How often to change your oil · Autobedrijf Willemsbrug Rotterdam

How often should you change your oil? This is how you know when your car is due

How often should you change your oil? That depends on your car, your driving and the manufacturer’s service schedule. Below you can read which guideline applies to your situation. If in doubt, call us with your registration number. We will look it up for you.

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The short answer

In most modern cars you change the oil every 15,000 to 30,000 kilometres or after one to two years, whichever comes first. The correct interval is in the service book or appears as a message on the dashboard. If you do a lot of short trips, drive few kilometres or tow a trailer, change the oil sooner. A new oil filter is part of every oil change.

At Autobedrijf Willemsbrug at Boterdiep 11 in Rotterdam-IJsselmonde we change the oil according to the manufacturer’s specifications, with a new oil filter. You hear the price in advance. Call +31 10 479 00 00 during opening hours with your registration number.

Jump to: signs · per situation · frequently asked questions · directions

How you know your car is due

Look out for these signs:

  • A service message appears on the dashboard, for example a spanner symbol or the word “service”
  • You have almost covered the number of kilometres given in the service book
  • The last oil change was a year ago, or two years ago on a long-life schedule
  • You mainly do short trips in town
  • The oil level drops faster than normal
  • You have bought a used car and do not know when the oil was last changed

Is the red oil light on? That is not a service message. It means the oil pressure is too low. Stop as soon as it is safe and switch off the engine. Read what to do when the oil light is on.

Why oil changes are necessary

Engine oil lubricates, cools and cleans the engine. Heat, dirt and combustion residues make the oil work less well over time. The oil also ages when the car is not driven. The oil filter catches dirt, but becomes full after a while.

The old advice was to change the oil every 5,000 kilometres. According to the ANWB, intervals of 30,000 kilometres or more are normal these days. Because the oil lasts so long, it is important to stick to the schedule.

If you wait too long, the engine wears faster. In engines with a timing belt running in oil, such as many PureTech engines from Peugeot, Citroën and Opel, old or incorrect oil can also damage the belt. Read more about problems with PureTech engines (in Dutch).

What we do during an oil change

  • Look up the service schedule and the correct oil using your registration number
  • Drain the old oil for proper disposal
  • Fit a new oil filter
  • Fill with oil that meets the manufacturer’s specification
  • Check the oil level and reset the service message where possible
  • Record the service in the service book or digitally

If we see anything else that needs attention, we tell you. We only do extra work after your approval.

How often to change your oil, per situation

This table gives guidelines. What applies to your car is in the service book or on the dashboard. Sources: ANWB and Volkswagen.

How often to change your oil: guidelines per situation
Your situation How often to change Please note
Fixed service schedule, for example at Volkswagen Every 15,000 km or every year Whichever comes first
Flexible schedule with long-life oil Up to about 30,000 km or 2 years Only with the prescribed long-life oil. The car tells you when it is time
Lots of short trips in town Sooner than the maximum, at least every year The engine does not warm up properly. Moisture and fuel residues then end up in the oil
Few kilometres per year At least every year, or every 2 years on a long-life schedule Oil in a car that is not driven ages too
Trailer, caravan or heavy loads Sooner than the maximum The oil gets hotter and ages faster
Engine with a timing belt running in oil, such as PureTech According to the schedule, no later Only use oil with the manufacturer’s specification
Hybrid car According to the manufacturer’s schedule The engine starts and stops often and sometimes does not warm up properly
Fully electric car Not needed There is no engine oil. Other maintenance is still needed

Checking the oil level yourself

The ANWB recommends doing this every month. Park the car on level ground and wait until the engine is cold. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, push it back in and pull it out again. The level should be between the minimum and maximum marks. Between those two marks there is usually about a litre. Do not overfill.

How much does an oil change cost?

That depends on the oil specification, the amount of oil and the oil filter for your car. Call us with your registration number and you hear the price in advance. You can read what our oil change includes at oil change in Rotterdam.

We change the oil of all makes, such as Volkswagen, Peugeot, Toyota, Renault, Opel, Ford, Kia and BMW. You are also welcome with a van or motorhome up to 3,500 kg. Our mechanics are GMTO certified for work on hybrid and electric cars.

The right oil for your engine

Two bottles with the same viscosity, such as 5W-30, can still be different. What matters is the manufacturer’s specification, such as VW 504.00 or BMW Longlife-04. We use your registration number to look up which oil your engine needs and how much.

Having your car serviced at an independent garage does not automatically void your manufacturer’s warranty. The service does have to follow the manufacturer’s requirements and be verifiable. That is why the oil and oil filter used are listed on your invoice. Call +31 10 479 00 00 for a quote.

Frequently asked questions about how often to change your oil

No need to click. All the answers are already open below.

How often should I change the oil in my petrol car?

In most modern petrol cars every 15,000 to 30,000 kilometres, or after one to two years, whichever comes first. The correct interval is in the service book or appears as a message on the dashboard. If you do a lot of short trips in town, change the oil sooner and at least once a year.

How often should I change the oil in my diesel car?

For a diesel too, the interval is in the service book. Diesel engines often need oil with a special specification that suits the diesel particulate filter (DPF). So only use oil that the manufacturer prescribes. If you do a lot of short trips, change the oil sooner.

Do I need to change the oil every year if I do not drive much?

Yes, usually. According to the ANWB, oil also ages when the car is not driven. If your car has a fixed schedule, you change the oil at least once a year. On a long-life schedule it is often once every two years. If you have driven very little, fresh oil with a new oil filter is often enough, instead of a full service.

What is a long-life schedule?

On a long-life schedule the car works out for itself when the oil needs changing, based on how you drive. At Volkswagen that can go up to 30,000 kilometres or two years. It only works with the prescribed long-life oil. If you mainly do short trips, a fixed schedule of 15,000 kilometres or one year is often a better fit.

What happens if I wait too long to change the oil?

The oil then lubricates less well and more dirt stays in the engine. The engine wears faster as a result. You often only notice this after a long time. In engines with a timing belt running in oil, old oil can also damage the belt. Read more about problems with PureTech engines (in Dutch). An oil change costs far less than an engine repair.

Can I wait until a light comes on?

Yes, for the service message, because that is what it is for. No, for the red oil light. That comes on when the oil pressure is too low, and by then it is too late. Stop as soon as it is safe and switch off the engine. Read what to do when the oil light is on.

How often should I check the oil level?

The ANWB recommends checking the oil level every month. Do this when the engine is cold and the car is on level ground. The level should be between the minimum and maximum marks. If your car has no dipstick, you can see the level on the dashboard. Do not overfill.

How much oil does an engine normally use?

Every engine uses some oil. According to the ANWB, more than a litre per 1,000 kilometres is too much. Something may then be wrong, such as worn piston rings or a leaking gasket. Have it checked.

What is the difference between mineral, semi-synthetic and synthetic oil?

Mineral oil is made from crude oil. Semi-synthetic oil is a blend of mineral and synthetic oil. According to the ANWB, synthetic oil is made in a laboratory, ages more slowly and gives less friction. Which oil your engine needs is in the service book. Modern engines usually need synthetic oil.

What do numbers such as 5W-30 mean?

That is the viscosity: how thick or thin the oil is. The number with the W is about a cold engine. The lower that number, the more easily the oil flows in cold weather. The second number is about the oil when the engine is warm. Above all, look at the manufacturer’s specification, because two oils with the same numbers can still be different.

Does the oil filter need replacing too?

Yes. According to the ANWB, the oil filter is usually replaced at every oil change, because a full filter no longer works. We fit a new oil filter with every oil change.

Will my manufacturer’s warranty be void if you change my oil?

No, not automatically. The service does have to follow the manufacturer’s requirements, with oil and parts that meet the correct specification. Your invoice lists the oil and oil filter used. That way you can show what has been done.

How often should the oil be changed in a hybrid or electric car?

A hybrid has a combustion engine and therefore engine oil. Follow the manufacturer’s schedule. The engine starts and stops often and sometimes does not warm up properly, so keep to the interval. A fully electric car has no engine oil. Our mechanics are GMTO certified for work on hybrid and electric cars. Read more about hybrid servicing.

How long does an oil change take?

Your car is usually ready within an hour. If you would like to wait for it, ask when booking whether that is possible that day. Otherwise we call you when your car is ready. If you combine it with a service or an APK (MOT), we do everything in one visit.

Does the automatic gearbox oil need changing too?

That is a separate oil with its own interval, which is in the service book. Read more at DSG oil change and automatic gearbox flush.

Oil change in Rotterdam-IJsselmonde

You can find us at Boterdiep 11 (3077 AW) in Rotterdam-IJsselmonde, close to Stadion Feijenoord (De Kuip) and exit 24 Rotterdam-Feijenoord on the A16. The A15 is a five-minute drive away. You can park for free in front of the garage if there is space. The Stadion Feijenoord tram stop (line 3) is close by.

We are also easy to reach from Barendrecht, Ridderkerk, Capelle aan den IJssel, Krimpen aan den IJssel, Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht and Zwijndrecht. We work by appointment. For a quick question or check, you can walk in without an appointment.

Plan your route to Boterdiep 11 or see our contact page.

Opening hours
Monday to Friday: 8.00 to 17.30
Saturday: 9.00 to 15.00
Sunday: closed
We are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Time to change your oil?

Call us during opening hours with your registration number. For a quick question you can also walk in. You will hear the cost in advance and we only start once you agree.

Our score is 4.8 / 5 from 235 reviews. Read what our customers say.

Also see our pages on oil change in Rotterdam, car servicing, an oil light that is on and PureTech engines (in Dutch).

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