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Oil Change Frequency
by Bob DeP. AskBob@stretcher.com
Hi Bob,
We have a 1999 Ford Contour. They recommend oil change at 3,000 miles, then again at 6,000 miles. I thought I read somewhere the second oil change can wait till 10,000 miles. Can we wait till 10,000 or should we change it at 6,000? The car was bought new. We only do local driving so the miles are slow to pile up. We are at 6,300 at present.
Pat
Pat, I have gotten into many arguments regarding this issue. My personal advise, and this is not from any oil or auto manufacturer, but coming from a consumer just like you, is that you should change your oil every 3,000 or 4,000 miles (more frequently if the car is a turbo). In your particular situation, the car is a short tripper that is not used very frequently. I would definitely change the oil more often, and I will tell you why.
Moisture will get into the oil from the ambient air. This is a normal occurrence but the moisture usually gets boiled off during normal operation. If the car is seldom used, this moisture will stay in the oil and start to form a sort of acid. This is BAD. I would try to take the car out at least once a month on a nice long drive down the interstate. This will help your situation out a lot.
Good Luck!
Drive Safely!
Bob, The Auto Answer Man
If you have a question for Bob send it to: He's able to answer many of them personally and we'll include the best questions in future issues of The Dollar Stretcher.
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