How often should oil and filter be changed?
Change oil and filter often enough to protect the engine from premature wear and viscosity breakdown. For most cars and light trucks, the standard recommendation is to change oil and filter every six months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first. Most late model owner’s manuals say that except for “Severe Service” applications, oil change interval can be safely stretched to once a year or every 7,500 miles, with filter changes at every other oil change. When auto makers make such recommendations, one assumes they are based on extensive durability testing. After all, auto makers themselves would have to bear the warranty costs should their maintenance recommendations prove inadequate. Except for Chrysler’s 7/70 powertrain warranty, and a few others that go up to 5/50 or 6/60, most new car powertrain warranties don’t go beyond 3/36. So where’s the risk? There isn’t any. With proper maintenance, there is no reason an engine shouldn’t go 100,000 miles or more without developing a thirst for
