# Corona car care oil change still necessary? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [September 9, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/corona-car-care-oil-change-still-necessary/169753 "2020-09-09T15:39:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mercury07](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@mercury07](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mercury07)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/corona-car-care-oil-change-still-necessary/169753/1 "2020-09-09T15:39:51Z")
Due to the pandemic, my car is now mainly stationary. I read that oil can deteriorate due to temperature fluctuation. The manual recommends oil change for a certain amount of miles or 6 months whatever comes first. Is it true that oil goes “bad”? Car not under warranty, a compact car, I drive it about once a week, about 60 miles. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/corona-car-care-oil-change-still-necessary/169753/2 "2020-09-09T15:43:51Z")
I would not really say oil goes bad but it can have moisture just setting . You did not say what year or what vehicle you are asking about. If it is still under the factory warranty then do the oil and filter at 6 months . If an older vehicle then just do what ever you feel is the right thing to do but do not go more than 12 months. ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/corona-car-care-oil-change-still-necessary/169753/3 "2020-09-09T16:13:13Z")
> [@mercury07](#): > > The manual recommends oil change for a certain amount of miles or 6 months whatever comes first. Is it true that oil goes bad? Agree with @VOLVO-V70 it doesn’t “go bad”, but it will hold moisture, which will lower the lubricating properties of it. Change it every 6 months 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 5:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/corona-car-care-oil-change-still-necessary/169753/4 "2020-09-09T17:25:16Z")
Of course your **gas** absorbs moisture too. You either need to start driving it or fill the tank and add a gasoline stabilizer. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 7:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/corona-car-care-oil-change-still-necessary/169753/5 "2020-09-09T19:16:55Z")
You don’t say what car you’re driving, but IMHO there is a difference between making short trips almost every day and only driving once a week or less. I do the latter and go up to 1 year, or 5000 miles, whichever comes first. If I were making short trips every day I’d do 6 months. The way things are going with COVID, I’m looking at 1 year and 3-4000 miles. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/corona-car-care-oil-change-still-necessary/169753/6 "2020-09-09T20:54:27Z")
> [@circuitsmith](#): > > IMHO there is a difference between making short trips almost every day and only driving once a week or less. > I do the latter and go up to 1 year, or 5000 miles, whichever comes first. +1 I normally have my oil changed every 5k miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. On the basis of elapsed time, this was due in late August, but because I take a drive at least 40 miles once each week, I feel comfortable in putting-off the oil change until early October. Since I have faithfully changed the oil every 5k miles/6 months previously, and because I don’t do solely short-trip driving, one excursion to 7.5 months isn’t going to destroy the engine. ---
**Author:** ![dn4192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dn4192](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dn4192)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 10:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/corona-car-care-oil-change-still-necessary/169753/7 "2020-09-09T22:23:24Z")
I have been wondering the same thing. I purchased my 2019 ford fiestiva last august and did my first oil change in february before everything got crazy. Since that change in february I have put maybe 1000 miles on my car over the last 7 months. I was thinking at this rate I would hold off till around January to get the oil change, but now are wondering if I should go before that. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/corona-car-care-oil-change-still-necessary/169753/8 "2020-09-09T22:25:44Z")
> [@dn4192](#): > > I purchased my 2019 ford fiestiva last august a Your manual says xxxx miles or xx months . That is the numbers you need to follow so they can’t deny warranty claims because you did not do that. ---
**Author:** ![Beancounter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/59ef9b/32.png) [@Beancounter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beancounter)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 1:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/corona-car-care-oil-change-still-necessary/169753/9 "2020-09-10T13:50:16Z")
I agree with Volvo, the most important thing is to keep up with the Warranty Requirements to avoid giving them any “wiggle room” if you ever have to make a claim. At $100 every 6 months that’s just cheap insurance. Longer term, with very low use, I’d also start thinking about environmental protection especially if it’s always parked outside. Regular washing, waxing and a decent car cover will go a long way in protecting the interior plastic and exterior finish from UV, rain, snow and rust damage. ---
**Author:** ![cdaquila](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cdaquila/32/18089_2.png) [@cdaquila](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cdaquila)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 5:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/corona-car-care-oil-change-still-necessary/169753/10 "2020-09-10T17:22:23Z")
4 posts were split to a new topic: [Choosing a car wax](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car-wax/169805)