Q & A: Changing oil timeline

Frank said...

Well, I know you're supposed to change your oil every 3,000 miles/3 months. But I only drive about 200 miles a month, mostly in 10 or 15 minute chunks - mostly cold starts, mostly city driving. What's the rule I should be sticking to? Can I get away with every 6 months?

When should I really be changing my oil, bearing in mind I don't like spending time, or money, unnecessarily.

Thanks!

Hi Frank!

That's a fantastic question. What do you do if you (like most drivers) don't fall within the guidelines that your user manual gives you for checking oil? I mean who wants to spend loads of money and time changing perfectly good oil?

I say it's perfectly fine to change your oil less often as long as you keep an eye on it. I know I only change my oil about every 6-9 months. I rarely drive and when I do it's long distances (long distances help keep an engine clean). 

What you want to make sure you do is check your oil (See How To Check Your Oil here) and check it regularly, like 4-6 weeks. The longer it's been since your oil has been changed the fewer weeks I would leave between oil checks.

There are three things you want to look out for when gauging if it is time to bite the bullet and get your oil changed

1. Look at the oil level - (I show what to look for here) It is imperative that you keep an eye on your oil level and ensure that it does not get too low. 
2. Look at the color - Your oil should be the color of dark caramel as well as translucent. When you wipe the dipstick off on your rag it will show either a dark translucent caramel brown color if it's newer or as it gets older it will get darker and darker and become a thick black color (kinda what you think about when you see oil in the street). The darker it is the more it needs to be changed
3. Look for sediment - if your oil looks sandy or grainy when you wipe the dipstick on the rag than you need to change your oil. These bits will really hinder the efficiency of your engine when it's running.

As long as your car is passing these three tests then I say it's ok to pass the three month timeline and get a little more milage / time out of your oil. Just remember to keep checking your oil regularly and you should be good to go.