Probably the single most important part of your car’s maintenance schedule is an engine oil change. There is a good reason for this. Nothing will shorten engine life faster than missed oil changes. The manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule for oil change intervals found in the owner’s manual is all you need to follow to keep your car in good running condition for a long time.
Have you have ever put off a trip to the grocery store or waited a couple of weeks longer between haircuts, don’t do that with oil changes. Your oil’s primary function is to cut friction and over time, oil accumulates contaminants and loses viscosity (the ability to flow into every nook and cranny). Contaminants cause friction as parts rub together. Friction wears out those parts faster. The damage caused by these conditions is largely irreversible without an engine overhaul or replacement. Waiting for the low oil light to come on can be the worst thing you can do to your engine. You shouldn’t see that light unless your oil level is low. So you don’t want to see it. Whatever amount of oil you do have left almost certainly has lost its ability to function properly.
Because time is important as well as mileage, it’s nice to try and plan your service visits. The little sticker in the corner of the windshield was a small, important innovation to help us plan our next oil change and now, with many of us carrying smart phones and having home computers, it’s gotten even easier to plan our visits. Change your vehicle’s oil regularly and keep that engine running for a long time.