(BPT) - Car care is no longer defined by the season. Modern cars don’t need special attention during the winter months with the exception of changing to winter tires depending on where you live. Instead, the reliability and life of your car depends on you following good maintenance practices. Avoiding these common car care mistakes will help keep your car on the road longer.

Oil change intervals matter

Improvements in engines and motor oil have made the old standard of “3,000 miles between oil changes” no longer applicable. According to ConsumerReports.org, “Under normal driving conditions, most vehicles are designed to go 7,500 miles or more between oil changes.” Check your owner’s manual for the recommended interval and oil viscosity. Consumers who want to protect their vehicle investment use premium high-performance motor oil like Royal Purple. The proprietary formulation of Royal Purple motor oils has been shown to give engines added protection and increased fuel efficiency compared to ordinary synthetic motor oils. In addition, it can allow you to double or even triple the number of miles between oil changes. This not only saves you time and money, it also reduces the impact on the environment by disposing of less oil.