Oil Change Every 3,000 Miles??
When you get your oil changed, they put that little sticker on your windshield to remind you when it’s time to get your next. The sticker always gives you a mileage of 3,000 miles or 3 months into the future, whichever comes first.The old standard used to be 3,000 miles, but newer cars are built to need less maintenance. Do you really have to have an every 3,000 miles?
Most automakers now recommend getting an oil change every 7,500 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. However, for “severe” driving they recommend changing your oil every 3,000 miles. What’s “severe” driving? If you live near the ocean or in a dusty environment, if you live in a hot or cold place, if you tow a trailer, if you do a lot of city driving or make many short trips, then your car experiences “severe” driving conditions. That’s a lot of cars!
I agree with those who say that overmaintaining your car is a waste of money, but oil changes are pretty cheap. You should be able to get your oil changed for about . It’s certainly worth an extra per year if you drive under any of these “severe” conditions. Your other choice is risking under-maintenance, which may mean costly repairs or a shortened useful life. If you take good care of your car, it can easily last 200,000 miles or more. The longer you can put off replacing your car, the more money you save. Imagine paying off your car and then continuing to make that “payment” into a savings account. You’d be able to pay for your next car with cash!
Some people fail to get oil changes because it’s inconvenient to be without your car. But an oil change should take less than an hour if you go when the shop isn’t busy. Since an oil change is such a simple matter, every repair shop does them. You can get an oil change at your local car dealership, service station, or even WalMart. Getting an oil change done while you’re shopping or working makes it much less time consuming. There are even specialty shops that will guarantee to have you out in less than an hour! And there are many shops that offer a clean and pleasant waiting area. Many have televisions, snacks and free wi-fi.
It’s a good idea for most of us to get our oil changed every 3,000 miles or 3 months. It’s cost effective, easy and a very good idea. So find the shop that’s convenient for you and get into the habit of changing your oil regularly. When your car is long since paid off and still running well, you’ll be glad you did.
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