How often should I have my car maintenanced (oil change)? Can I just add more oil without having to change it?

I have a 2002 Odyssey and the manual says to replace the engine oil every 7,500 miles or every year.


The place where I bought the car where I do the maintenance, says to replace the oil every 3,000 miles or every 3 months.


Now I do not drive much. In eleven months, I drove 1,687 miles (an average of 35 miles a week).


I did the last maintenance last August and was supposed to do the next one last November but I did not because I drove only 500 miles in those 3 months.


Now, I just checked the oil level (first time in my life鈥ou would have been there, you would have laugh at me.) and the level is just under the lower mark.


Should I just add more oil (how much, what kind?) or do I have to have my car maintenanced so they can change the oil (after I drove 1,687 miles since my last maintenance).


Thank you in advance for any advice you may have for me.|||Go with the manual and replace the oil once a year if you don't drive over 7,500 miles, The 3000 mile oil change interval are ingrained in a lot of peoples minds from the days of sloppy V8 engines that had very poor machining tolerances. In Europe Honda recommends 15,000 km change interval thats nearly 10,000 miles. Yes you can add any brand of oil check the manual for viscosity, probably 5W30. Don't overfill over the full mark.|||Follow the owners manual to be sure you don't void any warranties.





"replace the engine oil every 7,500 miles or every year" ... that should fine.





Just make sure you insist on high quality synthetic motor oil and use only the SAE weight that is recommended in your owner's manual.





Check your oil levels at least once a month. Don't let oil levels go low but take care not to overfill. Usually one quart is all it takes to get from the low mark back to centerline.|||yea you should change it like every 3000 miles because its just good for the engine. you dont need to run it too push it too far past that|||change the oil every 7500 if you have a leak in between the oil changes add oil but get the leak checked out. your engine needs a new filter and oil every 7500|||Oil is designed to reduce friction from sand and dirt. The more friction, the more wear and tear inside of the engine. Running on low oil or dirty oil causes more friction. It's like running sandpaper on the inside of your engine. Replace it every 3000 miles.





Old, stale oil is also hard on an engine because it is corrosive. Chane the oil and check it frequently - its the main ingredient that keeps a car alive.|||depending on how and where you drive and what kind of oil you use they are bright 3000 miles is good or about four times a yr something you can remember summer winter spring and fall|||Since you dont seem to drive the car that much, I wouldn't worry about changing the oil until it turned black. (This means the oil is starting to lose its protective qualities. As for how much, if it is at the lower mark of your dipstick, your probably about a quart low. The best advice is to pour a little in then keep checking the oil til it gets to the full mark. Allow a couple of minutes for the oil to drain down. MOST importantly, you DO NOT want to overfill.|||Follow the owner's manual. At the very least, you need to change the oil and filter once a year. As oil ages, heats up and cools, it builds up sludge. The sludge will block the circulation of the oil in the engine and cause engine failure.





To replace your engine will cost you $1,500 - $2,000 or more so it's best to fork out a little for an oil change. 7500 miles sounds high to me. The owner's manual shows 3,600 to 7,200 miles depending on driving conditions. I'd go more like every 4,000 miles or once a year.|||Do what the manual says!





The oil companies used to say change oil every 3000 miles, but that is old School because Oils are much much better these days, AND there is a push now for oil conservation. There is NO need for Synthetic oils. they cost 3 times as much as regular oil anyway!











Your mechanic wants to see you every 3000 miles so he can make more money!





Dateline NBC did an actual road test on NYC taxicabs to see how long it took for the oil to go bad...It was 7500 miles!!!!|||With the mileage you are doing an annual oil change will be fine, but dont stop there , have all the servicing schedule seen to, cars deteriorate with age as well as miles. Do this and a car like your honda should give you years of good service.|||every 3,000 miles|||Every 3,000 miles or three months is the generally accepted oil change maintenance time. Some oils will alow you 7,500, and some synthetics can even give you 25,000 miles. Even if you only drive 500 miles in three months, the oil should still be changed because the chemicals and additives that protect your engine break down and no longer perform the way they should.