The general rule for how often you should have your automobile’s oil changed is every 3,000 miles. If you don’t drive 3,000 miles in six months, then you should have the oil changed anyway. George Automotive Services advises that this is an excellent rule of thumb, but there are things that can affect your vehicle’s oil change duration that we are going to list below. These things may make it advisable to have your oil changed sooner than every 3,000 miles, or you may be able to go longer between oil changes.
Manufacturer’s Recommendations
First, flip to the back of your owner’s manual to see when your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends you get the oil changed. Also, make note of the oil weight that is recommended for your automobile, and whether your manufacturer recommends conventional or synthetic motor oil. All of these things can affect the duration between your oil changes.
Daily Driving Distance
Next, take into account your daily commute. If your commute consists of short trips around town that rarely last longer than 15 minutes, you will likely need to have your oil changed more often. The reason why is that these trips are hard on your engine because they don’t give the motor oil enough time to warm up and circulate through the engine completely. If your daily commute is longer than that and doesn’t involve a ton of stop-and-go traffic, you may be able to get more life out of your motor oil.
Driving Habits
Another thing to take into account is your driving habits. If you love to put the pedal to the metal and drive your car hard, you need to get your oil changed more often to protect the engine. If you go easy on your automobile, your oil may last longer.
Oil Type Used
As you probably know, conventional motor oil needs to be changed more frequently than synthetic motor oil. The 3,000-mile rule applies to conventional oil. Those who use synthetic generally have their oil changed anywhere from every 5,000 miles to 10,000 miles.
Automobile’s Age
Finally, the age of your automobile also plays a role in how often you should get the oil changed. For example, cars with high mileage that have decades of wear and tear need to have their oil changed every 2,000 miles instead of every 3,000 miles.
George Automotive Services is the best auto repair shop in Danville PA. Give us a call or stop by our shop today to discuss your vehicle’s oil changes. We can come up with a schedule that is perfect for you and your automobile.
