There was a time when changing an auto’s
motor
oil at three months or 3,000 miles
was a maintenance commandment, but consumers’
attitudes about changing their vehicles motor oil
are shifting, according to auto aftermarket
research by The
NPD Group, a
leading marketing research company. In response
to NPD’s 2012 Aftermarket Outlook Survey
conducted in August 2011, 51 percent of vehicle
owners said they believe that oil should be
changed every 3,000 miles or three months, down
from the 59 percent of consumers who held this
belief in 2007.
Although the percentage of consumers who believe
that oil should be changed every 3,000 miles or
three months has declined by eight percent over
the last several years, those that actually have
their oil changed between 2,000 to 3,000 miles
have dropped by ten percent. Thirty-nine percent
of auto owners responded to the 2012 Aftermarket
Outlook Survey that they wait between 2,000 to
3,000 miles to have their oil changed, down from
the 49 percent who changed their oil at this
interval in 2007. Twenty percent of 2012 survey
respondents change their oil between 3,001 and
4,000 miles, 22 percent between 4,001 and 5,000
miles and 11 percent over 5,000.
Fifty-seven percent of auto owners are guided to
change their oil by their vehicle’s service
indicator light, 31 percent by the next oil
change sticker put in their car, and ten percent
keep track of the mileage and months on their
own, according to NPD’s 2012 Aftermarket Outlook
Survey.
“The oil intervals recommended by auto
manufacturers do vary now due to advancements in
auto and motor oil technologies,” says David
Portalatin, executive director, auto aftermarket
industry analyst. “As a result we’re seeing a
shift in consumer attitudes and behaviors in
regards to changing their car’s motor oil, but
still top-of-mind with consumers is the 3,000
miles or three months rule of thumb.”
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable
and comprehensive consumer and retail information
for a wide range of industries. For more
information, contact us, visit www.npd.com.
