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'I've Seen It as Far as 15,000 Miles:' Mechanic Says Get Your Oil Changed at This Interval. Then He Shows Why on a Nissan Altima

"The manufacturer wants the car to fail faster so you buy another."

Mechanic says get your oil changed at this interval

Photo by: Unsplash.com

Steve Ecker

By: Steve Ecker

Dec 19, 2025 at 4:00pm ET

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Oil changes are necessary maintenance for any driver. There’s much debate about how many miles you should go before changing your oil.

Mechanic John Price has some advice on how often you should hit the lube shop (or the backyard garage). In a TikTok that’s generated over 110,700 views as of this writing, Price (@autotechjohn) uses a car that didn’t get its oil changed frequently enough as an example.

In the TikTok, Price emphasizes the importance of getting your oil changed every 5,000 miles. "Why do mechanics recommend changing your oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, meanwhile the manufacturer of your vehicle recommends doing it every 7,500 [to] 10,000 miles? I’ve seen it as far as 15,000 miles on some European cars," Price begins.

He then reveals why they recommend every 5,000 miles, using a 2014 Nissan Altima that recently came in for a timing issue as an example. Price shows what’s under the valve cover.

"All of this is crystalized engine oil. This is old engine oil. Look how thick this stuff is," he says. He grabs some of the thick crystallized oil off the engine. It crumbles in his fingers.

"That used to be sludge. Now it’s like gravel. That’s what happens when you don’t change your oil," he says.

Price says that due to the owner's negligence, the job turned out to be much larger than initially anticipated. It will require taking out the engine to clean it, replacing multiple parts, and additional labor.

"Huge additional price for the customer to have to do this. It’s going to be thousands of dollars additional to what they were already paying me to do their timing job," he says.

This job isn’t easy, as it requires several steps to remove the crystallized oil. Price notes that the customer is a full-time DoorDash driver and says he needs to speak with her about the importance of proper maintenance.

"She needs to make sure she is only running high-quality full synthetic oil and a quality oil filter every time. It needs to be changed every 5,000 miles, regardless if she just did it a month ago. If she’s driven 5,000 miles, she’ll need to change the oil again," he explains.

Price believes doing this will help prevent this situation from happening again.

"Maintaining a vehicle is always cheaper than repairing it. So stay on top of your maintenance," he urges.

He also advises viewers to listen to mechanics' suggestions. He notes that he realizes some services are quite costly.

But he says, "It’s always cheaper to maintain it than repair it. That is not a scam. That is not a way we’re trying to rip people off. We’re trying to save you money, but we just get accused of being scam artists."

"We’re doing our jobs. We’re experts on your vehicle; you are not. If you are, you know exactly what I am saying is true, plain and simple," he adds.

Price concludes by suggesting that everyone stay on top of maintenance to avoid major repairs.

"Maintaining Your Vehicle Is Always Cheaper Than Replacing It"

Viewers flooded the comments section to reiterate the importance of regular oil changes.

"Say that LOUDER—Maintaining your vehicle is always cheaper than replacing it," one said.

"Because the manufacturer wants the car to fail faster so you buy another," another speculated.

Meanwhile, others claimed they knew there would be bad news under the valve cover when a Nissan Altima was mentioned, as their drivers don’t have the best reputation.

"When you said Altima I knew it was not good," one commented.

"I stopped watching when you said Nissan Altima," another added.

"Average Nissan Altima owner," a third shared.

Additional viewers chimed in with their oil change intervals, ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 miles.

"I do 3,000 miles I get anxiety at 5,000 miles," one shared.

"2019 Toyota Camry with over 200k miles. Oil changes done every 10k miles and absolutely zero issues," another added.

How Often Should You Change Your Oil?

If car manufacturers suggest getting one every 7,500–10,000 miles while mechanics recommend every 3,000–5,000, who should you listen to?

According to both AAA and Kelley Blue Book, oil changes should be done in the 5,000–7,500-mile range for most engines.

Back in the day, it was suggested to get one every 3,000 miles or every three months. However, this is outdated, as advancements in oil blends make it unnecessary, Consumer Reports reports. Still, while getting one every 3,000 miles may be overdoing it, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.

On the other hand, going 10,000 miles between changes isn’t off the table. With new oil synthetic blends, some believe that 10,000-mile oil change intervals are fine, Valvoline reports.

What do you think?

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Comments

Each oil change interval can certainly make its case. However, sticking to the 5,000–7,500 range feels safe and secure.

Motor1 has contacted John via Instagram and TikTok direct message. The story will be updated if he replies.

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