Valvoline Finds What They’re Looking For…
Mechanics Still Assert 3,000 mile interval oil change is good
How long do you go without changing your oil? My father grounded me every time I went over 3,000 miles in my car without changing the oil. Every time I came home from college, he would check the mileage and oil of my car to see if I had disobeyed his command. He always told me that oil is the lifeblood of my car, and I believe him and still do; however, I’m not so sure I think my vehicle needs an oil change every 3,000 miles. (but old habits die hard, I’m afraid)
The reason I bring this up is that Valvoline conducted a study saying that the majority of certified mechanics still believe the 3,000 mile mark is the best mileage to get your oil changed without doing damage to your car. However, beware of a "study" done by an oil company. Each of the mechanics they surveyed also said Valvoline was the best choice, so obviously the study was partial toward Valvoline.
Many people today are starting to think the 3,000 mile mark is antiquated because of better oil and better engines that cars use. I am one of those people, however, I still get the oil changed every 3,000 miles just because that’s what I’ve done my whole life and I feel like I owe it to my father (crazy, huh?).
I would imagine that engine erosion varies largely from car to car and driver to driver. Maybe this Valvoline study/survey will persuade a 3rd party non-biased group to conduct another survey.
See Also
- Protect your car
Get an extended warranty