23 June 2008

The 3,000 mile oil change debunked?

Greencar.com has a article that will make Jiffy Lube mad. Real mad. Why? They say that in most cases, 3000 miles is too soon for an oil change. The article discusses how the development of synthetic oil and engine technology have made the normal change necessary at the 5,000 mile mark. Read more at the jump.

The 3,000 Mile Oil Change Myth

Think about this on a wallet level. The average oil change runs $25 or so. If you drive 25k a year and change diligently every 3000 miles, that comes to $208 a year in oil changes. But if you switch to every 5000 miles, that's only $125 a year. $83 a year difference.

The moral of the story is check your car manual. It will tell you what the manufacturer recommends, not what Joe at Wal-Mart thinks. Plus, if you can go at 5k, then that $83 you saved can go to get your tires rotated and balanced a few times, which not only extends tire life but keeps you under warranty (most tire warranties will void if they determine you haven't been getting regular rotations).

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