Maintaining a car engine is the most important part of car ownership, and regular oil changes are essential. Although most follow the recommended 10,000 miles, AAA recommends an oil change at least every 7,500 miles. To drive the point home, a mechanic recently showed viewers what happens when you don’t change your oil more than the dealership recommendation of 10,000 miles.
Responding to the question, “What happens to your car if you don’t get it serviced?” Rich (@fordbossme) gained over 31,000 views with his detailed explanation.
What happens if you don’t change your oil?
In the TikTok, he pointed to two examples of what happens when you don’t properly maintain your car. One was a $70,000 SUV, which Rich said needs a new engine that will cost the owner $20,000.
“Hasn’t been changing his oil, not sludged up yet,” he said.
The second vehicle was an Audi, “where [the owner] hasn’t been changing his oil” because he owned so many cars he didn’t care, “and now his timing chain jumped, and we’ve got valve problems, and cylinder head problems, and everything else now.”
“It’s pretty important to change your oil,” Rich continued, getting to the heart of the issue.
He added that “manufacturers will tell you you can go 10,000 miles,” but said waiting that long will cause serious issues in the long run that will eventually lead to buying a new car.
“5,000 max on your oil,” he reiterated.
Some viewers disagreed with his advice, pointing to personal experience.
“Did 10k oil changes on my 2004 Corolla and it went 300k+. Used mobile one or pennzoil ultra, whichever was cheaper at the time,” one said.
“Full synthetic is 10,000 miles. I feel anything less is a waste. I paid extra for full synthetic,” a second said.
“My buddy changed his oil on his dirtrango every 15k and it lasted him 300k miles,” a third remarked.
@fordbossme #stitch with @Meghan Elinor ♬ original sound – Meghan Elinor
Others agreed with Rich and argued for regular maintenance.
“I’ve been a Machine Repairman for 40yrs ,If you want to destroy any machine don’t change the oils ! I change my oil every 5K Dif and transfer case every 40K,” a viewer replied.
“I change my own every 3-5k. Never over 5,” another agreed.
How do you know the right time for your car?
According to Car and Driver, some newer vehicles are equipped with oil-life monitors. These gadgets use algorithmic sensors and software to keep track of drive temperatures, cold starts, driving hours, idling hours, and engine revs. All of this data is used to calculate required oil changes.
Otherwise, oil change frequency requires guesswork and some common sense. Staying aware of your oil life and when you last got an oil change is key. However, if you drive in severe conditions, oil change frequency drastically increases. These conditions include short trips of five miles or less, short trips of 10 miles or less, driving in extreme heat with stop-and-go driving, driving at low speeds for long distances, driving on dirt or gravel roads, and long-distance hauling.
Still, following Rich’s advice seems like a safe bet. Even if your oil-life monitor says different, regular and early maintenance will only help your car live a long and happy life.
The Daily Dot reached out to Rich via TikTok comments for more information.
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