How often to change engine oil: find your interval and log it

Loggy keeps a record of every oil change, but the interval itself comes from your maker. It is written in the owner's manual for your exact model and year, and it can be in miles, kilometres, engine hours, months, or a mix where the first limit you reach wins.

Why there is no single answer

You will see "every 3,000 miles" and "every 5,000 miles" quoted all over the web. The owner's manuals we have read give very different numbers, because the oil, the engine and the way you use the vehicle all change the answer. The examples below come from the maker's own manual for each model.

Oil change intervals from maker manuals

Each row is copied from a schedule page on this site, which cites the manual. The year and market are in the first column. Use the manual for your own machine, not this table.

Vehicle	What the maker says about engine oil	Page
Toyota Corolla (2023, US)	Every 10,000 miles or 12 months with 0W-16 oil. If 0W-20 is used instead, every 5,000 miles or 6 months.	/maintenance/toyota-corolla
Honda Civic (2023)	No fixed mileage. The Maintenance Minder shows when oil life drops to 15%, and Honda says to change it at least once a year.	/maintenance/honda-civic
Ford F-150 (2024)	The Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor says when it is due, up to one year or 10,000 miles.	/maintenance/ford-f-150
Honda PCX125 (2021)	At the first 1,000 km, then every 6,000 km.	/maintenance/honda-pcx125
Royal Enfield Hunter 350	At 500 km, at 10,000 km, then every 10,000 km.	/maintenance/royal-enfield-hunter-350
Hero Splendor+ (BS VI)	Replace every 6,000 km and top up every 3,000 km.	/maintenance/hero-splendor-plus
Polaris RANGER 1000 (2022)	First change at 25 hours, then every 100 hours, 1,000 miles or yearly. Half that in severe use.	/maintenance/polaris-ranger-1000
Honda FourTrax Rancher (2024)	First change at 100 miles, 20 hours or 1 month, then every 600 miles, 100 hours or 12 months.	/maintenance/honda-rancher-420

Notice the units. A car is in miles and months, a quad bike in hours as well, a Splendor in kilometres only. A fixed "every 3,000 miles" would be wrong for most of these.

How to find your interval

Open the owner's manual for your exact model and year. The service or maintenance section has the table.
Check the oil grade first. The Corolla example shows the interval can change with the oil you put in.
Note every limit, not just the first. "100 hours or 12 months" means whichever comes first.
Look for a severe use note. Polaris halves its intervals in severe use, and Honda says to service some items more often in dust, sand, snow, mud and water.
Write the interval at the top of the vehicle's log so you do not have to look it up again.

Log each oil change

An interval only helps if you know when the last change happened. Each time, write down the date, the odometer or engine hours, the oil grade and amount, the filter, the cost, and a photo of the receipt.

In Loggy, add a log entry for each change and set a service reminder. Reminders go off on a date you choose, not at a distance or an hour count, so work out roughly when you will reach the interval and set the date from that. Loggy is free for unlimited vehicles, with no ads.

Sources

Every figure above comes from the manufacturer sources listed on the linked schedule pages. Checked 10 November 2026.

Try it on your own vehicles. Loggy is free on iOS and Android, with unlimited vehicles and no ads.

Frequently asked questions

Is it 3,000 miles between oil changes?

Not for the manuals we have read. A 2023 US Toyota Corolla using 0W-16 oil is every 10,000 miles or 12 months, and a Honda Civic has no fixed mileage. Check the manual for your model.

What does "whichever comes first" mean for oil?

Some makers give two limits, such as 100 hours or 12 months. Change the oil when you reach the first one. A machine that works little still needs its yearly change.

Should I change oil more often in hard use?

Often yes. Polaris says to service at 50% of the stated interval in severe use, and Toyota asks for 5,000 miles or 6 months for towing, dirt roads and heavy idling. Look for the severe use note in your manual.

Where do I find my interval?

In the maintenance section of the owner's manual. Many makers also put the manual online by model and year. Our schedule pages link to the ones we have used.

Can Loggy remind me by distance or hours?

No. Loggy reminders go off on a date. Keep the odometer or hours in each log entry and pick the reminder date from how much you drive.