How often do you guys change your oil and do you do them yourself or get it done proffesionally? For me I try to go get an oil change every 3000ml which is the standard for most people. Sometimes I go a little over that, which I don't think will hurt the car much. I do change my own oil, but only if its not too hot/cold outside. I'm just a little cautious taking my car to an oil service facility b/c I've been told a couple of times that you can't really trust them and that they would put in wrong/old oils in your car.
Its pretty hard for an oil change place to screw up an oil change. 1) There really is no "wrong oil". There are oils with different types of viscocity, like 10W30 and 10W40, but putting one or the other won't really hurt an engine. 2) The most common way an oil change place screws this operation up, can actually end up being quite costly. When they take your old filter off, the seal can sometimes get stuck to the case and not come off with the old filter. If the tech doesn't catch it, and just puts the new filter on it, it creates what we call a "double seal" and when subjected to the pressure of the oil flow, will essentially start leaking and all your oil will leak out within a few miles. Burned up engine is what you end up with, unless you catch the warning signs right away.
Most oils made today can go longer than 3000 miles between oil changes. There's nothing wrong with getting an oil change that frequently other than you'll potentially be burning more money than oil. My car has a built in "service indicator" that tells me when to change the oil. I average between 6000-7000 miles or so between oil changes. I don't think you have to worry much about them putting "old" oil in your car. Wrong oil maybe, but just watch what they're doing, or go to their rack of oil bottles and tell them to use something in there and not in their big vats. Nice topic btw - I get ticked off when the Jiffy Lube places are advertising you should change your oil every 3000 miles. Most new cars don't need that - it may be a good idea with some of the older ones if they're burning oil.
I've got to change mine soon too, I have like 180miles left till 3000, and I am about to be doing a lot of driving/traveling. I will most likely head to Walmart to get it done so I can do something other than sit in little red chairs in a little waiting room.
Doc, with all due respect...stick to software...leave the car advice to the few honest mechanics that are left... While it is true that oil will continue to provide protection for much more than 3K miles....have you ever seen the inside of a engine that was run way over the recommended oil change interval? I have...numerous times...and the amount of gunk that builds up compared to a engine that had its oil changed at or near the correct interval is significant. There is a reason why the garages recommend that interval....and it isnt just to make more money...that is the interval that the manufacturers(both oil and vehicle) have determined is the most beneficial to long engine life....testing facilities have run numerous tests over the years that determined that oil starts to breakdown after a certain length of time used in the scorching environment that is your engine....
OH GOD NO!!!!!!!!!! Three places to avoid.....Walmart, Jiffy Lubes and Firestones. find a garage to do it...anywhere but those places....they normally hire people that have not a clue and train them to do it..at least when you go to a garage..you are getting someone that has been working on cars for a decent length of time. I cant tell you how many times I have had to fix screwups from oil changes at the places I mentioned.
Really? I've gone to the Walmart by my house 2 or 3 times now with no problems. The people working back there are generally mexicans, and I try to get the same guy to do it everytime. I pretty much look for the cheapest deal (minus Firestone, won't ever go there).
I go to Wal-Mart too without any problems. Their mechanics are usually ASE certified these days and they are half the price of most everyone else.
My car manufacturer recommends 4500-5000 miles per oil change in the owner's manual but when I visit the dealership they always put my next change down for 3000 miles.
R2K....why avoid those places??? How can you screw up an oil change? Given oil changes are all that they do at the drive-through places, you'd think they'd be OK at it. They're not being asked to diagnose anything. I used to change my own oil...and do car repairs...but since I know just enough to keep the car going...but not enough to keep it going well...i've wisely turned those chores over to the pros. I have the oil changed twice per year. (every 3000 miles ). Once at a quicky place (where the cost is not much more than the cost to do it myself...except I get to stay in the car, with a free paper and coffee, instead of skinning my knuckles while stripping the oil pan plug with the wrong sized wrench...) and once at the mechanic who looks after the car.
LOL, what I meant by that is they aren't some young teenage punk who doesn't know exactly what they are doing.
Every 6K with Mobil One synthetic for the truck I own.. By the book for the car I lease...I dont do much hardcore car tech stuff, but I do when it comes to MOTOcross and the diff between regular oil and synthetic oil is night and day..
