How to determine the oil change frequency for your vehicle

If you surf the Internet or ask around about how often to change the oil in your car, the most likely answer you get is "Go for an oil change every 3,000 miles traveled." It is the most common response, and it is a generally accepted rule of thumb, regardless of what type of car you have.

But times change and people start to wonder if we really need to replace the engine oil that quickly. Well, there is no simple answer to this because there may be some cases where the oil must be changed after 3000 miles. But there are several points that may affect the timing of oil change: the age of the vehicle and the use or the weather, even.

An interesting comparison is how often you wash your hair. Apparently, there is no universal answer like "every 30 hours." Some people (including adolescents) tend to shampoo daily, while others are more relaxed about it. Too bad that it is not so easy to know when the car engine oil must be changed! If only we could see the amount of impurities that build up in the engine oil, it would be much easier to know when to plan your trip to the auto shop.

If you want a better idea of what the oil change interval for you the best place to look is in the instruction manual for your vehicle. You will find detailed instructions on when to change the oil. Take a look, you may be pleasantly surprised at how long you can go without an oil change.

Just for fun, let's take a look at an automatic transmission 2004 Honda Accord Sedan Auto, 6 cylinder. The book says: "Change the engine oil every 7500 miles or one year, whichever comes first." Wow, it's fair to say, wait for 2.5 times more than the old idea of every three thousand miles.

Take the example below and make a valid comparison of two different oil change intervals. If a Honda Accord is driven about 15,000 miles this year and spend about $ 30.00 for each change of base oil requires 4.5 quarts of oil and lasts about 20 minutes, here is the amount after one year:

Change the oil every 3000 miles is 5 oil changes, $ 150.00, 22.5 quarts and 100 minutes.

Change the oil every 7500 miles is two oil changes, $ 60.00, 9 quarts and 40 minutes.

That is the amount for one year and a single car. Imagine the total for all vehicles throughout their life. It's hard to imagine, but the message is clear: if you want to save time, money and the environment then do not change the oil in your car unnecessarily. Just take a little time to read the manufacturer's recommendations and you can save much time.

When you do decide to get the oil changed in your vehicle you can save money by printing out online oil change coupons. You can typically save five to ten dollars on a regular oil change. There are many different coupons available for different dealers and locations.