Service Intervals

You've probably heard all the excuses: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" "Don't they check all that stuff at the quick-lube when I get my oil changed—" "I know it's time to change my oil when the red oil light comes on!"


There are still more reasons for not doing simple maintenance, such as the using synthetic oil, or planning to trade in the vehicle in the near future, and any other excuses for not observing required service intervals. You might subscribe to some of the same rationale yourself because maybe you, or someone you know, seemed to do all right by such thinking.

Wear Means Tear
The reality is, however, that no matter how many excuses humans employ, automobiles wear out with use. The good news is that they take much longer to wear out when properly maintained. It's true that some particular models may stand up to a lack of maintenance better than others. Even so, when routine preventive maintenance is performed, these more durable vehicles will last longer and experience fewer costly breakdowns. For instance, let's start with the engine oil change, since that's the most basic part of routine maintenance.

Change is Good
It is true that many manufacturers say that it's all right to go up to 7,500 miles between oil changes, but that's recommended only under ideal conditions. They also describe "severe conditions" in which the oil has to be changed more frequently. Many people might be surprised to learn that the conditions they drive under would qualify as "severe." These include frequent stop-and-go driving (includes rush hour on most freeway/expressway routes), driving in high ambient temperatures, driving frequently over hilly terrain, driving in dusty conditions, or frequent high speed or loading conditions. Under such conditions, the oil change interval is lowered to around three months/3,000 miles, more than twice as often.


Using the red "oil pressure warning" light (not to be confused with the oil change interval light) as a signal to change the oil is a bad idea. It's true that, given an engine oil capacity of four quarts, and an oil consumption (burning) rate of one quart per 1000 miles, you might be able to make it from change to change without adding oil. This sounds appealing, since it appears to save money—on oil, anyway. The drawbacks to this approach can be extremely costly, however.