How long change oil

Let's say you perform your own oil change. Here's something else that makes a do-it-yourself oil change take longer: disposing of the used oil.

Just dumping it is not only bad for the environment, but also illegal. So, do-it-yourselfers need to collect the dirty, used oil and safely transport it to a recycling or disposal center. Why deal with that time-consuming mess yourself when you can bring your vehicle to Jiffy Lube where you can feel confident the technicians will handle the used oil responsibly? When you consider that it will likely take you longer to perform an oil change and that your time is valuable, you may decide that the money you save by handling your oil change yourself isn't worth it.

Let's take a step back and look at why oil changes are important and why your oil should be changed at least as often as recommended in your vehicle owner's manual. Can't find your manual? The average person might tell you to get your oil changed every six months.

Others might say you can get the most out of your money by waiting up to 10, km between oil changes. With so many people giving so many different answers about how often should you change your oil, it gets to the point where it feels impossible to make the right choice. Most sources state that oil changes can happen between 12, and 16, km.

But how realistic is that? Oil change frequency is dependent upon the make and model of your vehicle. It will always be a more reliable source than your local mechanic. The frequency also depends on you and your driving habits.

Are you a cautious driver or are you a speedster? If your driving mostly consists of highway driving and long distances, you might be around the 10, km mark. Have a clean container ready. I used an empty water bottle—dry, of course. That one has a prepaid USPS sticker on it, so off it goes—maybe. Oil is not a hazardous material, but some Post Office locations might give you guff about sending it. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Westend61 Getty Images. Fiordaliso Getty Images.

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Under the Hood. Vehicle Maintenance. Do you really need to have your car's oil changed every 3, miles? Experts say not necessarily. Every 1, miles 1, kilometers or every six months Every 3, miles 4, kilometers Every 5, to 7, miles 8, to 12, kilometers Every 10, to 15, miles or every six months 16, to 24, kilometers. If you're not making long trips at high, steady speeds like you would on a highway then your engine isn't getting hot enough to boil off condensation that accumulates in the system.

That can cause oil to break down faster. Most of the wear and tear on your car's engine occurs when you're starting your car, and if you aren't driving very far, most of your driving is of the type that is very hard on your engine.

More frequent oil changes will help minimize the damage. Now That's Interesting. If you drive your car infrequently — as in much less than the mileage of your recommended service interval — you should still change your oil twice a year since the oil degrades over time. Can you go 10, miles with synthetic oil? Sure you can. In fact, you can even go over 10, miles with synthetic oil. Is full synthetic oil worth it?