State Urges Motorists to Change Oil Less Often
They say “old habits die hard” and nothing affirms this adage more than the myth that you must change your oil every 3000 miles. California state officials have launched a campaign to spread the word that this service interval is far too premature for most any car. With modern manufacturer-recommended drain intervals ranging from 7500 to 15000 miles, millions of gallons of waste oil is needlessly being generated.
California has launched a website at checkyournumber.org where car owners can see exactly what the suggested oil change interval is for their vehicle. The hope is that campaign will help break many of the outmoded notion that going beyond 3000 miles will cause premature engine wear.
The “3000 mile” concept goes back many years to the days when car engine designs and motor oil technology were quite antiquated. Regular maintenance was much more critical in the days of carburetors, loose engine tolerances and spotty tuning. Even today, many quick lube operations steadfastly promote the 3000 mile drain interval as a way to keep customers coming back on a frequent basis.
Research shows that 51% of US motorists still believe that they should change their oil every 3000 miles and just 33% go beyond 4000 miles! Read more at the LA Times story State hopes to break car owners’ habit of changing oil too often.
AMSOIL has been chipping away at the 3000 mile myth for almost 40 years. They introduced the very first extended drain, synthetic oil for automotive use back in 1972. The rest of the auto industry has slowly come to embrace the extended drain concept. If you wish to extend engine life, no matter how long you choose to prolong your service interval, look no further than AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils. Long drain intervals are the hallmark of these products, so if your OEM service interval has you feeling uneasy or if you wish to go well beyond, we have a product for you.