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The Oil Companies Advice Needs to Be Changed “Change your car’s engine oil every three months, or 3,000 miles.” You know you need to change your car's oil at some point, but how often? At one time, 3,000 miles was standard auto advice. That same advice now feels as outdated as car cassette players and road atlases in your glove compartment. Many cars today can drive 5,000, 7,500 and even 10,000 miles between oil changes . The biggest reason is due to the changes in engine design and manufacturing that has led to needing better-quality oils. Most of today's cars are designed to use either a full synthetic or a synthetic blend oil, which lasts longer before viscosity breakdown. When Your Vehicle Is in Warranty When a vehicle is new, the answer is simple: If you don't want to void your powertrain warranty, follow the oil type, mileage, and time recommendations in the owner's manual. (Lost your owner's manual? It's likely available online.) In most c...

Every time we get behind the wheel of a vehicle, each of us has a responsibility to protect ourselves, our passengers, and other motorists by doing all we can to prevent a car accident from happening. A National Safety Council study released last month indicates that seat belt use varies widely from state to state and the lack of drivers buckling up continues to be a leading cause of auto accidents across America. In 1999, an estimated 9,500 people died unnecessarily because they were not wearing seat belts. Here are some other tips: Pull into traffic slowly. Stop, Look, Listen. Be aware of blind spots, including those in rear view mirrors and behind windshield pillars or highway road signs. Also, when at an intersection making a right-hand turn, look both directions at least twice before proceeding. Vehicles can appear almost out of nowhere very quickly, so exercise caution when pulling into a busy intersection. Whether you are driving from Sacramento to San Francisco or fr...