That sticker has been staring at your for a couple of weeks now. You see it out of the corner of your eye. Right there in the upper left hand corner of the windshield. It’s telling you that you need an oil change every 3000 miles or when your mileage gets up to xx,xxx. “Are you really due again?” you ask yourself. So you wake up early Saturday morning and head off the the local mechanic for another oil change.
But did you really need one?
See, those handy reminders that the mechanics put on your windshield for you are more helpful to them then they are to you. These days most cars can go longer than 3000 miles between oil changes yet every reminder sticker I’ve seen says it’s time for a new oil change at 3000 miles. In fact my Toyota Corolla’s owner’s manual says I would need an oil change every 7500 miles. If I followed the sticker I would be getting more than twice the oil changes than I need (that means spending twice what I should)!
Don’t let this happen to you. Check your owner’s manual or look up your car online to see what the recommended oil change mileage should be for your car. [Online I have found the common suggestion for oil changes to be around 5000 miles.]
So you can’t trust that sticker, now what? Here’s what I do: My car has two trip odometers. I use one for gas tank fill ups to see how much mileage I get on fill ups. The next one I use for oil changes. Every time I get an oil change I reset the trip odometer back to zero so I can see how many miles until the next oil change. When the meter hits the recommended number I’m ready for an oil change.
How do you keep track of your car’s oil changes?
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Wow, I did not realise this. I drive a Toyota Camry and service it at a Toyota Service Centre. I follow those sticker warnings quite studiously. I must check out what my manual says.
Thanks for pointing this out.
FFB:
I couldn’t agree more about the needless oil changes. I think you’re in the minority with 2 trip odometers though! I wish I had that. I’ve only ever seen cars with a single, and many with no trip odometer at all.
Anyway, since I have only a single odometer and I use that for gas mileage tracking, I have another method for oil changes - coupons.
I use Jiffylube for my oil changes and they offer $5 off if you bring the car in within 500 miles of that 3000 mile mark (how is that for a sneaky tactic to get extra oil changes?). However, they also send a $5 off coupon if it’s been more than 4 months since your last change. so I usually wait about 4-6 weeks AFTER my sticker tells me to go and I get a coupon. Then I know it’s time.
@ fathersez - Please let us know your findings. I’d be interested to see what the Toyota dealership suggests.
@ Joe - I guess I take my two odometers for granted then. I like your coupon method but you could still be getting an oil change too often.
You are spot on. My manual also says 7500 miles. Thanks. This is a great tip and I’m linking from my blog.
@ Cy - Thanks for the link. Much appreciated!
Certainly. It’s my pleasure. You’r saving me in oil changes!
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