Why should the oil in my car be changed in three months if I haven't driven even 500 miles?

Question

I live in Texas and my car is a 2001 Buick LeSabre with 15,000 miles.

Answer 1

it shouldn't. It should be done at least every 6 months. I own 3 quick lube centers and I never recommend 3 months. I tell my customers to do it at 5000 miles or 6 months which ever comes first. 6 months is a long time for the oil to sit in your engine. Each time you drive your car the engine creates moisture. This moisture is usually heated out when driving. But if you are taking short trips to the store and what not the water never has a chance to get diffused. Therefore your oil will keep the moisture in it. 3 months is way too early but I would not go over 6 months.

Answer 2

If you watch the mileage 3-5000 mile changes is fine.
Most people don't watch the mileage that well and it's easier to watch the time interval.
Some people drive more than 3000 miles in a month especially in commercial vehicles. but as long as the oil is kept clean . often I change just the filter and add 1 qt oil for every other change interval and have gotten over 100000 miles on the engine. I've done this on several vehicles.
The main thing is keep the oil clean.

Answer 3

If you drive 3 miles to work, 3 miles back, each day. That roughly 540 miles in 90 days. Here is the problem, short mileage barely warms up car, causing condensation in engine and oil and then SLUDGE. It takes a well warmed up car to burn off the water. So if most of mileage is real short trips, maybe a good idea to change it at 6 months no matter what. If you use the car for weekends, and get car warmed up to operating temps, (20+ miles) then you may even go longer time intervals.

Answer 4

My daily driver gets the oil changed twice a year. After only three months, the oil still looks new sometimes. Your biggest problem may come from it not being driven enough. Eventually seals and gaskets may dry up. If you keep the car inside a garage, this will help keep the car in good shape.

Answer 5

Use breaks down the oil not age. This based on that the average person drives around 1000 miles per month- so 3000 miles or 3 months is what oil manufacters suggest. So i would change my oil by milage not by time.

Answer 6

Depending on how you drive, the correct interval is more like 5,000-7,500 miles. prob more like the lower end, especially in dusty Texas. The 3,000 miles/3 months thing is a marketing gimmick dreamed up by oil producers. Time limit is not as important as miles driven.

Answer 7

don't use time as your basis on oil changes...in the trucking industry it is common to change oil every so many thousand miles... much higher than for a car.

For your car changing every 3000 miles would be your best bet. The engine oil only breaks down due to wear, not age.

Answer 8

There are enzymes in the oil that help break down carbon deposits and other bad things that grow in your engine. After three months are up the enzymes are less effective at breaking down the bad things that grow in your engine. Nothing literally "grows" in your engine, i am just using the word as an analogy for deposits, metal flakes, and other impurities thet can be found in an engine.

Answer 9

Oil doesn't break down due to time. It turns black from burning carbon from around the piston rings in the cylinder and small particles of metal being added too it as your engine wears. Time has almost zero effect on the effectiveness of oil to reduce friction and cause an engine to wear out or break down. When I say zero I am only factoring in the fact that all matter is decomposing:)

Answer 10

You does not have to.
Check the owners manual for the required replacement time or driving distance.
Jiffy lubes 3000 mile or three months has gotten into too many peoples head