Save Time, Money and Environmental Impact with Fewer Oil Changes

Edmunds.com, the premier resource for automotive information, on September 9 provided consumers with money-saving, environmentally friendly advice related to how often they should get an oil change.

"Many car owners have bought into the decades-old myth that oil should be changed every 3,000 miles," said Edmunds.com Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed. "As a result, countless dollars and gallons of engine oil are wasted every year."

In the article Stop Changing Your Oil, Edmunds.com reveals that as a result of advancements in oil chemistry and engine technology, the average vehicle’s oil-change interval is more like 7,800 miles—and for some vehicles can be as high as 20,000 miles.

Edmunds.com’s top recommendations for car owners, as explained in the articles When Should You Change Your Oil and Oil Life Monitoring Systems, are:

• Refer to the owner’s manual to determine how often the vehicle needs an oil change.
• Don't let your mechanic automatically default to the "severe" maintenance schedule.
• Get a low-cost oil analysis to understand whether your driving is “severe,” and to diagnose problems in your car.
• Use extended-life oils to get even more mileage between oil changes.
• If your car has a "maintenance minder," rely on that – and not a windshield sticker – to determine when it is time to get an oil change.