Ask an expert: How often do I need to service my car?
Felix Maxwell
Your owner’s manual will give you guidelines on oil change intervals. While many cars can observe the standard interval of 7,500 miles or more [approximately 12,000 km], some vehicles will qualify for the more frequent “severe service” oil change interval. Severe service calls for an oil change every 3,000 miles [approximately 4,800 km].
The severe service interval is suggested if you do a lot of short trips in cold weather, extensive highway driving in hot weather, regular driving in heavy stop-and-go traffic, drive your car in dusty or dirty conditions, tow regularly, or tend to drive through mountainous or hilly terrain. If this sounds like your usage pattern, more frequent oil changes will prolong your engine’s life, decrease its wear, and improve its reliability.