Two thirds of drivers unaware their engine oil needs to be changed

Did you know that your car needs to have its engine oil changed on a regular basis? If you didn't, it turns out you're not alone – but that's little consolation, as you could be ruining your engine.

According to a recent study, the results of which were released yesterday, around 21.8 million British motorists are blissfully unaware that their engine oil becomes less effective with time, and that if it isn't changed promptly, it can cause engine damage.

 

Mechanics and industry experts generally agree that engine oil should be changed at least every year, if not more often for higher-mileage drivers.

However, a whopping 3.7 million car owners think that they can get away with leaving a gap of three years between oil changes.

What's more one million drivers admitted that they'd never even put new oil in their cars.

Driving with dirty or old oil can result in significant engine wear, as the lubricant fails to protect the metal engine parts that rub together as well as it should.

This can lead to excessive fuel consumption, a drop in performance, and in extreme cases, even the failure of weakened internal parts