are oil changes absolutely necessary every 3k?

Question

i havent gotten my oil changed since july, and i've put about 6k on it since then. nothing rough, mostly highway driving and some city. its running great, my only concern is that i should get one due to the change in weather

Answer 1

the more times you do the better but if you are on the hiway aot it's not that bad. I would get the oil changed all the time and use the same oil don't worry about the weather

Answer 2

Change your oil every 3000 miles.

Oil not only lubricates your engine but also keeps it clean. Today's oils are almost all detergent type which holds dirt and particles in suspension. As the oil circulates, the oil filter also removes dirt and particles. When you change your oil and filter, you are removing the dirt, sludge, and other grime from your engine. This will go a long way to prevent premature catastrophic engine failure. I have a 93 Chrysler with a 3.3 V6 that has had the oil changed religiously every 3000 miles since it was new.(I use Valvoline 10-30) It has 230,000 miles on it, does not use any oil and you can barley hear it run at idle.

Answer 3

The way I understand it, motor oil starts to break down after about 5,000 miles, no matter what brand it is. Oil change businessess recommend every 3 months or 3,000 miles because that was the standard until one of the big motor oil companies developed an oil that could last for 5,000 miles. But if everyone starts changing oil only every 5,000 miles, profit goes down. I like getting the oil changed in my car about every 4,000-4,500 miles basically because even though the oil won't break down until after 5,000 miles, it still gets dirty.
The main reason to get an oil change has nothing to do with weather. Motor oil is your car's lifeblood. When it's dirty or breaking down, it's not protecting your car's engine; dirty or useless oil can damage the engine. Then your car won't run fine and will shorten the life of your car.
True story- I know the person involved. This person got a brand new car. This person knew nothing about car maintenance. This person had their car for about a year and a half, never having the oil changed once. The car's engine failed, necessitating the installation of a new engine, the other one was completely unsalvageable, except as scrap metal. Lesson learned: cars need oil changes to run properly.

Answer 4

It depends. Do you trade vehicles often? Every 3-4 years? Then, no, let it be the next person's problem, and change it when you want. ;-)

However, if you want to keep the car up and running for a long while, and not have expensive repairs down the line, definitely change every 3k. It's not just the oil you're changing, but the oil filter as well, in which dirt does build up pretty quickly.

5000km = ~3000miles.

As long as you treat the car well, the car will treat you well. You certainly don't want to be driving down the highway with smoke billowing out of the hood (I know you've seen that at least once).

Answer 5

Yes. You should change your oil every 3 months or 5000 km, which ever comes first. Even if you don't drive a lot. (my 3 months always comes first) Your still using the oil and it does get dirty fast. You don't want it to gunk up your car. Your car might be running fine now, but it's better to spend $30 to get an oil change then to spend a lot more fixing your car later because you didn't get one when needed.

Answer 6

Oil breaks down over time and use. Manufacturers recommend 3k to 5 k depending on conditions and driving style. Oil manufacturers specify the intervals based on their formulations. Pick an oil brand you like. Choose a regular or synthetic type of oil based on your own preferences and stick to a strickt regimine based on those choices. Your car will thank you with longer more trouble free driving.

Answer 7

The current running condition of the car isn't my concern. Later in life, when the oil galleries fill with carbon deposits and sludge, that's when you'll wish you changed your oil more often. I think the oil can mix with water and sulfur from combustion to make acids too, thus the changing every three months, or 3K miles...

Answer 8

Oil changes are cheap, easy maintenance on the engine. You'll save money on repair bills in the long run by changing every 3000 miles.

Answer 9

If you value your vehicle, and would like it to have a longer life, and be maintenance free...never underestimate the value of an oil change! Cars are like children, they must be maintained and well-kept/kempt!!

Answer 10

Change it every 5,000 like they do in Europe. It is important to change it regularly but you don't have to play along with making the dealer rich to protect the engine.