I think we can all agree that getting your vehicle’s oil changed regularly is one of the most important things you can do for your vehicle’s health. Seriously! The oil in your vehicle’s engine keeps it running smoothly and keeps it from overheating. Without oil, your engine could seize or overheat and those repairs are WAY more expensive than just getting your oil changed. Do you see where I am going with this? Good. I just wanted to pop in and tell you about getting your oil changed, guide you through the process, and then maybe when you’re done reading this you’ll go out and see if your vehicle is due for one.

So, the general rule of thumb is to change your oil every 3,000 miles. That’s all well and good, but depending on the age of your car and what type of oil is used in the change (along with many other factors), that length of time is super variable. If you drive a very old car, you’re going to want to get your oil changed more frequently than every 3,000 miles – which also evens out to around 6 months. If you have a newer car, that frequency is going to be lower. In addition, synthetic oils reduce the need for oil changes as often.

You should always ask your dealer as well as consult your owner’s manual regarding oil changes. The manual will give you a good baseline for your specific model, but your dealer can assess the current condition of your vehicle and give you a really good estimate for how frequently you should get your oil changed.

In addition to getting your oil changed frequently, you should be checking the oil yourself at least once a month. This is really easy – just pop the hood and pull out the oil dipstick. There should be guidelines on the dipstick itself that tell you where the oil level is at. If it’s low, you can top it off yourself to hold you over until the next oil change – though if the oil level goes down really rapidly no matter how often you top off the tank, you should take your vehicle in to get looked at as this could be indicative of your engine burning oil or a leak in the lines somewhere. If your oil looks really dirty as well, this could be a sign that you need to get your oil changed. Little particles in your oil can cause buildup and make your vehicle run less efficiently.

All in all, talk to your dealer about getting your oil changed – there are definitely some habits you should have about it that a lot of people don’t have, and both your vehicle and your mechanic will thank you for taking good care of your vehicle!