oil is low, add a quart. Always keep a quart in your trunk just in case. If the oil is black on the dipstick, it is definitaly time for an oil change.
So, get your oil changed every 5k, under average driving conditions. More often if you drive your car hard, up many hills, around town, on dirt roads regularly, or tow a trailer. If, when you check your oil, it is black, you need to change your oil.
(All this is for dino oil. Synthetic oils have much longer lifespans, sometimes as much as 15,000 miles, but are a lot more expensive.)
June 12th, 2006 at 10:45 am
I usually wait between 3K and 5K; but we have cars that are 1999 and 2001. I think going beyond 5K is just asking for it. Cars ain’t cheap and the oil protects the more expensive to fix components.
If you want to make decisions on when to defer maintenance - check out http://www.noria.com. Heavy industry usually uses them to make deferrment decisions like this.
June 13th, 2006 at 6:55 pm
Just follow the manual, not the dealer service department. My Acura dealer wants to change it every 3,000 even when the severe service interval is 5,000. Since I don’t qualify for the severe schedule, I do a change, as directed by the manual, every 10,000 miles.
August 21st, 2006 at 10:00 am
Here’s the breakdown. I used to be a mechanic, so this is at least somewhat accurate.
The oil itself will determine around how often you would need to change oil. If you use cheap oil, prepare to need to change it more often. The oil itself, even in cheap oil, will be ok long after 3000 or even 5000 miles is hit. What you need to change it for is the detergents that are in the oil that help to extend life of the engine and clean it as well as keep the oil from sludging (solidifying).
If your vehicle is older (pre-1990) and you use conventional oil, you might want to consider changing your oil more often than 5000 miles. The reason is, the engines don’t burn quite as cleanly as newer vehicles so more crap enters the oil causing the detergents to break down.
As some have said, synthetics are offering much higher mileages than conventional oil. I’ve seen demonstrations that go up to 75000 to 100000 miles. Granted, those oils cost a lot more. There are even some that never require changing, only the filter.
In fact, changing your filter every 3000 miles and your oil every 6000 miles is enough for most cars under ten years old. Oil filters are damn easy to change. If you don’t have an oil filter wrench, you can use a belt. Just use it out near the end where the filter is furled. Also, put a little oil on the rubber gasket that seats up to the block. Helps form and keep a seal.
August 21st, 2006 at 11:14 am
I can’t believe this. I know I’m going to get flamed here; but changing your oil depends almost entirely on you, your car, and your engine. I had a 1989 Mazda MX-6 that the engine would start to rattle and click at 3100 miles if it wasn’t changed. This occured WITH OUT FAIL every time I was late on an oil change. The owner before me perscribed to this once ever 30,000 miles oil change non-sense and it is just that. Reasons to change oil very directly relate to the things that get IN to your oil, its a lubercant. The next time your thinking its a good idea to leave your oil in there for 50,000 miles or something stupid I want you to make a quick trip to the hardware store and pick up some sand paper and vaselene. You take a good long look down at yourself and see if you can convince yourself that the vaselene will make that sand paper all better for some alone time.
August 21st, 2006 at 12:07 pm
For what it’s worth, don’t go expecting a hybrid to last as long as a normal gas engine. The thing essentially uses a huge rechargeable battery that does what it has to and is recharged by the engine. It’s only good for a finite amount of recharging. I forget the exact numbers but the longest warranty I can find is ten years. Significantly shorter lifespans are to be expected if you’re a heavy driver (more discharging/recharging).
Yes, the battery can be replaced but I’ve seen prices over $5,000.
Considering the price premium you pay to drive a hybrid, skewed EPA mileage estimates (making you expect more than you really get), the fact that many hybrids’ mileage will plummet in the wrong driving conditions, the price of replacing a battery, plus all the other maintenance you attend to on any car … Bah, I want to do the “socially responsible” thing but it’s hard to find a real argument for it.
Back on topic though:
Yeah, 3,000 miles is more overkill. The problem is with people who simply have no idea how to judge. If you don’t know anything about cars, have no idea how to change the oil, and are unaware of how oil works within an engine (to some degree) just go ahead with your regularly scheduled oil changes. They’re not expensive and they’ll at least prevent you from killing your car prematurely.
August 21st, 2006 at 2:17 pm
In the US Army, we use an oil sampling routine to decide when/if to change the oil. We also consider things such as water crossings or harsh environments (heat and/or fine grit) to accelerate or mandate oil changes. On another note, on most US automobiles it’s very hard to change the filters without at least draining the oil. You could reuse it, but having to get it out and put it back in is most of the work, so change it.
August 21st, 2006 at 7:34 pm
Reading the comments I figured I throw in my $.02 as well. I have plenty of experience with changing my own oil, using dino and synthetic, and running lots of miles on vehicles. My last car was sold with 225,000 miles (still ran great) and I changed that every 7,500 with dino oil. My current vehicle is at 250,000 and is driven about 600-800 miles a week. I run synthetic and change the filter at 5,000 mi and the oil at 10,000 miles. I have gotten tons of life out of my cars with no mechanical problems as of yet with my intervals, as stated before your mileage may vary. Its mainly a matter of what you think is right, although I know of some folks who do religious 3,000 mi changes on synthetic, which I think is overkill but its their money I guess. So to answer the question, the 3,000 mi change may be a scam, depending on how anal you are about the maintainence of your vehicle. If it makes you feel better to change at that interval, then do it. Most people don’t have the time, interest, or knowledge to change their own oil so let jiffy lube take care of it, but at least know not to take their add-ons, thats another rant in itself.
March 3rd, 2007 at 5:49 pm
I drove my Toyota 2004 Tacoma for 13,000 miles last time without changing the oil or filter. I realize this was not a good idea, but my truck (and I) appear not to have suffered any consequences. I did just have it changed with a new filter last week when I got the brakes done. I don’t know if they used synthetic or not…I assume they did!
March 11th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
I’m in the farming business in California and operate GMC and Ford trucks - 3/4 ton and 1 ton. If you have the Ford 4.6 or 5.4 engines you would be well advised to change the oil between 3-4,000 miles with full synthetic. Engine has lots of parts and will last longer. We are running our Fords and GMC’s about 300,000 miles without engine failure before we trade them in. Also keep those air filters replaced.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
I have recently moved to the US from the UK and suggest that you check out the manufacturers recommended service interval for your vehicle on the European websites. UK Toyota, for example (who have recently confirmed 5000 as the service period in the US) recommend 20,000 miles! or 2 years for all models which ever comes first with only a safety check at 12K!. The story is the similar for all the other makes, 12K probably the minimum you will find. If anything the typical jouneys are shorter in Europe with just as large seasonal temperature variations. I therefore struggle to find any other plausable explanation other than the “powers that be” in the US are intentionally brainwashing the American public into firmly believing that their engines will suffer serious damage if the oil is not changed every 5K or so ! When you try to put put a $value on this it is easy to see why ! Lets hope from an Ecological viewpoint honesty will prevail but I fear it will also take a brainchange for most American motorists after being led up the garden path for so long !
March 27th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
hmmmm, would that be 20,000 miles or kilometers?
I’ve heard enough stories from various people (interestingly mostly female) who experienced obvious engine trouble and/or damage due to not changing their oil in a timely manner.
I don’t know how any engine would not suffer damage from going 20k miles without an oil change.
April 1st, 2007 at 5:30 pm
There is another value to geting regular oil changes other then Just simply changing the oil. If you have the old greace fitings it’s a good idea to keep them greaced and looking over the undercarage it’s a good way to keep an eye out for things that might become problems like torn CV boots and worn out suspention and brake parts.
July 9th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
If you change your oil every 3000 miles, you are abusing your engine !!
When an oil manufacture builds an motor oil product, that product is put through several industry tests.
One of the most significant is the ASTM Sequence IIIf test.
The API (American Petroleum Institute) requires this test to enable a manufacturer to include the API “donut” symbol and/or the “starburst” on the packaging.
In this test, the oil is run in a 6 cylinder motor for 80 hours. Among the many items measured at the end of the test is the viscosity. If the viscosity increases by more than 275 percent, it fails the test.
If the oil passes the test, then the manufacturer is permitted to display the API symbol on their bottle.
There’s two major components to oil. The base stock and the additive package. The additive package protects the base stock and the base protects the engine and its components. The base stock makes up approx. 15 percent of the cost of producing a quart of oil and the additive package is approx. 85 percent.
Competition is so tough and if you buy a quart of oil, you expect to get a full quart, the only place they can reduce costs is in the additive package.
Now where do you think most oils on the market test at ?
How many oil manufacturers are so concerned about your vehicle that they greatly exceed the requirements of the API ?
That’s right - NOT MANY !!!
Most people average 30 mph, which means it will take 100 hours of driving to reach 3000 miles (that does not include the time your engine is running while at a stop light or while warming up before you begin to drive). That is 20 hours after the oil has failed.
If you stretch your oil changes to 5000,7500,10000 miles, you are simply wearing away the inside of your engine.
The manufacturers would prefer that you buy the “lie” and let your cars parts wear out because they get to sell you more parts. They make greater profits from the parts than from the whole car.
With that said, there are two options you have.
1) Install an hour meter on your vehicle and change the oil every 50-60 hours.
2) add an oil supplement at every oil change to help make up the difference and change your oil every 3000 miles.
August 11th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
In Australia, 3000 miles is way too frequent.
Different manufacturers recommend different intervals down here. Toyotas go 10,000km between changes (over 6000 miles). Mitsubishis go 15,000km between changes (over 9000 miles). Many European cars here use synthetic oils and can go over 15,000 miles between changes.
The truth is in the older cars still on the road. How many do you see blowing smoke and what causes it?
November 27th, 2007 at 7:26 am
3000 mile oil changes are a scam used by the oil manufacturers to boost their sales. I use and sell Amsoil Synthetic Motor Oils which are designed to go 25,000 miles or 12 months on one change. They are more expensive initially about $7.50 per quart but when you factor in the cost of 3000 mile drain intervals they are actually less expensive in the long run. Not only will Amsoil Synthetic Oils save you money in that way they also will provide superior lubrication and reduced wear extending the life of your vehicle. Amsoil also has oil and air filters that exceed any others in efficiency and longevity. Amsoil Ea Air Filters are designed to last 100,000 miles and only require a cleaning at 25,000 miles using a shop vacuum or a low air pressure cleaning using 10 PSI air. I am happy to discuss this with anyone who wants more info, drop me a line at amsoildealer@mac.com or visit my website http://www.synthetic-oil-tech/1124190 . The real key to extending oil life is using the best air and oil filters, proper filtration of the air and oil prevent contamination of the oil and reduce engine wear as well as improving the reliability of any engine.
November 27th, 2007 at 7:57 am
The URL I provided in my previous post is incorrect it should be synthetic-oil-tech.com/1124190 Can you change it?
November 27th, 2007 at 8:15 am
URL updated
The real key to extending oil life is using the best air and oil filters, proper filtration of the air and oil prevent contamination of the oil and reduce engine wear as well as improving the reliability of any engine. I am happy to discuss this with anyone who wants more info, drop me a line at amsoildealer@mac.com or visit my website http://www.synthetic-oil-tech.com/1124190 .
November 27th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
I lived in Germany for 8 yhears and I had an Audi A4 for about 3 of those years and it was due for a “service” (that’s a real scam if you ask me - pay extra to get you car checked over) every 30.000 kilometers (20.000 miles) My Mazda needs an oil change every 15.000 k or 10.000 miles. As others pointed out, if the car is in America you change the oil ever 3,000 miles if it’s in Europe its every 15,000 to 20,000 miles.
And yes they still use miles in the UK
November 28th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Hi there!
I, too, am a longtime reader, and I believe this is my first comment.
More like a question, actually. My dealer (and Jiffy Lube) leads me to believe that I should change my oil every 3000 miles, or every 3 months, whichever comes first. Since I drive little, the 3 months always come first. WAY first. I probably come in under 2000 in three months…
What is your take on this? Should I at least wait 3-5000 miles? Or is there any reason to get an oil change every three months?
November 29th, 2007 at 4:58 am
Once again the quick lubes are pulling a fast one. There is no good reason to change the oil at 3000 miles or 90 days except to make the quick lube dealer more money.
Switch to a quality extended drain synthetic oil such as Amsoil Synthetic Motor Oil and save money. The 90 day scam is based on the idea that an engine produces more contaminants in short trip operation than in long trips because it doesn’t get warm enough to fully rid itself of the combustion byproducts such as the water which is introduced into the engine from the atmosphere as the engine takes in combustion air. In reality a quality oil is formulated to neutralize these acids and the oil filter is there to capture the water and also any wear metals that are present.
Amsoil Synthetic Motor Oils are formulated to protect any engine for 25,000 miles or one year. At a cost of approximately $7.50 per quart, and assuming that the vehicle needs 5 quarts of oil, that is $37.50 for oil and an additional $12.00 (this figure may vary depending on the actual vehicle) for an Amsoil EA Oil Filter that is $49.50 for annual oil service. Contrast that to the quick lube recommendation of changing your oil every 90 days at approximately $30.00 X 4 changes = $120.00 annual oil change cost.
As you can see the difference is substantial, over $70.00 annually. In addition the overall wear on the engine is decreased adding longevity and greater fuel economy as well as increased reliability due to better lubrication.
Switch to Amsoil Synthetic Motor Oils and save money as well as reducing the amount of waste oil that needs to be disposed of. Using the previous example once a year there would be only 5 quarts of waste oil and 1 oil filter annually to dispose of using Amsoil whereas the quick lube scenario adds up to 20 quarts of used oil and 4 oil filters to dispose of. In an age where each action we take has an environmental impact using an extended drain oil such as Amsoil Synthetic Motor Oil can reduce your personal contribution to the waste oil stream by at least 75% while at the same time saving you money in oil change costs, improving fuel economy, and freeing you from wasting your precious time sitting in the quick lube at least 3 times a year.
For more information on Amsoil Oil and Filtration products please visit my website http://www.synthetic-oil-tech.com/1124190 or drop me a line at amsoildealer@mac.com. I would be happy to assist you in reducing your annual vehicle maintenance costs while providing superior lubrication which will extend the life of your engine and reduce the chances of mechanical failure due to poor lubrication.
December 2nd, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Nick Roberts is absolutely correct on all counts. I used Amsoil after doing much research and having 4 cars and 2 Harley Davidson’s, it qot quite expensive taking my cars to Jiffy Lube so often. I was so impressed with my vehicle performance, I too became a dealer and haven’t looked back. Check out syntheticsolution.com and educate yourselves. Synthetics are taking over from the inferior petroleum oils and the petroleum oils will soon go the way of the old 8-track players and bias ply tires, being replaced by better products like CD’s, DVD’s and Radial tires. With Synthetic oils you can go to extended oil drain schedules and you’ll experience more miles to the gallon, easier cold weather starts and almost zero engine wear.
Bobby Unser has used Amsoil for years and Boyd Coddington of the hit TV show also endorses Amsoil now. It’s sweeping the nation and it’s no surprise. And, it’s American Made! Having served 21 Years in the Air Force and 36 years total serving my government, I like using “American”.
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:15 pm
3,000 miles is just an old standby. Today, oil technology has gotten better to the point where oil changes should be done at about 7,000 miles; right before the manufacturer’s recommendation of 7,500 miles (or right before whatever your car’s manufacturer suggests in the manual). But that is just for standard oil. Normal synthetic blends and full synthetics aren’t supposed to last longer than normal oil, they are just supposed to lubricate the engine better than normal non-synthetics are.
Manufacturers do make oil now that is advertised to last up to 15,000 miles (maybe more since last time I checked). But I drive a performance car and I love it and want it to last a long time, so I change oil around every 3,000 with standard 5w30 Valvoline (I started using Max life synthetic blend at around 70,000 miles). I don’t mind spending a little extra for a little insurance. Valvoline tends to look cleaner than other brands when I check how it looks on the dipstick right before I change it.
It dosen’t turn black as quickly as the others do.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:19 am
Tony makes a few statements that need clarification.The statement that synthetic oils don’t last longer that petroleum oils is incorrect. Synthetic oils are engineered to exacting specifications. Their molecules are all the same size which eliminates the shearing and attendent viscosity increase that petroleum and synthetic blend oils exhibit. Synthetic blends are a mixture of petroleum and synthetic base stock; sort of like watering down your drink to extend the taste of the alcohol. Petroleum based oils tend to increase in viscosity the longer they stay in service because of the shearing of larger molecules into smaller fractions that then are able to get past the piston rings and be volitized in the combustion chamber.
The second statement regarding extended drain intervals is also incorrect, the extension of drain intervals is the result of the more robust additive packages in synthetic oils that are designed for extended drain intervals. While he states that there are oils with suggested change intervals of 15,000 miles; there is only one motor oil with the proven ability to go 25,000 miles and that is Amsoil Synthetic Motor Oil.
Synthetic blends are a combination of petroleum and synthetic base stocks which means that they still contain waxes which adds to engine sludge. They are also subject to the same shearing as petroleum oils which results in increased viscosity, greater friction, higher engine wear and reduced engine protection.
His staement that the Valvoline looks cleaner after time in service is a tipoff that the oil is not robust enough to carry the contaminants produced by the engine and is not doing it’s job of dispursing the combustion byproducts. Color in oil is not a good indicator of the oil’s condition and actually may be giving Tony false confidence in his motor oil. The blackness he refers to is carbon and soot which should be carried by the detergents and dispursants that make up the oil’s additive package allowing the filter to capture any large particles that contribute to engine wear.
Finally Tony says that he doesn’t mind wasting his money changing his oil at 3000 mile intervals because he thinks it is helpful to his engine’s performence. The reality is that by using a petroleum based or syhthetic blend oil he is not only wasting his money with the frquency of his change schedule he is also missing the benefits of reduced friction and extended engine life. Reducing friction means that the energy contained in the fuel is used to move the vehicle not to overcome the friction on the oil and the moving parts of the engine therefore increasing fuel economy. Not only will fuel economy increase with full synthetic Amsoil Motor Oil but engine wear and engine temperature will be reduced adding life to the vehicle and reducing the cost of operation not to mention increased mechanical reliability.
The facts are that by using Amsoil Synthetic Motor Oil one can reduce their annual oil change costs, increase their fuel economy, reduce wear in the engine and save time by not sitting in the oil change bay several times a year. On a site that talks about the value of money and tries to maximize the value of a dollar Amsoil Synthetic Motor Oils deliver unsurpassed value.
Questions or comments are welcomed email me at amsoildealer@mac.com or visit my website Synthetic-oil-tech.com/1124190.
December 5th, 2007 at 6:37 am
I am fortunate to have experienced a fair amount of driving both in Europe and the US. My perception is that the pace and top speeds are much higher in Europe. Jams and hold-ups are of Calafornian proportions in most of our cities too.
Since the 90’s oil change intervals have been steadily extending. My last car was serviced in exact accordance with the makers instructions: 18K miles (no breaking-in change either).
It was mentioned that cars are expensive but I can assure you they are much more costly in Europe. Equally I can assure you that big ends, camshafts and piston rings are not being spat-out over the highway either. Cars are lasting longer than ever. You wouldn’t question a motor under 100,000 miles these days.
My conclusion is that it is a scam. My lastest car, a Prius, was picked up yesterday brand new. First oil change: 10K or 1 year. If the US recommendations are any different question it. The motor is exactly the same.
December 11th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
Well, I have to revive this thread a little bit…with risk of being called all sorts of names, or whatever.
I work at a place that rhymes with “Foil Fan Fenry’s”, and I’m no teenager. I’m 39 and have lots of mechanical experience. I have to agree with “do it as needed” and that 3000 miles is excessive, to some extent. However, there are a lot of manufacturers that require the 3000 mile changes for warranty issues. So, with that said, it’s become the general rule of thumb. Also, there are some who say that people shouldn’t be driving unless they can change their own oil. What about the lady next door? Should she lose her license because she can’t work a wrench? Personally, I run synthetic oil and go 5000-8000 miles on that depending on the driving conditions (or how rich I am at the moment).
Also, to take advantage of customers is silly in our company as there are cameras rolling all day long, (plus I’m an honest person), and if requested by the customer, we will even EMAIL you the video of us working on your car as proof of what we do, or have done. Also, the fees are a little higher because we actually check all fliuds and make honest recommendations according to EVERY vehicle manufacturer’s specifications, which are also printed on every single Maintenance review we print up for every car we work on. Basically how we operate is to inform the customer. They make their own descisions based on that.
PS: It’s not my company, but i trust the company I work for.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Well the problem with the lube shops is they use crap filters and average to poor oil.
With a lube shop filter I wouldnt go over 5000 miles.
Whereas with a quality filter and a good oil like a synthetic blend I would go 10,000 miles without a second thought.
So the British guy is correct, with OEM oil filter and OEM oil 12,000 miles is possible. Though at the far end of when you want to change your oil.
You’re better off finding a mechanic who will change your oil/filter with what you provide him for a reasonable price. Or doing the job yourself.
I would never use lube shop filters they’re junk.