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Originally Posted by MonkeyMama
Our mechanic told us to change our oil every 6 months and we have followed that for decades. (we drive our cars forever, so haven't seen any harm there)).
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You don't need to change the oil. Just drive the vehicle until the engine blows up. Then you replace the engine.
Oil is like insurance. It's better to have more than you need.
For average folks, 6 months is fine, but that would be pushing it if you commute in bumper-to-bumper stop/go traffic, or if you drive long distances.
My recommendation has always been 3months/3,000 miles, whichever comes first. A good shop should charge you $25-30 for an oil change, or if you do it yourself, the parts cost about $10-15.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonkeyMama
But I just wanted to add that I always heard if a car sits that you should change the oil more. Is that wrong then? There were so many years my husband barely drove that we put his car on a 3-month oil change schedule, as many people recommended. Just curious.
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When I said once a year for a car in storage, I meant a car that is put into a garage and locked away for a long time. Part of the storage procedure include putting the car on blocks and disassembling half of the engine. This is assuming you won't be driving anywhere.
For a car that just sits in the driveway and driven intermittently, I recommend abiding by the 3month/3k miles. A car is either stored or it's not. If it's stored you need to store it properly so parts don't go bad. If it's not stored then you need to maintain it just like you're driving it every day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonkeyMama
Oh, BTW I had a Saturn that went through oil like a fiend. I think that car probably should have been changed every month (the oil turned thick and dark very quickly). It depends on the car I am sure. The car was dirt cheap and great but dang it was an oil eater.
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Burning oil is a sign that your engine seals are going out. The oil being dark usually means the engine has a lot of deposit in it. Not necessarily a bad thing though.
For older cars like that I would recommend the BG fluid flushes to keep it running clean, except for the engine oil flush which does more harm than good.