‘Big Facts:' Chevy Driver Says Oil Changes Every 3,000 Miles Are Why He Hit 200,000 Miles. Should You Ignore Dealers' Advice?

Motor 1

6 days ago

The owner of a Chevy doesn't care what the experts say. He's sticking with the old 3,000-mile rule. He credits this with his Chevy making it past 200,000 miles.
Changing your motor oil is car maintenance 101, but people have different takes on how often cars need their oil changed.
The old rule of thumb was that it needs to be changed every 3,000 miles. Today, it's more commonly recommended to wait up to several thousand miles more between oil changes.
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In a two-part series, firefighter Matt Eason (@matteason) calls out people who wait until their oil change light comes on or change their oil every 5,000-10,000 miles.
'I been told it's a waste of time to change my oil at every 3,000 miles,' Eason says. 'Y'all tell me if it's a waste of time.' He trains the camera on the dashboard, showing his Chevy has 201,783 miles in
one
of the posts.
'That's what 3,000-mile oil changes will do for you,' Eason says.
Eason notes that he bought the vehicle with 40,000 miles on it.
In a comment on one of his posts, he claims that the vehicle is 'like new under the hood and underneath and don't use a drop.'
'Keep doing your one-year oil changes and wonder why your motor fails,' he says.
His advice is stirring up some debate in the comments.
What Does Motor Oil Do?
Motor oil helps keep your engine running efficiently by acting as a lubricant between the moving parts to prevent premature or unnecessary wear and tear. It also helps keep the engine cool and clean.
Over time that oil gets worn out and degraded from the heat and pressure it's exposed to. It also gets gunked up with particles. That's why it needs to be changed at regular intervals.
How Often Do You Need to Change Your Oil?
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While many cars have some form of notification that lets you know when it's time for an oil change, there are other metrics you can go off to ensure you're not waiting until your car is in dire need of new oil to get it serviced.
In older models, those notifications are often based on mileage alone. Newer ones have
sensors
that take into account other metrics, such as engine revolutions, temperature, and driving time. Because time between changes, driving style, and conditions also affect the condition of oil, sometimes you may need to change it more or less frequently.
The rule used to be that you should get your oil changed every 3,000 miles without fail.
But as the industry has made advancements in both engines and oil blends, that number has moved to every 7,500 to 10,000 miles or every six to 12 months, according to
Consumer Reports
.
AAA
, on the other hand, recommends changing oil every 5,000 to 7,500 miles for most engines.
It's generally accepted that changing your car's oil too often can't hurt it; it'll just cost more.
Not changing it often enough, on the other hand, can cause long-term or more severe issues. Overheating, increased wear and tear, and even engine failure are all possible effects of not changing your oil frequently enough.
Consult your car's manual or mechanic for advice that's specific to your vehicle.
Controversy in the Comments
Some people were impressed. 'I didn't see it at first, but 40+psi at operating temp with 201k is CRAZY!' one exclaimed.
According to
Rymax Lubricants
, oil pressure should range between 25 and 65 pounds per square inch (psi).
Not everyone agrees with Eason's assertion that more frequent oil changes have kept his Chevy running smoothly, however.
One person said that it's not necessarily a flex to have a car with 200,000 miles, as most modern engines should be able to reach this milestone.
'My 2017 Ford Explorer just hit 200k. I change the oil at 10k,' another wrote.
A third said, 'You don't need to change every 3k.'
Eason replied, 'Well I do and it works with all my vehicles so I'll keep doing it. I have trust issues with oil lol.'
Motor1
reached out to Eason for comment via TikTok direct message and comment. We'll be sure to update this if he responds.
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