How Long Can An Oil Filter Last?

Author: E. Silva (aka Mr. Awesome Expert)

Typically, if your car is older ( like 20-25 years old or even older than that), then experts will recommend that you change the oil – filter about every 3,000 ( but not any more than 5,000 miles ) , at the same interval that you should change your oil out. But newer cars come with newer electronic and electrical – only components that have eased up on this burden, just slightly. Newer cars, these days, can get their oil and oil – filter changed every 10,000 miles or so …. that’s the new trend these days, it would appear. And that’s a good thing : less trips to the auto shop to get your oil changed or its filter changed, and more time and money saved, as a result.

You might ask : is there a re – usable oil – filter that can last for more than just a single use? The short answer …. there is. But on that note, I can talk about that topic later, in my other blog. Just look for my other blog on this site, that goes by the title of, “Can you use an oil - filter twice?” And you will find out more on that, he he he he heh ….

Now, if you happen to be a person who tends to forget to change your filter at its recommended intervals ( every few weeks, days, months, depending on how many miles you drive each day ) , as I can tend to be sometimes ( hey now … don’t judge me … I’m one of you, another clutz of a human being living on this imperfect planet, he he he he heh ) , then what you ought to do is keep a journal, a log – book, an alert or your phone or Google calendar …. or in essence, something that will remind you to change that filter when it’s time to do so. And more than anything, you will want to look into getting something that will CONTINUALLY remind you to do so at each new interval ( basically, like an ongoing calendar or alarm reminder, which will remind you over and over again, every 6 months or so ) .

Now, after about 15,000-20,000 miles since your last change, if you STILL haven’t changed out that filter, now is when you’ll start to see signs of problems creeping up on you ( if not before, of course ) …. depending on the kind of car you have and how long it manages to keep internally “re - cycling” that old junk oil you kept in it. Starter and strut problems, ignition cranking errors, countless fault codes popping off ( if you have an OEM electric kind of display in your car that warns you when it’s time for a service, like an oil or filter change, etc ) …. and more, are what you can come to expect at this point.