AAA South Jersey July/August 2012 : Page 7
How Often Do I Need to Change My Oil Most drivers on the road have grown up with the traditionally advertised oil change recommendation of 3,000 miles, but the truth is that interval is no longer really necessary. In fact, if you’re driving a car that’s less than five years old, you’re probably wasting money — and oil — if you change it as frequently as that. In the 1970s, typical cars used 10W-40 oil, which tended to wear out within about 3,000 miles. Thanks to improvements in high-quality lubricants and tighter tolerances in the assembly of automotive engines, the truth is the 3,000-mile baseline does not apply to many cars on the road today; in fact, automakers now recommend oil changes at 5,000, 7,000, 10,000 or even as high as 15,000 miles for newer models under ideal driving conditions. For example, Toyota recommends an oil change at 5,000 miles for a 2005 Tacoma pickup, Honda recommends 7,500 miles for its 2002 Odyssey, General Motors suggests 7,500 miles for its 2007 Chevrolet Malibu, Ford recommends 10,000 miles for its 2011 Fiesta. A 2008 Porsche Boxster can go 12,000 miles between changes, and a 2010 BMW 3 Series can go up to 15,000 miles before an oil change under ideal conditions; with this kind of complexity, it’s easy for consumers to be confused. A recent survey by CalRecycle indicates that almost 10 million Californians change their motor oil every 3,000 miles or more often, using more than 114 million gallons of motor oil each year – enough oil to fill 173 Olympic-sized swimming pools. And that’s just California — imagine how much oil is being wasted across the entire United States by people who have fallen victim to advertising and don’t follow the intervals recommended in their owner’s manual. “Unless you’re driving a really old car, or under super extreme conditions, there’s really no reason to change your oil at 3000 miles anymore,” says TrueCar Consumer Editor Shadee Malekafzali. Let’s put that amount into dollars: Changing motor oil according to manufacturer specifications would reduce motor oil demand in California by approximately 10 million gallons per year, and could halve the amount of money those drivers spend on oil changes, which average about $25 at quick-change facilities and can cost significantly more if your vehicle uses long-life synthetic oil. Under normal driving conditions, cutting back to the automaker’s recommended intervals will not affect your car’s engine, its performance, or your warranty. ? Christie Signs Road Rage Bill Chris Christie signed a law in mid-April that can get aggressive drivers up to five years in prison if their behavior behind the wheel causes a serious injury. “It does not permit you to act out every one of your childish tantrums while behind the wheel of a vehicle,” Christie said. Under the new law, aggressive drivers who cause injuries are subject to the same penalties as those who cause injuries while driving drunk. Those who cause serious injuries can be sentenced to five years in prison. Those responsible for 5/23/12 minor injuries Marriott-JA12-12596 10:43 could be sentenced to 18 months. A How Do You Know When To Change Your Oil? It’s easy. Read your owners manual. Or simply do what your car tells you. Since 2003, General Motors has equipped nearly its entire North American lineup with the GM Oil Life System; in fact, since the 2010 model year, nearly half of American carmakers now offer Oil Life Monitoring Systems to tell drivers when their car actually needs its oil changed, including Acura, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Mini. These Oil Life Monitoring systems automatically monitor engine characteristics, driving habits, cold starts, short-distance trips, and the climate in which the vehicle is operated, and then notify the driver when it is time to get an engine oil change. What Is Considered Severe Use? Extensive idling or driving frequently in stop-and-go traffic; cold temperatures below 10 degrees; extreme temperatures above 90 degrees; extreme humidity; repeated short-distance trips of less than five miles; towing a trailer or hauling heavy materials; or using E85 fuel more than 50 percent of the time. If you do drive in any one of these conditions in a typical week, you are driving in severe conditions, and may need to change your oil more often. If you are an extremely low-mileage driver you should change your vehicle’s engine oil at least once a year. Otherwise, if your vehicle is equipped with an oil life monitoring system, you can trust the info/alert in your dashboard to tell you more accurately when you need a change. Don’t have an Oil Life Monitoring System? Consult your owner’s manual, your auto manufacturer’s official website, or authorized dealer for more information. Curious about your car right now but don’t have an owner’s manual handy? You can find suggested oil change intervals for many makes and models all the way back to the 2000 model year on the nifty widget at www.checkyournumber.org. AAA.com • SJ First • 7 • July/August
How Often Do I Need To Change My Oil?
Most drivers on the road have grown up with the traditionally advertised oil change recommendation of 3,000 miles, but the truth is that interval is no longer really necessary. In fact, if you’re driving a car that’s less than five years old, you’re probably wasting money — and oil — if you change it as frequently as that.<br /> <br /> In the 1970s, typical cars used 10W-40 oil, which tended to wear out within about 3,000 miles. Thanks to improvements in high-quality lubricants and tighter tolerances in the assembly of automotive engines, the truth is the 3,000-mile baseline does not apply to many cars on the road today; in fact, automakers now recommend oil changes at 5,000, 7,000, 10,000 or even as high as 15,000 miles for newer models under ideal driving conditions. For example, Toyota recommends an oil change at 5,000 miles for a 2005 Tacoma pickup, Honda recommends 7,500 miles for its 2002 Odyssey, General Motors suggests 7,500 miles for its 2007 Chevrolet Malibu, Ford recommends 10,000 miles for its 2011 Fiesta. A 2008 Porsche Boxster can go 12,000 miles between changes, and a 2010 BMW 3 Series can go up to 15,000 miles before an oil change under ideal conditions; with this kind of complexity, it’s easy for consumers to be confused.<br /> <br /> A recent survey by CalRecycle indicates that almost 10 million Californians change their motor oil every 3,000 miles or more often, using more than 114 million gallons of motor oil each year – enough oil to fill 173 Olympic-sized swimming pools. And that’s just California — imagine how much oil is being wasted across the entire United States by people who have fallen victim to advertising and don’t follow the intervals recommended in their owner’s manual. “Unless you’re driving a really old car, or under super extreme conditions, there’s really no reason to change your oil at 3000 miles anymore,” says TrueCar Consumer Editor Shadee Malekafzali. Let’s put that amount into dollars: Changing motor oil according to manufacturer specifications would reduce motor oil demand in California by approximately 10 million gallons per year, and could halve the amount of money those drivers spend on oil changes, which average about $25 at quick-change facilities and can cost significantly more if your vehicle uses long-life synthetic oil. Under normal driving conditions, cutting back to the automaker’s recommended intervals will not affect your car’s engine, its performance, or your warranty.<br /> <br /> How Do You Know When To Change Your Oil?<br /> <br /> It’s easy. Read your owners manual. Or simply do what your car tells you. Since 2003, General Motors has equipped nearly its entire North American lineup with the GM Oil Life System; in fact, since the 2010 model year, nearly half of American carmakers now offer Oil Life Monitoring Systems to tell drivers when their car actually needs its oil changed, including Acura, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Mini. These Oil Life Monitoring systems automatically monitor engine characteristics, driving habits, cold starts, short-distance trips, and the climate in which the vehicle is operated, and then notify the driver when it is time to get an engine oil change.<br /> <br /> What Is Considered Severe Use?<br /> <br /> Extensive idling or driving frequently in stop-and-go traffic; cold temperatures below 10 degrees; extreme temperatures above 90 degrees; extreme humidity; repeated short-distance trips of less than five miles; towing a trailer or hauling heavy materials; or using E85 fuel more than 50 percent of the time. If you do drive in any one of these conditions in a typical week, you are driving in severe conditions, and may need to change your oil more often.<br /> <br /> If you are an extremely low-mileage driver you should change your vehicle’s engine oil at least once a year. Otherwise, if your vehicle is equipped with an oil life monitoring system, you can trust the info/alert in your dashboard to tell you more accurately when you need a change. Don’t have an Oil Life Monitoring System? Consult your owner’s manual, your auto manufacturer’s official website, or authorized dealer for more information. Curious about your car right now but don’t have an owner’s manual handy? You can find suggested oil change intervals for many makes and models all the way back to the 2000 model year on the nifty widget at www.checkyournumber.org.
Christie Signs Road Rage Bill
Chris Christie signed a law in mid-April that can get aggressive drivers up to five years in prison if their behavior behind the wheel causes a serious injury.<br /> <br /> “It does not permit you to act out every one of your childish tantrums while behind the wheel of a vehicle,” Christie said.<br /> <br /> Under the new law, aggressive drivers who cause injuries are subject to the same penalties as those who cause injuries while driving drunk. Those who cause serious injuries can be sentenced to five years in prison. Those responsible for minor injuries could be sentenced to 18 months.
