Commonly Asked Questions
 
Q:  HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CHANGE MY ENGINE OIL?
A:  How long do you want your car to last?

Q:  WHY SHOULD I CHANGE MY ENGINE OIL EVERY THREE MONTHS OR 3000 MILES?
A:  There are two important reasons to change motor oil.

First, motor oil is packed with important protective additives that can be depleted after about 3,000 miles.  Frequent oil changes are the best way to maintain adequate levels of protection for today's high-performing engines, especially those driven under "stop and go" conditions like errand-running and city traffic.

Second, motor oil becomes contaminated during use by partially-burned and unburned fuel, water vapor, dust, and even metal shavings.  Contaminates sometimes don't burn off under the most common kinds of driving conditions; instead they can turn into sludge.  Sludge reduces engine performance and restricts oil flow throughout the engine.



"Try to have the oil changed every 3 months, even though your car may not have gone 3,000 miles.  Short-trip driving is hard on oil.  Get a new oil filter with each change."
VIA, Magazine of the California State Automobile Association
Jan/Feb 1999


Changing your motor oil every three months or 3,000 miles has always been accepted as the easiest - and most important - maintenance you can perform on your car.  But with recent advances in technology, some automobile engines are built to withstand longer intervals between certain types of service.  Yet in spite of these advances, changing your oil frequently is still the simplest, smartest way to minimize costs, maximize performance, protect your investment and extend the life of your car.

Q:  DO I DRIVE UNDER NORMAL OR SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS?
A:  You probably drive your car under what's known as "severe service driving conditions".

In spite of how that sounds, you're in good company - studies show operate our vehicles under these conditions up to 90 percent of the time.  In the January / February 1999 issue of VIA, the California State Automobile Association defined severe service as "what most people think of as normal driving."  No matter how normal they seem, these conditions are tough on your oil.  Severe service driving conditions usually include:
  • Frequent trips of 10 miles or less at speeds of under 60 m.p.h., like dropping the kids off at school or soccer practice
  • Traffic that requires frequent stops and idling, like rush hour commutes
  • High temperature operation and stops and starts in cold weather
  • Dusty conditions, which are more prevalent than we realize
Your engine can become very vulnerable to the consequences of stop and go driving, frequent idling, and dust.  Severe service conditions without frequent oil changes can accelerate the depletion of friction-reducing chemicals in your car's oil.  This can create all sorts of other problems.

Q:  WHAT ABOUT TODAY'S NEWER ENGINES AND LOWER SERVICE INTERVALS?
A:  New car engines are built to tolerate longer intervals between certain kinds of service.

In fact, manufactures often highlight these service intervals to make their products more attractive to consumers.  But according to the January/February 1999 issue of VIA, the magazine of the California State Automobile Association, "the recommended interval between oil changes is one of the few instances where the car owner's manual may not be the engine's best friend."

In spite of these new engines and automotive technologies, the basics of engine care still begin with an oil change every three months or 3,000 miles.  There really isn't any new technology to prevent the need for frequent oil changes, given the most common driving conditions.  An oil change is still the cheapest, simplest, and most highly recommended preventive maintenance available.

Pennzoil is proud to lead the industry in developing technologically-advanced motor oils that exceed the hightest standards for U.S. and Japanese cars.  And Pennzoil backs its product with a limited warranty that is as simple as it is solid:  service your vehicle with the proper grade of Pennzoil motor oil at intervals of no more than four months or 4,000 miles and Pennzoil will guarantee many of your car's engine parts againts improper lubrication - for the lifetime of your vehicle.  (See the Pennzoil Lifetime Warranty for details.)