I was actually a passenger in a car that was having an active
oil leak. The driver knew what was happening, and was warned to
pull to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but she
wanted to try to make it home. Unfortunately, she didn't. The
engine seized up, never to run again. What a foolish and costly
mistake.
The simple fact is that the engine in your car cannot run
without lubrication from oil. Heat and friction would, as
illustrated in the case above, cause the engine to come to a
full halt.
When I bought a new car many years ago and took it in for it's
first oil change the mechanic said to me that if I kept the oil
changed I'd get 200,000 miles out of the engine. He was right. I
faithfully changed the oil every 3,000 miles and at 189,000
miles had to say goodbye to my faithful friend, not due to
engine trouble, but due to a rusting frame. He also noticed that
the oil filter that was on my vehicle from the manufacturer was
larger than actually called for. He said this wasn't a bad idea.
A larger amount of oil meant more flowing through the engine
cooling and lubricating and cleaning the engine. When I started
to change the oil myself I kept on using the larger oil filter.
Most new cars today don't call for their oil to be changed quite
as often as every 3,000 miles. Generally it's 5,000 and some
even more. I like to have the oil in my car changed at least
every 5,000 miles. That oil change is actually more than an oil
change. The technician gets to give your car a once over,
checking belts and hoses and other vital fluids. Generally we
don't even think about these things. It's much easier to change
a worn belt while your car is in the shop than be broken down on
the side of the road waiting for a tow truck.
The simple act of changing the oil in your car may be the best
thing you can do to protect your car, and your investment in it
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