Is It Ok To Change My Car’s Oil Once A Year?

Oil changes are just one of the many minor car ownership problems, but they’re critical to keeping your car in good condition. In addition, if you don’t change your oil on time and with the correct materials, the car’s warranty can be void.

However, experts are now suggesting that the standard oil change cycle every three months — or every 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers)—is old news and that most cars will go a little further before they need to replace oil. If you change your oil more often than you should, it won’t help your engine. It doesn’t hurt, either, but you’re wasting money, time, and energy. Bear in mind, too, that throwing away oil that is still available is putting a strain on the climate.

There are four major “recommended” intervals for an oil change based on factors unique to you and your car:

• Every 1,000 miles (1,609 km) or every six months
• 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) every day.
• 5,000 to 7,500 miles (8,046 to 12,070 kilometers) each.
• Every 10,000 to 15,000 kilometers or every six months (16,093 to 24,140 kilometers)

Let’s take a look at the circumstances of each one.

Change Every 1,000 Miles

Second, if some experts say that 3,000 miles are too often, why would the same experts suggest intervals every 1,000 miles? All this depends on your driving habits. If your driving schedule consists mainly of trips of 10 miles or less, you should consider changing your oil more frequently than every 3,000 miles for two reasons.

• If you’re not making long trips at fast, steady speeds (like on a highway) then your engine doesn’t get hot enough to boil off the condensation that accumulates in the system. This could cause oil to break down faster.
• Most of the wear and tear on your engine happens when you start your car, and if you’re not going very far, most of your driving is of the sort that’s really rough on your engine. More regular changes in oil will help to mitigate the damage.