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Story Published: Apr 24, 2006 at 7:33 AM PDT
Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 8:24 AM PDT
I spoke to a number of automotive experts and they all said the same thing: Check the owner's manual and see what your auto maker recommends. You may be surprised at what you find.
Typically, the minimum these days is every 5,000 miles. My owner's manual says I should change the oil every year or 7,500 miles.
A number of new vehicles, including models from Honda, Mercedes, BMW and General Motors now have oil change indicator systems; a warning light goes on when the vehicle senses it's time to change the oil. We should see more cars offering this feature in the future.
Many owner's manuals recommend changing the oil filter every other oil change. Mine does. But the auto experts at AAA and Consumer Reports say it's best to replace the filter every oil change. Their logic - why have all that clean new oil go through a dirty filter?
When it comes to the type of oil, should you go regular or synthetic? I asked John Ibbotson, an automotive expert at Consumer Reports, about that.
"We found that conventional motor oil is just fine for most circumstances," Ibbotson says. "Synthetics really help play a part when you live in extremely cold climates or extremely hot climates."
And yes, you can switch back and forth between regular oil and synthetic oil, if you want.
Finally be sure to check the oil level on a regular basis. If you do it every fill-up you'll never forget.
For More Information:
How Often Should I Change My Oil?
What is 5W-20 oil? Should I use synthetic products?