It’s a question that comes up often – how often should I change my oil? Here is a guide as to what you should do according to make and model, or as a general rule.
Recently, one of our mechanics was able to answer that question in detail. He told us it really depends on the type of vehicle you have and how much mileage it accumulates each time you go for a drive. The average person drives around 15,000 miles every year. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that if you have driven 20,000 miles so far this year your oil should be changed twice as much as if you had only driven 10,000 miles. Your driving conditions are the biggest factor in the frequency of changing the oil in your vehicle.
For example, if you live in a place with a lot of dust, dirt and potholes your oil will be exposed to more contaminants than if you lived somewhere with little to no foreign debris. This means that your oil would need to be changed more often if you had been living in the city instead of the suburbs because there are many harmful foreign particles near roadways. In this case, your mechanic may recommend that you change it every 3 months or 3000 miles instead of every 6 months or 6000 miles even though it is an average amount of driving.
The type of vehicle also has a big impact on how often the oil needs to be changed. For instance, a smaller car such as a sedan may require after about 8,000-12,000 miles while a truck like a Ford F-150 would need to be changed about every 5000 miles. This is because the engine in a sedan will not accumulate as much wear and tear as one in an F-150 which causes more contaminants to enter the oil.
There are other factors that can determine how often your car’s oil should be changed. It may require changing every 3 months instead of 6 if you have special additives in your vehicle’s fuel system or if you drive it very frequently. For example, if you put 500 miles on your vehicle each week then it would be best to change its oil after 500 * 12 = 6000 miles .
It is important to follow the maintenance guide for your vehicle. Typically, the maintenance guide will tell you when to change your oil based on mileage and what type of oil is recommended in your car’s engine. You should also check the owner’s manual to help decide how often you need to change your oil.
We hope this article helped you. Visit the Binghamton Auto Exchange today at 209 Vestal Parkway West in Vestal NY or call us at 607-754-9118 and see why we are the most trusted name in pre-owned luxury under $15,000 in the Southern Tier since 1976.
