When should I change my oil?

[THX-Luke]

My car manual says that I should change my oil every 8,000 km, but my mechanic says I should change it every 5,000 km.

Who's right?

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Luc-Rock Paquin

[raid]

You really need to check out your owner's manual and see what it says. As a general rule you should follow the owners manual and increase if you do heavy duty driving.

[luckyking]

Generally speaking, you change your engine oil every 5000 km - 7000 km, depending your driving habit. IF you always travel highway, you can wait and change your oil till 6000 - 7000 km. However, if you travel in local most of the time, you better change engine oil more frequently as you have more chances to stop and start.

[truckguy01]

I work for a dealership and the recommended interval for an oil change is 5000kms. When you invest money in a vehicle an oil change is really cheap maintenance.Taking it to the dealers service dept they will also check fluid levels belts and hoses and if the vehicle is on warranty will do warranty repairs and check for recalls

[rudyhiebert]

My suggestion is if you want to be safe, use 100 % synthetic and send out an oil analysis to an independant lab. Any dealer or manufacture doesn't have a leg to stand on if the oil shows that it's still OK but tries to threaten you with voiding the warranty.

[Michael]

This is a reply to truckguy01, you quote "When you invest money..." . A vehicle is not an investment at all, it's an expense till it's last day. A better word for your sentece would be spend.

[driftor]

The owner's manual will describe severe service; for most it means short or long trips. For long trips you can follow the regular schedule. Now it's something like 12000km for many cars while dealers and gas stations always recommend 3-4000km. If you want your engine to last more than 10 years or 200,000 km. change it more often for insurance.

In any case you never want to do less than the manufacturer recommends, and never let the dipstick get past the low mark--that is deadly--, and probably you'd want to time it with other service items.

I generally change the oil spring and fall; have had many cars over the last few years kept until they were ten years old, and they're making them better now.

[snoproblem]

I'd add one change interval, somewhere in mid-winter. Just in case!

Gee, reviving old threads is starting to be a habit!

Just call me Shaun of the thread! :-)) :-)) :-))

[The General]

Thank Shaun of the Dead!

Oil changes should be done following the manufacturer's recommendations.

I change my oil and filter every 5 000 km and I run full synthetic... but that's just me.

[swat_316]

If i use Mobile 1 Oil <===100% Sync you Recommend me to Change my oil every how many km?