Are you one that changes oil every 3K miles as many people suggest? Or do you, like I do, wait? The frequency of oil changes resolve on the driving distance, as well as conditions.....
I do them myself (usually with my dad) every 3-4 months, mostly because I like to do all the other fluid/tire checks at the same time, and its a convenient number to do all those things. Our driving is nearly always either VERY short distances (we have a less than 1 mile commute between us...) or VERY long distances (to visit family an hour away at the closest), but since we're primarily WELL under 10 miles, it takes us a LONG time to get to every 3K anyway...thus why we do it on a month-based schedule, rather than based on mileage.
Mandalin, because your commute (and therefore most your daily driving) is stop and go to change every 3K is a good idea. For those of us out in country who commute, it's better to wait!
I don't put a lot of miles on my car, so I take it in every 4 months or so (usually at the 1000 mile mark). They actually use a special oil that reflects my sporatic driving patterns.
But, my car is under warranty, so I have them check out the components for wear/tear/abnormalities while it is there. I am hoping to keep this car for a very long time, so preventative maintenance is important. Just like for chickies
Oil Changes
