During an oil change, our friendly mechanic will remove the drain plug from the bottom of the oil pan and gravity does its thing: the oil drains out completely into a catch pan so it can be properly discarded. 

Note: If you’re changing your oil yourself, never dump your oil randomly! From there, the technician will replace the drain plug, change the oil filter and fill the engine with the correct amount of oil. (Most engines take about 5 quarts.)

How often should I change my oil?

In the “old days”, experts recommended changing conventional oil and oil filters every 3,000 miles. But today’s newer-tech engines often use synthetic-blend oil or full synthetic oil and are engineered to go anywhere from 7,500 to 15,000 miles between oil changes. Yes, synthetic oil changes cost more than conventional ones, but you’re also changing the oil less often. Of course, always follow your manufacturer’s recommended service interval. Not every engine needs synthetic oil.

Something else that can affect how often you need to change your oil is where you live and how you drive. If you drive like the little old lady the recommended interval is probably just fine. But if you live in the desert (or in an especially icy location) or do a lot of stop-and-go driving, you’re operating under severe driving conditions and might need to change your oil more often.

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