Daily Tip: March 11, 2008

Quicky oil-change shops may urge us to change the oil in our vehicles every 3,000 miles. But most cars nowadays don’t need changing that often. In fact, most manufacturers say you can go 7,000 miles without a problem. Ditto for that SUV—unless you really are starring in one of those TV ads and driving it hard and long over dusty roads. What difference does it make? Consider this: each year California alone generates about 153 million gallons of used oil. Change less often and it really can save your engine and the planet.

Receive these Tips in your inbox Monday through Friday by signing up here.

Comments

[Steve]

Ahh ... a green reason for being cheap and lazy!

[ccsoleil]

As a European, I was puzzled by people telling me I had to have the oil changed 4 times a year... We only have it done once a year! Add some if the level gets too low.

[Lawrence Walker]

Yes, often it is what we DON'T do that is greener than anything we COULD do. Changing the oil is one thing to do less often, though topping off our car tires is something we need to do more often -- much more often than every 3000 miles. So be sure to top off your tires every two weeks or every 1000 miles or so.

And let's remember: high gasoline prices are GOOD (as for most, only the high price will cause conservation), and even a recession, which reduces sprawling development and consumption in general, is GOOD. Buy less, drive less, want less. Pay careful attention to NEEDS.

[Dean]

RE: high gasoline prices are GOOD

True, but I don't want to see the execs at Exxon-Mobile getting rich at our expense. We need a high gas tax (or similar method) to redirect this money to clean energy development. And no subsidies to Big Oil...

Dean

[pat allgood]

I drive a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the dealership suggested an oil change every 7500 miles. I have 150k on the truck and my mechanic recently told me that he would hunt me down and kill me if I trade the truck in!! It is in excellent mechanical condition.

[terri]

Maybe 3000 miles is too frequent, but I think 7000 is too far to go before an oil change. It isn't the oil change shops that say 3000, it was my dealer. Some cars don't run as efficiently by 7000 miles, everything is dirtier and gets clogged.

[Christiana Drapkin]

My car's mileage very suddenly dropped this winter. My first guess would have been to change the oil. Ok, not so. What other suggestions do you have, before I turn to my (rich) mechanic?
I share custody of our 1998 station wagon with my ex (don't need a car all by myself, and can't afford a new one).

[William Stern]

What about car makers that use oil change intervals in thier warrenties?

[terri]

Re: High gas prices are good. YES, I want to drive less, and I plan my errands and shopping trips accordingly, but NO, I have no control over how I get to work, so am forced to drive. While I appreciate conservation and try to do my part, I do not work from home nor work within walking distance or near a T station, so I don't appreciate it when people want gas to go up. I have an old car, and yes, my new vehicle (when I eventually get one) will have much higher gas mileage, but until then, I am stuck!

[Dean]

Many dealerships have you change your oil more frequently than the owner's manual says. Check you manual for the recommended interval. There's usually a normal driving interval and a severe driving interval. Dealers need to assume severe conditions since they don't know how or where you drive.

[Margie Campaigne]

This is good - getting people out of old habits that may not be the best idea anymore. But PLEASE everyone, check your owner's manual for what your car's schedule should be. Mine still seems to be that 3,000 miles. Online, I found quite a variation for different makes, up to 7,000 miles.

[Laura Wallach]

Aside from how often to get the oil changed, check with your mechanic to see if they recycle the used oil somehow. I know of a dealership/service center that heats its buildings with the used motoroil from oil changes.

[Elaine Dougovito]

Ride a bike more and you won't have to change oil at all. Ok, just kidding. Question? I change my own oil and am putting it in a barrell for proper disposal. Very few places take it. Is anybody recycling OLD USED oil? Do they mix it with tar and put it back on our roads to pollute yet again????

[Dean]

I'm pretty sure that heating a building with used motor oil is worse for the environment than other ways of heating, such as natural gas. I'm not sure there is a way to recycle oil that doesn't pollute again.

[Leo Faddis]

I thought that most used oil was used as tanker fuel at sea.

[Bob McCroskey]

The longer oil change idea is good. What about recommending recycled oil for your oil change?

[Jim]

High gasoline prices are good? I get that person's reasoning (forcing individuals to conserve, and companies to innovate), but in many ways that reasoning is short-sighted - Higher energy costs mean less money for innovation, less money for social needs. It really is just using the economic principle of rationing which affects those less fortunate around us more than others with significant resources. Sure, there is alot of low hanging fruit which folks can grab and save energy and conserve now, but at some point, due to lack of alternatives, such reasoning is counterproductive. I'm all for like a manhatten project or moon race project fevor for finding practical alternatives for fossil fuels, and even using that additional money at the pump to help with that, but right now higher prices are not translating into anything except profits for the oil barons.

[Melinda]

This is not necessarily a good tip for those of us with older cars - mine's a '95 Subaru. I stopped driving my car as often and figured I needed fewer oil changes. The result was (so far) $500 in repair bills for a gunked up engine. They said I needed to have my oil changed more often. All 16 lifters had to be replaced and the engine cleaned.

[Ariadne]

But what about those manufacturer's warranties that can be voided if you don't change your oil as often as they say?

[Jim]

I have a 1987 Toyota Corolla with 200K miles on it which mostly use to get to a vanpool. While I can extend the 3 mo, 3K typical recommendations some from when I was driving it to work, keep in mind that oil (especially oil that is already being used in an engine) has properties that break it down over time, making it less efficient and also causing problems like gunking up.

[Mike Giammaria]

Please remember that the people who have changed the recommended interval for oil changes from 3000 miles to 7000 miles are the marketing departments of the various manufacturers, not the engineering departments. The marketing departments are competing with each other to make their cars appear more sellable. Do yourself a favor, and keep changing your oil every 3k.

[Dean]

Why would you say that it's the marketing departments that change the oner's manuals? Most people don't even consider how often they change their oil when purchasing a car, so it would really make no marketing difference. This sounds fabricated. I'm going to assume you work for Big Oil...

[Dean]

Car and Driver tested New York taxi cabs under a test that changed oil at 6,000 mile intervals and found the oil to be near perfect after 6,000 miles of taxi service.

[Denise]

This seems contradictory to maintaining your car to help protect the environment. I think it really depends on your car and how much you drive. My dad is a mechanic and he tells me to go by the miles on the car and says that most "newer" cars can drive much further than 3,000 miles between oil changes. The key word here being "newer." I usually get an oil change once or twice a year because I don't drive that often. Cheers!

[Dean]

Basically, anything to do with owning and maintaining a car is contradictory to protecting the environment :-)

[Ken]

Hybrid cars are apparently able to go longer between oil changes because the gas portion of the engine is off for a significant percentage of time as you drive, thus running less as well as cooler. My dealer recommended 7000-7500 as the oil change interval for my 2001 Prius, and it's running almost like new at 208K miles. Several years ago I switched to using synthetic oil, which lasts longer and also gave me a couple MPG mileage boost; I'm not sure how synthetic oil compares to conventional in terms of 'greeness' but I use a lot less of it, and a modest amount less gasoline.

[Sam]

Ephemeral comments about oil changes is useless. There is data somewhere that provides scientific based research into the ratio between oil changes and engine life. That is the only data that readers should consider. Having to replace an engine early because of insufficient oil changes is not better for the environment or the car owner. Let's get real.

[Sam]

Ephemeral comments about oil changes is useless. There is data somewhere that provides scientific based research into the ratio between oil changes and engine life. That is the only data that readers should consider. Having to replace an engine early because of insufficient oil changes is not better for the environment or the car owner. Let's get real.

[Steve Richard]

I'm using an oil that is recomended for up to 35,000 miles. It is so good that I started a business selling it. No problem with warranties as long as you use the correct API rated viscosity. It can be found at http://www.innovativesynthetics.com . Extremely environmental friendly and economical. Also reduces our dependency on foreign oil.

[Dean]

I used to own a Mercedes and it had a build in sensor that told me when to change the oil. It measured viscosity, etc. and it would never have me change the oil in less than 10K miles, and usually closer to 12K.

[kitdover]

You can not handout blank advice like that. As gospel. Here in Florida in the summer engines get very hot and in traffic they fry.It is critical even using a high quality synthetic oil to change your oil and filter at 5000 miles at the most. The number one thing you can do to prolong the life of your engine is change the oil and filter. Number two when you start up let it set for a few minutes until the engine has had a chance to get oil all through it's system. Keeping a engine alive is about beating friction.

[kitdover]

You can not handout blank advice like that. As gospel. Here in Florida in the summer engines get very hot and in traffic they fry.It is critical even using a high quality synthetic oil to change your oil and filter at 5000 miles at the most. The number one thing you can do to prolong the life of your engine is change the oil and filter. Number two when you start up let it set for a few minutes until the engine has had a chance to get oil all through it's system. Keeping a engine alive is about beating friction.

[Steve Richard]

What blank advice?

[Scott]

I'm sorry, I can't buy into this one. Granted, I worked in an Amoco station while in college 50 years ago. We were brainwashed that the 3000-mile oil change was a good idea. I have done it ever since, and point to trouble-free engines, driving all vehicles about 150,000 miles.(Honda now recommends 3750-mile intervals for my Accord.) Notice that one of the earlier posts mentions adding oil when necessary. That says it's not working. I never add any oil. Wouldn't it be a better idea to preserve one's car with regular oil changes and be sure the dealer is recycling the old oil?

Guess I can't do 'em all...

[Dean]

I bet 3750-mile intervals is for severe conditions.

[Stephen Perkins]

Great food for thought, Always consider ALL the factors in your personal formula. I found a hot new item that repairs the small fissures and cracks in the crankcase, adds gas mileage, is environmentally sane and could easily extend periods between oil changes (add a pint after an oil/filter change). It's called FrictionFree 3000.

[Steve Richard]

To see the impact waste oil has on the environment visit:
http://www.innovativesynthetics.com/gogreen.html .

[Linda G Shepard Salzer]

www.coopamerica.org/takeaction/fossilfool/

[Jaeryn Spedden]

If you have an older car and use regular oil, 3k miles is good.

Ford recommends 4k miles and recommends changing the filter every other oil change.

New Nissans recommend 7k miles for oil and 7,300 miles for the oil filter.

Go by what is in your owners manual. If you don't have one, many shops have manuals that give manufacturer suggested oil intervals for most cars.

Switching to a full synthetic such as Mobil 1 will allow you to go longer between oil changes. (Yes, I know we all believe that Exxon/Mobil is the devil incarnate.)

Many of your newer vehicles have sensors in them programmed to come on when it's time to change your oil. Most of you have a light that simply says "Change Oil." You Honda guys either have a wrench that lights up, or your "Maintenance Required" light comes on. For you Toyota/Lexus/Scion guys, it's a wrench that lights up.

Don't know where to take your old oil if you change it yourself? Sears Auto Centers, WalMart Tire Lube Expresses and Oreillys Auto Parts stores take your old oil and filters. If you don't have one of those places- go to earth911.org and search for your area and what you want to get rid of.

If you guys have automotive type questions you want answered, feel free to email me at pzevSLK230@gmail.com. :)

[Ann McFarlane]

Wowee, involve a car and you get a zillion comments. I used to take my car in for it's "regular" oil changes on time.. meaning the 3,000 mileage point. UNTIL one day one of those speedy oil change places messed up and I ended up having to pay alot more than the price of an oil change to fix the problem. They informed me they would be responsible and then changed their minds.. apparently that is what they primarily do well. When I bought my next car.. second hand, the person selling it to me.. told me that if I used synthetic oil I wouldn't really have to change it. I haven't had to and my car has run like a gem esp considering the mileage. I think the mindset that is based on doing things according to profiteers for the sake of money is leading our country to ruin. think about it and do the country a favor and get out of your car and into the country more often.

[Carol]

I tend to look at the color of the oil to decide when to change it (ie. if it's dark brown or black, change it) is that ok? Or am I missing something?

[Prof.M.M.alitewish]

well I think all mafucatured engine oils does not carry both the same spicifications and the same quality...sure they vary from country to another...even it may be vary from manifcature to another in the same country. therfore it could be fifficult internationaly to genralize the said advise...

[MARTIN S. HODES]

ENGINE OIL HERE IN THE FLORIDA HEAT PLUS THE VERY HIGH ENGINE HEAT DOES BREAK DOWN THE LUBRICATING CAPABILITIES OF STANDARD OIL PROUCTS. THIS INCREASES ENGINE WEAR AND SHORTER LIFE. I'VE ALWAYS DONE 3000, I'LL
JUMP THAT TO 4-5000 BASED ON SIERRA CLUB REC.