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Why are oil changes so frequent in the USA? Here in Germany the manufacturer's recommendation is usually an oil change every ~10k miles or once a year (whichev
by skrause 9y ago
Why are oil changes so frequent in the USA? Here in Germany the manufacturer's recommendation is usually an oil change every ~10k miles or once a year (whichever come first).
- jaclaz 9y agoIt depends on cars, and on quality of oil and on driving style/habits, I had a (German BTW) turbodiesel car where the on-board computer would tell me when the oil change was necessary, and it averaged every 30,000 to 33,000 km (which happened after a little more than one year). I changed car only when (12 years old) it was around 340,000 km without having ever had any engine related issue (and it was still running fine, I changed it only because a relative's car with only 80,000 Km became available).
- iamatworknow 9y agoIt's basically the same for modern cars in the US, too. I lease a Toyota Corolla and bring it in for the regular maintenance every 6 months, as instructed. They only change the oil every other visit, or roughly every 10-12k miles. The other visits are just inspections and tire rotations. The maintenance guide says the oil should be changed every 5k miles only if driving under "special operating conditions": - Driving on dirt roads or dusty roads - Driving while towing, using a car-top carrier, or heavy vehicle loading - Repeated trips of less than five miles in temperatures below 32°F / 0°C - Extensive idling and/or low speed driving for a long distance such as police, taxi or door-to-door delivery use
- bluGill 9y agoBecause it is "harmless" and supports the oil change companies therefore they spread the myth that you need to change your oil more often than is required as a treat to your engine.