# To Change Or Not To Change **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** hyundai, elantra\ **Created:** [February 9, 2022, 6:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384 "2022-02-09T18:34:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wpollock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3be4f8/32.png) [@wpollock](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wpollock)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2022, 6:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/1 "2022-02-09T18:34:16Z")
My last oil and filter change was on 11/20/2020 at 102200 miles using Mobil One full synthetic 5w20 oil. The vehicle currently has 106700 miles and I am asking if I should be concerned with the oil breaking down due to the length of time it has been in the vehicle and change it even though total mileage since it was installed is low for it being full synthetic? Thank you ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2022, 6:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/2 "2022-02-09T18:40:18Z")
I’ll bet your owner’s manual states to change the oil at least once a year. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/3 "2022-02-09T18:41:00Z")
Yes, you are overdue for an oil change. Look in your owners manual, likely is says XXXX miles or XX months, whichever comes FIRST… 12 months being nearly everyone’s maximum. You are now at almost 15 months, so 3 months overdue. Short trips are very hard on oil. Acids and moisture build up in the oil and must be removed, synthetic or not. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2022, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/4 "2022-02-09T18:47:15Z")
If you drive this daily, then the answer is an unqualified YES. When you drive daily but don’t rack up the miles because you are taking shorter trips, the oil will age just as fast as more miles and longer trips. The hardest part on oil the period just after you shut down the engine. A thin film of oil coats all the hot parts of the engine and it is not being flushed away like it is when the engine is running. That film of oil absorbs a LOT of heat and breaks down rapidly. But it is only a small amount of oil and it gets flushed away on the next start. But the repeated hot shut downs begin to accumulate and eventually the oil is so contaminated that it needs to be changed. So if you drive it daily, you have about the same amount of hot shut downs as someone who lives further away from their workplace. Now if you only drive the vehicle occasionally, there is some controversy. On my new truck that I don’t drive daily, I change the oil every 6 months regardless in order to maintain the warranty. But once the warranty is up, I will go by miles instead because usually when I do drive it, it is for some distance, not just down the block. ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2022, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/5 "2022-02-09T18:48:10Z")
An oil change is, what, maybe $50? Call it closer to $100 for full synthetic. How much does a new engine cost? I’d bet at least a couple $1000 dollars. The math isn’t hard. Why do folks struggle so much with oil changes? ---
**Author:** ![wpollock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3be4f8/32.png) [@wpollock](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wpollock)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2022, 9:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/6 "2022-02-09T21:46:53Z")
appreciate all of the feedback. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/7 "2022-02-09T21:51:04Z")
> [@ledhed75](#): > > How much does a new engine cost? I’d bet at least a couple $1000 dollars. ![19 Hyundai engine](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/9/d9944efa74a2efbb32a30682e81d1c1d9aa20efe.jpeg) Here’s a 2.0 engine for a '19 Hyundai. A USED engine cost over $6000 my cost. With 15% markup, installation, and misc parts we are well over $10K. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2022, 10:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/8 "2022-02-09T22:27:38Z")
all of the other replies here are correct. And, synthetic oil, while it has many worthwhile properties, does **not extend your oil change interval**. ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 1:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/9 "2022-02-10T01:12:32Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > synthetic oil, while it has many worthwhile properties, does **not extend your oil change interval**. Not by time. But perhaps it does by mileage? Not sure. That’s why I generally don’t use synthetic…I’m going to change it at 5k anyway, so what’s the point unless conventional isn’t an option (0w20). ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 1:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/10 "2022-02-10T01:31:05Z")
It’s more resistant to breaking down under conditions of high heat. I’ve heard (I don’t remember where) that it has better flow properties under conditions of extreme cold. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 6:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/11 "2022-02-10T06:17:39Z")
I don’t understand how oil chang places can justify shuch a large differential between conventional and full synthetic when I cn buy a 5 quart jug of the same brand full synthetic for less than $5 more than the conventional oil. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 6:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/12 "2022-02-10T06:44:49Z")
> [@oldtimer-11](#): > > I don’t understand how oil chang places can justify shuch a large differential between conventional and full synthetic I don’t have to justify it. It’s what the market will bear, and therefore what it’s worth. We charge $49.95 for a regular oil change and $89.95 for synthetic. And we are busy all week long. The real question is **why are oil changes so damn cheap.** In 1986 when I was a high school kid with my first job at the corner Chevron station, minimum wage was $3.35, a pack of cigs cost me $1.40, and gas was .93/gallon. The shop labor rate was $40/hr and a lube, oil, filter change with 5 qts was $27. Today minimum wage is $12, a pack of smokes is $8, gas is $4/gallon. We just raised the shop labor rate to $144/hr but the oil change is only $49.95. I can make more money replacing a headlamp than I can doing an oil change. A conventional oil change is a money-losing proposition for the shop, and a full synthetic oil change is just less of a money-losing proposition. Truth be told, a regular oil change should be $100.00 or more. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2022, 2:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/13 "2022-02-10T14:49:19Z")
> [@asemaster](#): > > Here’s a 2.0 engine for a '19 Hyundai. AWD Santa Fe? Looks like there is a rubber (coolant?) hose that comes mighty close to the exhaust manifold. That bit of metallic tape doesn’t give me a lot of confidence in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/14 "2022-02-11T14:02:22Z")
Just out of curiosity, are you located in the northeast? The shop I tend to use the most (central VA), charges $70/hr for labor, with dealers charging around $120/hr. The higher priced independent shops tend to top out at $100/hr. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 2:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/15 "2022-02-11T14:08:53Z")
Why would an owner replace a 2019 motor? Flip? ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 2:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/16 "2022-02-11T14:28:46Z")
> [@Scrapyard-John](#): > > Not by time. But perhaps it does by mileage? Not sure. Every vehicle I’ve owned since synthetic oil was made widely available all said that if you use synthetic oil do NOT change the oil change interval. Oil companies will say their synthetic oil can last x-amount of miles. The car manufacturers say otherwise. Do as you wish. But I surely wouldn’t extend oil change intervals if still under warranty. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 2:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/17 "2022-02-11T14:33:56Z")
I don’t think a motor will die under warranty. With proper oil changes. Hyundai excluded. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 2:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/18 "2022-02-11T14:36:17Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > Hyundai excluded. Hyundai…Where you getting that? Maybe earlier Hyundai’s…but they’ve had a pretty good solid reputation on reliability for the past 10+ years. ---
**Author:** ![oldnotdeadyet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a6a055/32.png) [@oldnotdeadyet](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldnotdeadyet)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 3:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/19 "2022-02-11T15:55:19Z")
My son got a replacement engine from Hyundai under warranty at 96,000 miles. You have to give Hyundai credit for standing behind their warranty. Still, I would rather have a car’s engine last at least 200K without significant repair. On the flip side for Hyundai, I have seen a lot of complaints about dealers, for their sales departments. Do other people also see that? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384/20 "2022-02-11T16:17:35Z")
> [@oldnotdeadyet](#): > > I have seen a lot of complaints about dealers, for their sales departments. Do other people also see that? Yes, there’s a car broker who posts over on Jalopnik that has related several horror stories about Hyundai and Kia dealers. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/to-change-or-not-to-change/182384.md?page=2)