How often should I change my oil?
Tom Vondrasek | 29th May 2023 | 5 minutes to read
Oil changes are a necessary evil when it comes to car maintenance. Your best friend here is the service books you usually get with your vehicle. It will tell you, based on kilometres travelled, when your oil should be changed. These days they also give a timeframe, such as changing your engine oil after 3 months or 6 months.
To me, the more important one is kilometres travelled, as the engine has actually worked and given the oil something to do. The timeframe if the car has sat idle is nowhere near as concerning, because if that is exceeded (within reason) it's unlikely to cause major damage.
There are a couple of disclaimers on this. One is a new vehicle’s first service. Time is important as you want to make sure it hasn’t got any major issues. The dealer can give it a good once over to make sure things are working as intended.
The other is the dreaded factory warranty. You don’t want them to void it because you thought everything was OK and there was no need to come in. It always pays to check what your obligations are.
Paying attention to these things when considering an oil change is important, so let’s take a look at some important questions to ask yourself:
Should I Change My Oil Often?
This is dependent on your vehicle’s servicing schedule, which will be set by the manufacturer. Especially these days as warranties are getting longer so you are bound to keep it up as suggested.
Once out of warranty, it becomes your issue, which may sound daunting but, as long as you use common sense, changing your oil shouldn’t be a major issue. You’re still going to want to stick to a schedule, as the only time you may change oil earlier than recommended is if you drive in hard conditions like dusty dirt roads or carry heavy weights or tow trailers. This adds strain to an engine and makes it work harder than the average road car.
It is the same as if you do any competitive motorsport, this also adds great stress to an engine, which makes fresh oil all the more important.
A good rule of thumb is to check the oil colour. It needs to be that nice golden honey brown colour. If it looks dark brown or murky, then it’s probably time for an oil change. Please change the filter as well whenever you change the oil — you wouldn’t use a face mask that has been worn so why put clean oil through a dirty filter.
Changing Your Oil and Filter When Your Car Is Under Warranty
In the warranty period make sure you understand what the manufacturer’s expectations are and make sure you meet them. It is just easier that way. At least then, if something goes pear-shaped you have done the right thing — which is a good place to be once the finger pointing starts.
Sometimes, part of the servicing is included in the deal you made when buying the car. There are a lot of workshops that can perform dealer servicing and not void your factory warranty, so you do have a choice. Some places are happy for you to supply parts like the correct oil and filter, and they will simply do the work. This can be a great option, as it can save you trying to dispose of old used oil and you get someone that knows what they are doing handling the process.
Like anything in life, it is worth doing a quick price comparison as sometimes the place you thought would be the most expensive is the cheapest.
To pick the correct oil see: What Oil Does My Car Take?
How Often Should I Change My Oil When the Vehicle Is Out of Warranty?
This one is up to you and is dependent on so many factors. Do you want to look after the vehicle or run it into the ground? Are you fussed about the resale or trade-in value or is it inconsequential?
To keep the vehicle in good working order, keep making the changes recommended by the vehicle’s manufacturer. For some high mileage vehicles, you may have driven more kilometres than in the service manual. When this happens, you can consult the manufacturer or authorised dealer to come up with a plan. If your local mechanic has been doing the servicing, you can also follow their advice if you feel comfortable doing so.
The other thing that will happen is the engine will now be worn and tired. You may need to go to a slightly thicker viscosity oil to stop or slow oil usage and top ups may be required more regularly. Even if that means that while topping the engine up with oil regularly at some point you need to drain the sump and change the oil filter as well. This is still important as it stops the build-up of sludge and dirt in the engine which are major factors in increasing the rate of engine wear.
Here you can see an engine that hasn't been receiving regular oil changes and the oil has turned to sludge.
How Do I Know When I Need To Change My Oil?
This should be pretty straight forward if you have read the article from the start. Here’s a quick recap.
When under manufacturer’s vehicle warranty, stick to the service intervals specified by the manufacturer. Use the recommended oil and oil filter for your engine. This will save you from arguments and it covers you if something does go wrong.
Once the warranty period is over, and to keep your vehicle in good running order, stick with the manufacturer’s service intervals. Once these have expired you can use the manufacturer, their authorised dealer, or your local mechanic for recommendations.
The final piece is if your vehicle leads a hard life by carrying heavy loads or towing, or works in a harsh dusty environment, you may want to change the oil and filter more regularly. Simply check the oil. If it is dark or murky then change it, if still golden brown and clear, it is good to go.
When it’s time for an oil change you can easily head into your nearest Repco store and get handy advice with your top up bottle or shop online from the comfort of your home.
