Spent 2 years changing my oil at 5,000 miles before a mechanic buddy laughed at me

Turns out my owner's manual says 7,500 miles for synthetic, so I've been wasting $30 every change for no reason. Anyone else realize they've been following some old rule that doesn't apply to their car?

2 comments

2 Comments

sanchez.mary22d ago

I mean, you're not wrong that a lot of people overdo it, but "wasting $30 every change" might be a bit harsh. Most synthetic oil changes run around $50-70 where I'm at, so you're probably saving more like 15-20 bucks. Also, idk, I've heard some mechanics say that even if the manual says 7,500, it's not a bad idea to do it a little early if you do a lot of stop-and-go driving or short trips. Your buddy might be right about the manual, but changing it at 5,000 with synthetic isn't exactly throwing money away, especially if it keeps the engine cleaner longer.

coleman.keith21d ago

Hold up though. Paying for synthetic and then dumping it at 5,000 miles is literally throwing away half the oil's life. You're basically paying extra for nothing.