That’s an excellent question. “How often should I change my car’s oil?” is probably the most important question you’ll ask about your car. There is nothing you can do to maintain your vehicle that will have more importance than changing the oil on schedule.

So, what is the answer to the question “How often should I change my car’s oil?”

The answer used to be every 3,000 miles, or every two months, whichever comes first. But cars have changed. Oils have changed. Today, the answer to the question, “How often should I change my car’s oil” is, “It depends.”

It depends on the vehicle and it depends on the oil that you use. For instance, there are synthetic oils that you can drive on longer and further than with conventional oil. With synthetic oil, some say every 5,000 miles. But that also changes based on the vehicle and the manufacturer. For instance, Toyota has recommended changing the synthetic oil every 10,000 miles. Jaguar recommends every 15,000 miles (based on an article in Edmunds.com - http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/stop-changing-your-oil.html).

While you may find varied opinions about how frequently to change your car’s oil, the best bet is to refer to your owner’s manual. If you can’t find the owner’s manual, you can always check with a trusted auto repair shop. If they’re truly trustworthy, they won’t care if you’re planning to bring the car into them for the oil change or not. The understand the importance of changing the oil on schedule and they’ll want to help you maintain your vehicle.

Why is it so important to change your car’s oil on schedule? Consider what the oil does for your car’s engine and, therefore, for your car and for you.

It’s a vital lubricant: We all know oil is slippery. Put it between your fingers in one hand and rub the fingers together. At the same time, rub your fingers together on the other hand. You’ll quickly feel the difference. This is the difference between the parts in your car’s engine that rely on the lubricating properties of oil.

Oil reduces heat: If, in the previous example, you rubbed your fingers together long enough, if you rub hard, between the fingers without oil, you’ll start to feel heat. The same thing happens with a car’s engine. Therefore, the oil not only makes the parts slide together better, the oil also reduces the heat from parts sliding together.

Oil carries the heat away: The oil in the engine is pumped so that it travels through strategically placed arteries in the engine. The oil flows from the oil pan through the engine and back to the oil pan. On the way, it carries away some of the heat in the engine. The coolant also plays a major role in this process but the oil contributes to the process.

Oil keeps it clean:  All that rubbing inside the engine produces small particles that, if they remained between moving surfaces, would scratch surfaces. Dirt finds its way into the engine, as well. The oil carries that dirt from the engine and through the oil filter where it is removed from the oil stream.

If the oil isn’t there to do these vital tasks the engine won’t last long. Without any oil, it’s only a question of minutes before an engine seizes up. The parts are virtually welded together. Even if the engine has some oil or dirty oil, it may continue to run longer but, in the process damage and extensive wear occur. The gist of this is that “How often should I change my car’s oil” is every bit as important a question as you can ask about your car.