As far as cars are concerned, hearsay is many times more prevalent than the manufacturers’ own advice. One such case is the change of the engine’s oil: most car owners believe that 3,000 miles (5,000 km) is the appropriate mileage for an oil change.

This might have been true a few decades ago when engines needed extra care, but technology has moved on since then.

Nevertheless, despite the fact that almost all new vehicle manuals advise owners to change oil in their cars every 7,500 to 10,000 miles, studies show that a great number of drivers prefer to do things their own way.

“The 3,000-mile oil change just says that the marketing campaign by quick-lube companies has been effective”, Steve Mazor, manager of the Auto Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center, told the Detroit News.

He added that it made sense years ago, when “we had cast-iron block engines with cast-iron pistons that would expand when they got hot and older lubricants”.

As a result, millions of gallons of oil, as well as cash, are wasted every year because instead of following the manufacturer’s instructions, most people rely on their know-it-all friends’/relatives’/mechanics’ advice.

The California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery recently launched the “Check Your Number” campaign to raise awareness among vehicle owners to follow the manufacturer recommendations.

“Our survey data found that nearly half of California drivers are still changing their oil at 3,000 miles of sooner”, said agency spokesman Mark Oldfield.

Moreover, the agency estimates that if car owners would stick to the recommended service schedules, motor oil demand in California alone would drop by a whopping 10 million gallons a year!

This practice is not restricted to the Golden State: an August survey carried out by research firm NPD Group found out that 51 percent of U.S. car owners believe they should change the motor oil every 3,000 miles – or even sooner.

It is surely in the benefit of both the environment and your pocket if you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. After all, the people who developed and built your car must know better than your average Joe Schmoe, right?

If you’re not sure about the right servicing schedule, you can visit www.checkyournumber.org where you’ll find a list of suggested motor oil changes for your vehicle.

Story References: Detroit News