ENGINEER EXPLAINS HOW OFTEN TO CHANGE OIL & FILTER // UPDATED CRITERIA-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS! 

Thank you everyone for your comments. A number of people have asked for a data as a backup - but you have to remember that when it comes to predicting the durability of engines, the best way to do that is to take the engine apart. You will then clearly see the residue of the oil, condition of the inner components etc, and often times the condition of the engine itself does not correlate with the condition of the engine oil. So it is very deceiving - and dangerous - to assume that the engine is in good condition due to the good condition of the oil (through data and analysis). People like AMD from Car Care Nut, myself as an automotive engineer, and Mr. Takumi Kurosawa (Nissan GT-R engine leader) have all taken hundreds of engines apart and correlated the condition to the frequency and type of engine oil used. That's the best type of "data" and most accurate way to predict the engine condition (you can see it). Because I have taken apart hundreds and hundreds of automotive components apart, I know exactly what needs to be done to take care of automobile components and parts (not just engine), and my recommendations are based on these experiences. My two good friends AMD and Mr. Kurosawa will back me and support me as they have the same insights and ideas as in this video. I hope this helps you understand how I came up with my recommendations. At the end of the day, you are free to decide what to do based on your own experience and knowledge. I am simply sharing my insights based on 35 years of working with cars inside and out.

Great advice on how to make an engine last. Personally I don't care if I'm planning on keeping my vehicles basically forever or if I'm going to get rid of them every 50,000 miles. I'm going to treat every vehicle the same. I want to know when someone purchases something I bought new, broke in, and maintained, that they're going to buy something that could last another quarter million miles. I don't care if that person is a grandkid or some stranger I'll never meet. It's just the right thing to do.

2007 4Runner. Oil and filter change every 5k and transmission flush every 60k. Currently 343k miles. Runs and drives as good as the day I got it. Burns no oil, no leaks, transmission is milky smooth. Wouldn’t hesitate to jump in and drive it from Georgia to California and back. Just a great vehicle made in a place where they value work ethic.

I'm an "A" guy. I've always bought new, kept them for 10+ years, although nowadays I use synthetic and go for 4-5k miles. I am disappointed in the "C" recommendation. This is why I don't buy used. The attitude is basically "I don't care if who gets it next will have a long-term car. I got mine.".

Own two Lexus, 17yrs old and 13yrs old. Change oil and filter every 6mths or 5000miles, with mobile 1 full synthetic. No engine problems at all, to include no oil burning. I use the same interval for my son’s Prius Prime. Other than 1 hr of time, the cost for oil change is about $40 (I do my cars oil change. Can’t trust jr. Mechanics). That’s cheap for worry free engine.

In a previous job I got to visit the lab where a very well known brand of oil was formulated and tested. The chief engineer told me that if I wanted to have virtually zero engine wear I should take the recommended service interval and halve it. So 12k miles becomes 6k and so on. I followed his advice and my last car was 19 years old when it had to be scrapped due to rust. But the engine still ran like a sewing machine.

I let the dealer from whom I purchased my 03 Toyota Sequoia change the oil every 5k miles. I purchased the lifetime oil change plan, which cost me only $500 and a $10 environmental fee per oil change. At 301k miles, the 4.7 L engine is still going strong.

I have a 2003 Highlander V6 with 160,000 trouble free miles. I change the oil every 5000 miles. I like this number and recommend it to friends because it is easy to keep track of. Whenever the car hits the next 5000 mile increment it is time to change the oil. I also keep a spreadsheet of all maintenance ever done but find the 5000 mile increment easy to remember.

David, my 4Runner’s have lasted many trouble-free years as I have always changed the oil and filter at 3,000 miles. Thank you for your expertise and recommendations.

Small point of disagreement , The MOST important filter on your engine is NOT the oil filter but rather its the air filter . By a ratio of media filtered ,the air filter works harder that ANY of your filters . Not to diminish the importance of the oil change but rather ADD the air filter onto the list of IMPORTANCE on your maint program! rule of thumb: it takes only ONE oz of dust to destroy 100 Cubic inches of engine displacement

Thank you, David. Your recommendations for oil change intervals are good reminders for all of us that doing proper maintenance is the best way keep your car running in top shape. I follow AMD, AKA The Car Care Nut, and watched almost every video. His technical reviews are among the best. From what I have seen, frequent oil changes can prevent castrophic failure no matter how long you plan to keep it.

Thanks David. I love this topic. Really appreciate your views as well as a few others like carcarenut, fordbossme, and motoroilgeek who all say similar things. 6 months and 5K is the most i will do if I'm doing lots of highway driving.

First thing: manufacturers recommendation on severe service schedule is my baseline. I typically do a 5k mile OCF using whatever synthetic OEM spec oil I can get on sale, a high quality filter, and the occasional lab analysis. I also do other fluids at 60k for trans, 90k for coolant, and brake fluid every three years. Service on 4wd transfer case and differential is approximately every 30k - 50k depending on the component. I’m not afraid to go longer on the OCF if on a long over the road trip and have done an 8800 mile change with lab analysis showing the oil still held additives and no degrading wear byproducts. Excellent summary sir. Grease is cheaper than steel.

I'm glad to hear you quote AMD, the Car Care Nut, as I follow his recommendations to the letter for my Toyota. Thank you!

Hi David. Excellent simple explanation with your three categories. My dealer in Toronto recommends a 8000 K interval. I alter this by changing oil and filter myself at the 4K mark. Makes it easy to remember. I always use synthetic primarily as it is easier on the engine for cold winter starting.

My step father was a master mechanic and I tend to take amazing care of cars regardless of how long I intend on keep it. I 100% agree with your recomendations

These oil topics are very essential. It is also good when opinions are backed up practically and scientifically. If people have good oil change and car maintenance culture overall, the vehicle will have more potential to run longer without causing super expensive repairs due to oil burning issues and end up on the junkyards as a result of it. Thanks

This is a really great video, alot of people guve their 2 cents without really giving any weight to what a person does with their car. I've got a 23 IS500 that I've already changed twice and it's only got 4000kms on it. Now that it's broken in, I don't plan on ever going longer than 5000kms. I plan on keeping this car basically forever as It might be the last if it's kind. I also have a highlander, which I plan on keeping 4-8 years. I change that between 8-10 thousand kms. I'm using amsoil in both cars.

As a mechanic for over 35 years, I agree 1000% with what you said. Spot on.

You know the Car Care Nut is a reputable Toyota master mechanic when a 35 yr experienced auto engineer mentions you in his video as a reference.

Thanks for the video! I just have my 2023 GX460 serviced for first oil change from the dealer. They told me to go back for the next service after 16000 kilometres. I was shocked. I guess I will go back to the oil change for another 8000 kilometres.

2017 RAV4 with mostly highway miles with a road warrior job. Full synthetic, the oil didn't even start getting dirty until 6,000 miles. I added half cup of Seafoam or Marvel Mystery to the crankcase the day before oil change and made sure it was warmed up fully. It is my suspicion that the sludge buildup in/on the piston oil wiper rings are what cause these engines to fail prematurely and start burning oil. As it was mostly highway miles, I usually changed oil at 9k-11k intervals. Call me crazy, but 205,000 miles currently and no oil burning issues. Toyota filters from dealer, oil is not black...maybe dark brown before changing. YMMV but I'm very happy with this vehicle.

I love this piece of advice. I'm criteria A and I currently have 2 cars. Both use synthetic oil and both get oil and filter change twice a year independently of mileage. I typically drive between 3000 and 4000 every semester. I organize myself and I perform my own oil change mid-year and I take to the dealership once a year so that they plug it in and lube doors/etc. Greetings from Argentina! Nacho.

Driving habits, driving conditions (Highway or city), climate, driving usage (off road, tow, commercial...etc), age of vehicle are all important factors missed here, with respect. I run a showroom condition 2015 AWD MDX in 🇨🇦 with 120,000km's on it. It's cold here and I do city driving mainly, I run full synthetic oil. The Acura maintenance minder is pretty advanced (It monitors many items) and I trust it. It kicks in at about 6,000miles (9,500km) and that's in line with the owners manual and what I believe personally.

Thanks David for your expertise. I change my oil and oil filter in my Toyota at 5,000 miles.

Another thing to keep on top of is cooling system maintenance. With many if not most modern engines one overheating incident is all it takes to cause major and expensive damage. Gone are the days when you could just let it cool down, chuck some water in the radiator and all is well.

I concur 100% with these recommendations. This confirms exactly the same recommendations from our Chief Shop Mechanic at one of my old Honda Dealerships. And Honda has built more engines that any other manufacturer. Thank you, sir.👍

Thank you for this sir, I'm about to get a new/used car and want to keep it at least 10 years and this really helps me to know what pace to keep with maintaining it, I appreciate it

My typical oil changes consist of 3000 mile or 3 months for good conventional oils. 4000-5000 miles or 6 months with good synthetic oils. I’ve been a heavy line tech with Ford for 15 years and worked at independent garages for 14 years……have seen a lot of damage from people not changing their oils frequently enough….typically it was lack of proper oil changes or lack of oil that caused 90% of all my work concerning internal problems….even repeatedly changed engines in customers vehicles for not changing the oil again after the first engine replacement …..some people just never learn.

Toyota owner's manual says 5,000 miles under severe conditions. They define severe as a hot climate, a cold climate, or a lot of stop & go city driving. I have also read that it should be changed at 6 months, regardless.

‘’I bought a new ‘’2023 TRD OFF ROAD PREM’’….I had the oil 1st oil changed @ 1000 miles….next oil change will be at 5000.00 ..got underneath my 4 runner..1st. Thing turned my spare tire upside down so I can check the air in it and also sprayed rust on top of the spare tire. Then undercoat the rest of the truck. I will tell you this truck rides fantastic. ‘’Thank you …for all the reviews and videos on these amazing automobiles. Thanks. God Bless and many prayers to family and friends.

This proves a point I keep mentioning to friends & family. You have to know when to trust the owners manual and when not to. Also, everyone forgets about transmission/differential/transfer case fluids too. This gentleman's drain intervals applies to those fluids too!!!

Engine longevity & wear/tear (as well as carbon sludge accumulation) also depends on how the vehicle was driven, whether top tier fuel was used & even whether or not engine uses at least some partial port-injection instead of 100% direct-injection (aka likely carbon sludge magnet). Lots of long, open highway miles, or mostly short trips and/or city-driving stop/go traffic miles can each have a lot of impact on engine health.

2012 Hyundai Elantra 1.8 just turned 500K original engine , only used Amsoil top tier oil and Amsoil filter changed it every 11-12K it now uses two quarts between changes , no complaints.

Great video. I’ve been doing oil changes on my C63 about every 4,000 to 5,000 miles at least every 6 months to a year.

David, Excellent video and your time and effort to make it is most appreciated. I need to ask a question. I recently purchased my 11th Honda, in this case, a 2024 Honda CRV Hybrid Touring model. I live in Saskatoon Saskatchewan and get really cold winters and very hot summers. Having purchased the vehicle at the end of October 2023, we had to endure a brutal December. While I park underground in heated parking, I still need to venture outside in those temperatures, park it, and leave it sit for several hours, before restarting to drive it home. The CRV has active grill shutters that assist with getting the engine up to temperature as quickly as possible, in addition to giving me cabin heat, even though the vehicle operates in battery only mode at times. My question is, should I trust the Honda Maintenance minder or go with my gut and change it more often. My concern is that the number of on/off cycles of the hybrid system means that I am more likely to not have the engine up to operating temperature for long enough periods of time to purge the crankcase of unwanted blowby and contaminants. I would really appreciate your thoughts on this question. As others have said, the cheapest engine is really expensive, however the most expensive engine oil is cheap. Thank you.

When I purchased my IROC (305) back in '88, I decided that I would change the oil & filter every roughly 1.5kmiles. I have done so for 35yrs with the only change being that I switched to synthetic about 7 years ago.

Excellent summary and sound advice. Thank you

I have a 2023 Acura tlx type s. Just reached 15k miles…the car is so much fun to drive. I change my oil every 2500 miles. I really love my car, it brings me a lot of joy so I go all out on maintaining her.

Thank you David. Much appreciated.

This is the most logical explanation on the topic I’ve seen.

I get my oil changed every 6-months because I usually only go out driving twice per week & only drive about 3200-3400 miles total per year. So my oil is getting changed every 1600-1700 miles. 😝 Probably overkill, but its not breaking the bank to change the oil/filter twice per year.

First, let me say that I enjoyed your video; it was thorough and thoughtfully done. I am always intrigued by people asking how often they should change oil. By far, oil/filter changes are the least costly maintenance items an owner can perform, whether you do the work yourself or have it done. People go out and buy or lease a $30k, $40k, $50k, or more vehicle and then questions an $80 or $100 oil change. They hem and haw about the cost and they shouldn't. I change the oil in my 300k 2.4L Honda Accord every 5,000 miles and put in a quality filter. My 125k 3.0L Volvo gets an oil and filter change at 3,000 miles (European car!). Think about what a complicated piece of engineering the modern automobile is and the work it has to do to get you from point A to point B, and in the luxury to which we've all become accustomed. Oh, and as for the manufacturer's 10-20k intervals, that is just a load of cr@p and nothing more than a marketing ploy to get you into a new lease every two years because the service intervals are the length of the lease.

I appreciate that you made the video. The one part of the equation I thought was missing was the type of driving. Personally, I am and A/B guy who uses full synthetic and change my oil every 6 months with about 4500 miles. My Wife's car only gets about 3000 miles a year, I still use full synthetic and change it yearly. A friend of mine drives about 3000 miles a month with over 80% highway driving, he also uses full synthetic but changes it every 3 to 4 months. He kept his last car last car about 10 years. I am not an engineer but I don't think that should not put him in category C . Thank you!

Have been driving for over 20 years, always change engine oil and filter when around 10k km. Using well-known brand fully synthetic for all my cars except 1 using semi synthetic. But that 1 car will have an oil change interval at 7000km. No major problem so far. Own several cars, each been driving for more than 5 years.

If you are driving stop and go suggest changing every 3000 miles. Highway driving 40 miles or more a day every 5000 miles. 😊

I've owned my 2004 Audi S4 since it had 13,000 miles. After 20 years of use it now has 161,000 miles. I change the oil and filter every 10,000 mi. as recommended by Audi, with Mobil 1 full synthetic without issue. I'm even on the original timing chain guides and tensioners.

Interesting. I own a 2005 Honda CR-V with 92,895 miles. I just had my oil and filter changed at my local Honda dealership earlier today. They recommended I get my next oil change in 5 months or when I drive another 5,000 miles. Their recommendation and my expectation for this car lined up with what you discussed in your video. Your breakdown was appreciated. Thank you.

Almost always keep my vehicles for 10+ years. Growing up in West Texas and New Mexico it was super important to keep the oil and filters fresh. The air filter as well and the box vacuumed out. A follow up on radiator care would be welcomed. Engines seem to have come full circle in their operation. It used to be important to warmup a carbureted engine and then it became less so with direct injection. Now with all the turbochargers it’s back to a warmup stage before pulling out.

The oil in the Marquis gets changed every 3,000 miles like clockwork. The car has 497,000 miles. Good advice. GREAT VIDEO!

Just did an initial break in oil change at 1200 miles on my 2024 4Runner and plan to keep it as long as possible. Also sprayed Blaster Surface Shield lanolin undercoating inside and outside the frame, underside, and in door panels.

Thanks David, awesome breakdown for each oil change criteria :) 100% true results for "criteria A" with a 2001 Camry replacing oil/filter every 3-5 K kms since new and now the car has almost 500 K kms and still runs like the day it was born 😀

Every six months since mine sits in the garage most of the time. I only drive a few thousand miles a year living in Chicago.

WOW! This was the exact video I was looking for! I want to keep my boosted Lexus RC as long as possible, and recently, i've started to change my oil from every 5,000 miles to every 3,000 miles at about the 75k mile mark, so i'm hoping that will help keep it last in good condition until at least 300k miles

Great info, exactly what i'm looking for! I Own a 2014 F150 3.5L ecoboost, with 94k miles. I used to change the oil every 5K, but since it's getting up there in mileage, i've decided to change it every 3,500 with a brand new filter. I use the P1 Boss filter along with Valvoline Maxx life Hight mileage or Pennzoil Ultra or Platinum oil. However, i've been using the Valvoline more lately because it's much cheaper over the Pennzoil. Probably switch to the Pennzoil every third OCI.

If OEM milage intervals in your manual are based on OEM oil, and that OEM oil is already a full synthetic, I'd argue it's best not to grant any sort of leeway just because you're getting full synthetic. I typically hit the 6 months point long before I hit the milage anyway, so I'm saying that with no skin in the game 🤣 Many owners manuals also list a "standard usage" and "heavy usage" maintenance schedule. With standard being in the 10-12k miles/1yr, and heavy being half of that. And it's very easy to fall into the heavy usage category. Trying to convince my family they fully meet the criteria for heavy usage has been an uphill battle, even though they want to keep their cars to infinity and beyond.

That's exactly what I do the criteria a weather I own the vehicle five or fifty years I always change the oil within a six month period!

I drive a 2023 Mazda3 2.5 S Select FWD Sedan. So far, I've taken it in for an oil change & tire rotation about every 3500 miles. My first oil change was before a road trip from Illinois to Arizona and back. My second oil change was after returning from the road trip. I'm due for my third oil change soon. The car runs great and has been reliable. Not sure how long I'm going to keep the car, but I prefer to maintain it often and reduce the need for expensive repairs. Thanks for the recommendations.

Thank you, I am a do it yourselfer and I have great interest in these topics.

In the good old days, when cars and oil were both crap, it made sense to change oil and filter often. Cars and oil are both much better now. I bought a new Acura in 2006. Acura said 10,000 miles on conventional oil and 20,000 miles on the filter. I changed synthetic oil and filter every 10,000 miles. I sold it last fall with 223,000 miles on it. Oil analysis was fine. Performance was perfect. I never added a drop of oil. EPA estimate was 27-34 MPG when new, but I was still getting 35-37 MPG. Just how much better off would I be if I changed the oil over three times as often?

Run full synthetic. Change ever 5,000 miles. You can't go wrong.

Thank you David! Great information.

I do synthetic oil changes every 5,000 miles on my vehicles along with an OEM oil filter. I have no trouble making it to 250,000 miles. I definitely agree with your advice. Even though modern engine oils are excellent, it's the contaminates that are suspended in the oil from the air taken in from the engine, fuel, carbon and others. A bypass oil filter will really help this as well.

Need a transmission oil change interval video. Interview an Aisin transmission engineer!

@AutomotivePress: Excellent information, thank you! Can you do a video like this on transmission fluid, differential fluid, transfer case, etc? EDIT: do these recommendations apply to turbocharged and direct injection?

You are spot on with the recommendations. I drive a 2004 Avalon. purchased brand new. Have changed the oil every 3000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first. For the last 10 years, it has been short, urban hops to the grocery store. Once or twice a year, highway driving. Car runs like the first day driven, brand new. With the last oil change, I did my first chemical cleaning of the engine for 15 minutes. Preventative maintenance. Toyota no longer offers the Avalon model. So, take the sales tax alone on the 2022 Avalon, over $3000 in my county. That would pay for a lot of oil changes.

I'm 100 percent on board with your advice.

Thanks for making this video David! I just got a 2021 Lexus RX350 CPO which the factory has a “normal” 10k oil change interval in their included maintenance which I think is crazy. I am going to pay out of pocket for oil changes every 5k miles. Also another controversial thing I haven’t heard anyone talk about is that all current “L/Certified” used Lexuses are going to fall out of the certification because of the current airbag recall without resolution. My dealer gave me an equivalent extended warranty through Toyota but it’s not the “same thing” as what I paid for.

Sure, the oil manufacturers certify their oil to last 10,000-20,000 miles depending on product, and they make high mileage filters, but I change my oil every 13 seconds just in case.

Interesting summary and as always it also contradicts other engineer research and recommendations. SYNTETIC oil summary: Ihad a 2003 Chrysler DC with 306K - change oil and filter every six months, but lost it in a wreck. Current 2012 Chrysler TC with 123k change oil 1 a year and filter every 6 months. I average 6K mi annually on 10-15K Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 HP Filter. Bottom line: take good care of your wheels and they take good care of you.

The only thing I would add is checking oil levels regularly too. All engines "consume" oil, some more than others. By the time one's low oil indicator comes on one could have already caused damage, .. even in not immediately catastrophic. At a minimum, one should check oil level once a week. If one is going on a long trip, check it before and during the trip. After a while you will understand the catachrestic of your car and can adjust accordingly. And, as long as you're at it, one's weekly oil checking routine should include checking tire air pressure too. Otherwise, everything mentioned and the recommendations are spot on. Changing one's oil regularly is the single best thing one can do for engine longevity.

Going off Blackstone UOAs I change my oil every 25,000 miles running Red Line (POE base) or Amsoil signature series (PAO base) heavy duty 15w40 and the 2 micron Amsoil bypass filtration system. At 25k it still has plenty TBN and anti wear additives left with minimal wear metals and fuel dilution. It probably would be safe to run 30k intervals but 25k gives me peace of mind. I’ll change the full flow filter every 12,500 miles. For that I use the Purolator Boss

So the moral of the story is DO NOT BUY LEASED VEHICLES EVER!!!!

I have 2011 Toyota Corolla, it has 165k miles on it & have been changing oils/filter every 5k miles sometimes 6k miles, and still runs great.👍

Just found you! You have a soothing voice - and very calm, comprehensive review Very useful and enjoyable to watch

The manufacturer recommendation will find those common failure points where cleanliness is critical. AMD just repaired a Tundra with a sticking timing chain tensioner.

The greatest video 📹 EVER! Thank-you! You helped me SO-OOO-OO MUCH! May Almighty God continue to Bless 🙏 you (and your family 👪) for all the things that you do! ❤

Have owned and driven a 2014 Volvo V40 T5 (5 Cylinder Turbo) Cross Country since new. Just drove through 44,000km today. Synthetic Engine Oil and Filter changes at the Volvo Dealership every 6 months or 5,000km.

As a 'European' i love watching this content(and the discussion) as over here, annual maintenance - which is basically an oil/filter change plus look over on a 2 post - is the norm. A lot of European cars have variable servicing which push frequencies up to 2 yearly/20,000 miles. Really! Could this be because 80+% cars here are leased and the first owner will be chopping îr in after 3 years, so who cares about longevity? I would say that that tribology is so much more nuanced than given in this video. API standards require oils to meet minimum ASTM test criteria AFTER many hours of simulated usage: Heat - gross/integrated operating temperature, heat cycling - base oil & additive oxidation; wear rate; dirty carrying capability; lubricity (fuel dilution doesn't help here); water exposure Etc etc So depending on the use case, 100 hours or 1000 hours could see your oil dipping below the minimum requirements and hence not protecting your engine. Are you a fleet, where extending intervals by 3000 miles could save you 10s of thousands? Or is it your one car that gets you to work all day and you can dispose of the oil for free?

Depends a lot on the engine and also driving. The family MB needs oil change every 4 months 😭 due to fuel dilution

David, The cheapest engine is very expensive but the most expensive oil is very cheap. I spent a premium to acquire a FIRST CLASS Toyota engine and I have no intention of using second, third or fourth class oil to lubricate it. I use the best oil on the market and follow the oil manufacturer's severe service oil change interval. After nearly 19 years my 1ZZ-FE runs as well as the day it left the factory. 😁

Thank you for the guidance. I am a Type A while the remainder of my family are Type B as newer vehicle owners. I do have a conflict with the scaled maintenance guidance. Poor souls that purchase a used car under Type C maintenance. I practice a Type A schedule for my own and family's vehicles ensuring they get the best maintenance value.

I changed the oil on my 2014 Prius C every 10K miles per the manual. Bought it in 2017 with 97K miles and sold it in 2021 with 218K miles. (I was driving over 30K miles per year). Zero issues. Sticking with the manufacturer's recommendation for the rest of my cars. 1 year or 10K miles whichever comes first, unless special conditions warrant halving the interval (a lot of idling, towing, soft- and off-roading).

Good video, thanks for clarifying the time interval regardless of mileage. But what if you take many short trips (2.2 miles, 4 times a week)? Should the time interval decrease to maybe 4 months?

It would be nice to add an addional category for those people that don't drive very much and make lots of short trips. They need to be changing their oil more often or yearly or max every two years, but it is hard to convince some of them.

Great video and information. Thank you for sharing. 👍

And on turbo engines without separate oil pump lubricating the turbo itself it's important to let the engine idle for at least 1 minute before turning off the engine. Giving the turbo time to rev down again before the lubrication is shut down together with the engine shut down. Some cars have separate oil pump for the turbo itself, but not all cars. Something to have in mind. Great video... thanks 👍

That's the trouble when you buy a used car.You don't know how often the previous owner changed the oil & filter unless you know the previous owner personally. If you're buying a used car check the oil level dip stick & if you see sludge on the stick, don't buy that car! That engine is on borrowed time & ready to blow!!

1998 Nissan Maxima. 285,000 miles plus running strong. Synthetic oil for the past 18 years every 5K miles. Running clean and perfect 👍🏼

Having spent 42 years in the automotive industry, 32 of those as a shop owner with employees, I agree with your general service interval assessment. Especially for those who don’t read their owners manual. The whole service interval thing has become such a contentious thing. The automotive manufacturers have fallen into the word game, making up and changing definitions. With the 10 and 15,000 mile service interval Almost No one falls into the normal service interval. The normal intervals consist of starting the vehicle in Temperate conditions, driving a short distance to the freeway. Driving at freeway speeds for an extended period and a short distance to your destination. No cold or hot start conditions, no extended, driving on surface streets to get to the freeway. No stop and go traffic, no heavy loads (including passengers) , no short trips, no mountainous, driving, no towing, etc. All that would be under severe conditions, which applies to most of us, that is a much shorter service interval. Also what people don’t understand is that there are other things in their owners manual that are supposed to be done before that 15,000 mile oil change, brake inspections, tire rotations , fluid checks etc. Having a service done at 5,000 miles intervals rather than 15,000 miles intervals can save you money. If you use 15,000 miles as an interval and your tires or brakes only have 6000 miles left, they will sell you tires and brakes before you need them. Not to mention any other issues like belts, leakage, lights etc. A vehicle is an investment you need to protect. On a different note, I love that guy who was arguing with you about oil analysis. At no point did he say he was taking a sample between oil services or what type of driving he does. I love the guys who say “ I do 15,000 miles between oil services, but I do 15,000 miles in two months. Back to the beginning, it’s not the miles but the type of driving. 😊😊

❤ on-point thanks i have owned my 02 Mazda Protege 5 since 2002 and once i reached the first 100K miles i have been using synthetic oil and do e the oil changes every 3K mikes. current mileage 239K miles on the original engine!

I find remembering to do the oil change is critical. I've got five cars in my "family fleet". The cost of oil for the car is a fraction of the cost of the fuel I put in a car, it doesn't hurt I shop for oil on sale, get good quality oil filters inexpensively and change the oil myself. All that said, I like an interval of 3,333 miles. So, my entire fleet gets oil changes when the odometer ends in 3,333 miles, 6,666 miles and 9,999 (10K) miles. They're all on the same schedule, so I can tell at a glance when I'm due for an oil change on any of the cars I'm responsible for.

People, most service centers at dealerships don’t know anything about oil. Seriously. There was once a time where paying more, a lot more, to have a dealership service your vehicle was worth every cent as they hired skilled mechanics and did top quality honest work. That’s no longer the case, hasn’t been for a long time. Today you still pay through the nose at a dealership for service but they give zero F’s about the quality of work they do, zero. Change your own dang oil. Some things can’t be avoided, recalls etc. but otherwise do as much work as you can on your own vehicle that way you know it’s done with pride and done well. It’s 2024, you can figure out how to do most things on your own.

David, We have a 2004 Honda CRV in our family with 150k miles that we bought brand new in 2004 and we have done a synthetic oil and filter change every 4 months since buying the vehicle. The engine is still running like it was brand new. Hoping our other cars (2016 4 Runner and 2022 CRV) last as long as our 2004 with the push for EV's coming.

25 year old Honda Accord, oil and filter changed every 3,000 miles and it still runs perfectly.

Love your videos. Makes perfect sense. Would you do a video on using different brands of oil? Pennzoil vs Castrol vs mobil vs Valvoline. Does it make a difference?

You are 1000 percent correct don't bother about such criticism

This is the best explanation and recommendation I've heard. I drive 7k per year, so I fall within changing oil every 6 months as I'm planning to keep mine as long as possible. Thanks.

Super video, thanks.

I would add, if you change your oil every 3000 miles, don’t bother with buying expensive brand oils, buy the right viscosity of whatever is on sale. Same for filters.