I only started checking the air pressure in my tires after 0bama told me to.
The 3000 mile interval was written by people who sell oil and filters.
Oil is cheaper.
Reality, if your oil is noticeably dirty (black), if you drive in dusty, extremely hot or cold conditions, or work an engine hard, the service interval likely should be shorter than the manufacturer's reccomendation.
I change oil every 3,000 miles and have driven a vehicle with an engine I rebuilt (1975 Chevy van 350 V8, 4 bbl carb) 119,000 miles on that rebuilt engine (vehicle total 296,000 miles).
The idea is to keep circulating carbon and dust from circulating in your engine, because that causes wear. Also, combustion byproducts are corrosive and can build up in your engine oil, so the 6 month interval at a minimum is probably a good idea.
Warmups: some yes, some no.
The Ford/Lincoln 400 CI V8 was notorious for becoming carbon fouled if it sat and idled to warm up, the 460 (Ford/Lincoln) performed better after a brief warmup (3-5 minutes).
At this latitude, if it is below freezing, I prefer plugging in the engine heater and having the engine warm when I start it. Some folks use lower temperatures for a guide, say, 10 above or even zero, but my older vehicles seem to perform better if I have them plugged in when the mercury dips into the twenties.
Synthetic oil helps, too, as it makes cold starts easier in low temperatures and helps get oil circulating in the engine better when it gets cold out (below freezing, and especially below zero).
Batteries.
Best I ever had was sold by Interstate (9 years, subzero winters), next best by NAPA (7 years). If you have to get a jump start, let the vehicle charge the battery for a bit. When you get home, check battery connections for corrosion and clean them as needed (or have a mechanic do it, but the tools only cost a few bucks and last a long time), put a battery charger on the battery at a low setting (2 amps) and let the battery charge. The newer chargers can auto regulate the charge rate. Make sure electrolyte levels are where they should be (check them before you hook up the charger with the engine off), and keep in mind that really hot weather is just as hard on batteries as really cold weather.
Anyone who drives should be able to do a few basic maintenance tasks.
My work trucks get a once annual oil and filter change. They tend to get about 12,000-15,000 miles on them per year. transmission oil and filter change done at about 150,000miles. The trucks tend to last 180,000 to 200,000 miles. The drivetrains are good for a little more than that, but everything else falls apart. rust, interiors rot, electricals malfunction, door hinges and windows get loose and cause problems, locks quit working, bumpers fall off...etc
My grandfather used to do filter changes and save the oil and pour it back in.
With many newer cars, especially GM vehicles, there is an indicator for when the oil must be changed. You can follow these indicators as they take loads, temperatures and other things into account. Depending on how you drive, you might get 4,000 miles before it says "Oil Change Required" or, if you drive gently, you could get 9,000 miles before the indicator says an oil change is needed.
I used to work in a car dealership. Some of our vehicles had the smart oil change indicator systems. The ones that came in at 12,000 miles for their second or even third oil change were the ones who abused their cars. They often needed brake pads and other wear items (tires) by this time, where others who were in for their second oil change after 15,000 to 18,000 miles often had hardly any wear at all on these items.
As for tire pressures, you will wear a set of tires out in a hurry by over inflating them to maximum pressure (as shown on the sidewalls). Go with the auto manufacturer’s recommendation. A few extra PSI will save a bit of gas, but could cause the center of the tire to wear quicker, reducing tire life. Things vary based on the individual car and driving style. Watching tire wear closely (with a tread depth gauge) can get you tuned in to where it is best.
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I agree with the article and never believe snake oil salesmen. They all sound like Obama to me. Great picture. Automobile repair is where most snake oil is sold. Not one thing works. Cow magnets, water for fuel, tornadoes, miracle additives, etc.. I will add, changing your oil too often can cause premature catalytic converter failure, and as far as good fuel goes, some car manufactures call for top tier fuel.
Just bought a new diesel which is designed for extended service intervals...e.g., oil changes at 1 year or 12,000 miles.Given that I paid a good chunk of $$$ for it plus the fact that my driving habits qualify as “severe driving’ (short trips,cold weather,etc) I’ll be changing the oil at least twice a year..maybe even three times.And the car requires a special synthetic oil that makes for $70 do-it-yourself oil/filter changes.
By actual test my car works better with 87 octane rather than 85. I get better gas mileage, enough of a difference that it actually pays (in terms of fuel cost per mile) to get the slightly more expensive 87 vs 85. Both have ethanol in them. There is a smaller increase in mpg when I go to 93 octane, but not enough to make it worth the price differential.
So in my case anyway, the "myth" is at least partially true: the better (mid-grade) fuel does work better than the standard.
If you oil looks like this, you’re in trouble