Getting an oil change is important to keep your car running. But what if your car is seldom running anyway? Lots of humans out there own a vehicle that they rarely take out of their garage. Maybe it’s a collectors item, or maybe it’s only used for long-distance road trips.
Whatever the reason, owners of such rarely-driven machines commonly find themselves wondering, “how often should I get an oil change in this vehicle I hardly ever drive?” Today, we’re finally going to lay that long-standing question to rest.’
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Even if you don’t often drive your vehicle, you should still get your oil changed regularly if you ever drive it at all. To be on the safe side, it’s good to do so every four to six months. If your vehicle is newer, or you’re using synthetic oil, requirements may be lower than this. The best source, as always, is your instruction manual. These days, instruction manuals can be found online, so even if you’ve lost the physical copy, give Google a shot.
Why should you change oil in a car that you don’t use often?
Even if oil is not being used, it’s aging. And oil doesn’t get better with age. It’s classified as “hygroscopic,” which means it absorbs water vapor from the air that then dilutes it. Such diluted, degraded oil is not going to do a great job lubricating your engine when you fire it up. And inadequate lubrication will result in all sort of serious issues in your powertrain.
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I don’t like changing my oil. Where can I have it done?
If you don’t want to change the oil in your car yourself, take it to a service center. We happen to know a great one- our own shop here at Pohanka Volkswagen of Salisbury! This is especially pertinent if you actually live in the Eastern Maryland area. But we don’t discriminate. Thanks for reading, and we hope to see you (and that rarely-driven car of yours) soon!
