How often do you change your oil? My entire life I've been changing it every 3,000 miles just like the little tag my shop puts in there every time I get it done. Is that really necessary?

According to AAA, there are a number of myths that people believe about car maintenance. Some of them are true, some of them are not.

Oil Changes every 3,000 miles

This is one of those things that is thought of as the holy gospel. But is it true? AAA says that cars that are 15 years old or newer won't need to change the oil until around 5,000 to 7,500 miles and that it can be extended even longer if you use synthetic oil.

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Car Batteries Last Five Years

What about car batteries? Do they really only last for five years? Typically, yeah. AAA says there are a lot of variables that can change how long they last, one of which is climate, but they will last somewhere between three and five years. Some last longer too.

Car warranties are voided when work is done by anyone other than the dealer

This is not true. In fact, federal law prohibits the practice of voiding a warranty if repairs were not done by the original dealer. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 also prevents dealers from not performing warranty work because another shop did previous work on the vehicles.

Brake fluid doesn't need to be changed

This is false. It does need to be changed. But how often is a tricky answer? AAA says it should be done every two or three years. But a Cars.com article says it depends greatly on the manufacturer of the vehicle. They cite Chevy calling for a change every 45,000 miles, Honda says every three years, while Mercedes-Benz says every 20,000 miles. And some don't have a recommendation at all.

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