How Often Should You Change Your Oil?

New and used cars cost thousands of dollars, and their repairs are costly as well. The best way to protect your investment is with regular vehicle maintenance, which will help to keep your car, truck, or SUV cruising smoothly on the Trenton-area streets. One of the most common questions our service center techs hear is, “How often should you change your oil?” With recent tech advancements in the automotive industry and the better quality of motor oil, many of today’s vehicles only require an oil change every 7,500 to 10,000 miles, whereas the rule of thumb used to be that you should get an oil change every 3,000 miles or 3 months.

Even armed with this information, it’s still always best to refer to your owner’s manual to see exactly what your vehicle’s oil change frequency should be. Let’s go more in-depth into oil change frequency, and you can contact us to get answers to any questions still lingering after this short guide.

Recommended Oil Change Frequency

So, how often should you change your oil? Even though the general rule is every 7,500 to 10,000 miles, some Wall drivers have to get oil changes more frequently, either because of their make and model of vehicle or because they frequently use their vehicles for:

• Off-roading
• Commercial use
• Racing
• Heavy towing

If you use your vehicle for any of the above activities, your vehicle will likely require a higher oil change frequency than others.

Best Oil to Use for Your Vehicle

A lot of Trenton and Toms River drivers prefer to change their own oil, and the best oil change tip we can give you is to leave it to an auto mechanic if you’re not sure what you’re doing. You don’t want to cause irreparable damage to your vehicle that could void your warranty. However, if you are going to change your own oil, it’s best to refer to your owner’s manual to see what kind of oil is best for your vehicle. Synthetic oil lasts longer and performs better than conventional oil in many instances, but conventional oil is more affordable. However, your vehicle may only be able to handle one or the other type of oil.

Also, be sure to check your oil at least once a month. When you measure your oil, you’re checking for the color and consistency of the oil as well as its level on the dipstick. If the oil is dark and drudgy, it’s time for an oil change.

Automotive Avenues is Always at Your Service

Now that you know how often you should change your oil, feel free to contact us with any other questions you have about car ownership. Also, be sure to check out our used vehicle inventory to see all of our quality used vehicles in stock. If you see something that catches your eye, you can apply for financing and get approved in a matter of seconds.