As far as I've been told, I always do it every 3,000 miles, and I take over 3 months to do that. Right now, I only have a 10 mile round-trip to work, so it takes me about 4 months...maybe a bit over that, to put on 3,000 miles.

Thanks for reminding me to get my oil changed.

According to Click and Clack the Tap It Brother on NPR's Car Talk Radio Program no study has ever definitely shown that the traditional 3,000 mile oil changes aren't really that critical. This is backed by other sources: "The necessity of 3,000-mile oil changes is a myth that has been handed down for decades," writes Austin Davis, proprietor of the website TrustMyMechanic.com. He says that the economics of the oil change industry demand pushing customers to get their oil changed more frequently -- purportedly as "cheap insurance" against problems cropping up -- whether they need it or not. One of the largest oil change chains, Jiffy Lube, for instance, is owned by Pennzoil-Quaker State, and as such has an incentive to sell as much of the company's traditional petroleum-based oil as possible. One way to reduce trips to and money spent unnecessarily on quick-lube outlets is to switch to synthetic oils, which last longer and perform better than their traditional petroleum-based counterparts. Davis says that educated drivers should opt for longer lasting, better performing synthetic oils, which are "most likely good for 10,000 to 15,000 miles or six months," whether or not their manufacturers recommend more frequent changes. Some synthetic motor oils, like Amsoil, NEO and Red Line, to name a few, are created specifically to last 25,000 miles or one year before needing a change. " http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/green-oil-changes-460808