One of the many minor hassles of owning a Toyota car is the oil changes but they are crucial in keeping your car in good shape. In general, if you don’t change your oil on time and with the proper products, it could void your car’s warranty. Though car experts now say that the standard oil change interval of every three months or every 3,000 miles is old news and that most cars can travel quite a bit farther before needing the oil replaced.
In addition, if you are changing your oil more frequently than necessary, it won’t help your car but it can be a waste of money, time, and resources. Also, throwing away oil that’s still usable puts a strain on the environment. If you are unsure, you can always go to Toyota servicing near me for advice.
4 Recommended Intervals for Oil Changes
- Change every 1,000 miles or every six months
If some experts say that 3,000 miles is too often, well it depends on your driving habits. If your driving routine consists mostly of trips that are 10 miles or less, you should consider changing your oil more often than every 3,000 miles for two reasons:
- If you’re not making long trips at high, steady speeds then your engine isn’t getting hot enough to boil off the condensation that could accumulate in the system. That can cause oil to break down faster. You can go to the timing belt service near me if you need help with your engine.
- Most 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.
- Change every 3,000 miles
Some car experts suggest that the 3,000-mile interval is really for the benefit of shops that change oil like Toyota servicing near me, since the more frequently you come in, the more money they make. If you have an older-model car that recommends an oil change every 3,000 miles, you’re probably better off adhering to it.
- Change every 10,000 miles
If you decide to make a switch to synthetic oil, you could go as many as 10,000 miles or more between oil changes. Though synthetic oil is much more expensive than regular oil, it has more benefits like performing better than regular oil and is better for the environment. You shouldn’t switch to synthetic if your car doesn’t need it but if your car model is known to be prone to issues like the engine getting clogged with the residue of degraded oil, then synthetic oil can help alleviate those problems and prolong the life of your engine. Go to the timing belt service near me if you need servicing for your car.
Reading the Dashboard Lights
It is always best to keep track of the miles you drive between oil changes, though newer model cars make this easier with a dash indicator that tells you it’s time to head to the shop, as part of what is called an oil monitoring system.
These systems track your mileage and also use data from your driving that’s analyzed by your car’s computer to determine when your car needs an oil change. When the light illuminates, it’s best to get the oil changed as soon as possible, but it’s not necessarily urgent.
