How often should you change synthetic oil?

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JOPLIN, Mo. (KSNF/KODE): Your car’s engine oil has an incredibly difficult job.

Since it’s cold at the bottom of the engine oil pan, it should rise to the valve gear at the top and then come back down, and this should happen almost instantly when you start the motor. Oil protects everything inside the engine: bearings, pistons, cylinder walls, and all the other parts that move or touch something that does.

Because your oil works so hard, it’s important to know when to change your oil and filter. There was a time when local service stations and oil change franchisees recommended changing your car’s oil and filters every 3,000 miles. This rule of thumb may have come in part from a marketing ploy. No matter, today’s fully synthetic motor oil often lasts two to three times longer than conventional motor oil.

Tabitha Ruhl, manager of Joplin Transmission and Auto Center, said there are two different time periods when your vehicle’s oil should be changed, and it all depends on the oil your car uses.

Conventional or semi-synthetic oil

“A semi-synthetic, which in all honesty all conventionals are semi-synthetics anyway, but a lot of people don’t recognize that. So in a semi-synthetic, you should change the oil every 3,500 to 5,000 miles, or every four to six months, whichever comes first,” Ruhl said.

synthetic oil

“On a fully synthetic oil change, some manufacturers say they can go up to 7,500 miles or six months without an oil change. At Joplin Transmission and Auto Center, we always recommend doing them between 5,000 and 10,000 miles, or every six at twelve months,” Ruhl said.

Should I use synthetic oil?

According to Consumer Reports, using synthetic oil has advantages compared to semi-synthetic or conventional motor oil. Full synthetic is designed to be more effective at resisting oil breakdown, making it last longer than conventional oil. It is also designed to withstand higher temperatures than conventional oil, which helps keep engines running longer.

In most cases, it is more economical to use a fully synthetic oil in your vehicle. Kelly Blue Book reports that an oil and filter change with conventional/semi-synthetic oil will cost between $35 and $75, depending on your area. As for synthetic oil, you should expect to pay between $65 and $125, but it makes up for some of the cost since synthetic oil lasts longer and needs to be changed less often.

Because electric cars don’t use any oil, almost any gasoline-powered car can benefit from using synthetic oil, with one exception: it’s not recommended for pre-1990 vehicles or those that specifically require motor oils conventional It’s best to check your vehicle’s manual, as some newer models can only take fully synthetic engine oil.