Where the heck did the 3,000 mile motor oil change interval come from? Changing your oil on that short interval has been the norm for a good 50 years.  It makes me wonder who was the first to establish oil changes had to happen every 3,000 miles .

Time has changed a few things now!  The days of short commutes and living next door to your place of business are gone .  People continue to move further and further away from their place of employment.  This means more miles and more driving and more consumption of oil…

Traveling on dirt and gravel roads used to be more widespread than it is today.  The daily commute now is relatively dust free compared to years ago .  Dirt and dust are hard on an engine .  This causes an abrasive environment in your engine oil .  With most of the dirty driving behind us as more and more roads are paved, gone is the need to change motor oil as frequently.

Do you remember when you were excited when engines lasted 70,000 miles.  It is a recent change but seems like it was only the 1980s when vehicle longevity improved significantly.  Engine materials and manufacturing tolerances improved and when that happened it increased the capability of extending oil changes with the right oil.

Where is the 3,000 mile oil change now?  I don’t know because I am not seeing it suggested in the manual for any of my vehicles.  I am seeing a lot of oil bottles that have higher numbers than 3,000 on them.  So who is still propagating this 3,000 mile oil myth?  It is hard to tell but I have to believe whomever is doing it has some money in the game.  Time may tell.

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