The Oil Change: Factors That Change the Frequency

For a long time, the conventional wisdom was that you needed to take your car in for an oil change every 3,000 miles or three months, whichever came first. Most shops specializing in the procedure still recommend this interval to their customers. Most modern cars don't need quite that much change to the lubrication, however. Some of the better models (as long as they are still new) can get away with over twice that long in between lube jobs and still be fine. Of course, there are a lot of factors that play a role in determining how often you need to head into the shop. Here are some of them.

Weather

Whether it's very cold outside or very hot, extreme temperatures can bring about the need for a more frequent oil change than would be necessary in a more moderate climate. If you live in one of those states where it can soar (or drop) to uncomfortable places on the thermometer, you might want to get into the habit of heading into your favorite shop every time the season changes. This will give you back that old "every three month" template and it will be more than appropriate for your vehicle. Talk to the shop about using a different weight according to the season. Thinner viscosities work better in cold weather, while thicker ones work better in the heat.

Use

Even how you drive the car can play a role in how often you should head in for an oil change. The optimum driving conditions are moderate use in highway conditions. If you're constantly driving in stop and go traffic, it's going to take a much more pointed toll on your engine and you'll need to adjust for this when it comes to your lube job frequency. This is why many car experts and mechanics advise finding an open highway to drive on as often as possible. It may even be worth taking a longer route to work each day if it means avoiding the crawling traffic of the city.

Weight

Larger vehicles or even smaller ones that are often forced to carry a lot of weight (cargo or passengers) may need to go in for a more frequent oil change than those that are lighter on the road. Every additional pound of weight adds just a little bit more stress to the engine. Be aware of that whenever you load your car down with cargo or offer to carpool your coworkers to the office.