For many motorists and car owners, an oil change is a regular part of car maintenance that has to be done. This simple task can ensure that your car runs as smoothly as possible. However, one woman said she had never had one before, and when she did, she labelled it a scam.
TikTok user Annabelle (@calypso.solara) posted a viral video which, at the time of writing, has more than 6.4 million views. Annabelle claimed in the video that she has never had an oil change on her car and thinks that they are just a scam.
“Why do you need to change the oil when you could just buy oil and keep filling it back up?” she questioned in her video. In effect, she was asking why you would totally change the oil in a car when you could just keep topping it up to ensure it never runs out.
Of course, this was always going to be a controversial or hot take. So much so that Annabelle even expected it in her comments section, but she still didn’t change her stance. Yet even the oil company Valvoline weighed in after seeing her video.
What Did Annabelle Say About Oil Changes?
@calypso.solara #foryou #fyp #goviral #cars ♬ Saxophones getting louder – Sped Up – AntonioVivald
“I have never had an oil change ever. I think oil changes are a [expletive] scam. Why do you need to change the oil when you could just buy oil and keep filling it back up?” said the TikTok user. Annabelle believed changing the oil wasn’t worth the money or time required to do so.
The car owner said she’d had her car for over four years, and it has got her to plenty of American states and back without any trouble. Annabelle said some of her trips had involved very long drives, and her car had never given her a problem. “Y’all keep telling me my engine finna blow. When? And my car runs and drives perfectly. Y’all have yet to give me a real reason why I need my oil change,” Annabelle said.
What then took the debate to another level was that Valvoline, which produces oils for cars and vehicles, weighed in. They simply commented, “U can’t be serious,” and this got well over 100,000 likes from people watching Annabelle’s TikTok. A top-off of oil is certainly cheaper than a full change, but it isn’t really the way to go according to companies such as Meineke and Toyota.
Why a Full Oil Change Is Better for Your Car
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A full oil change drains all of the old oil out of the car. Your new oil isn’t then mixing into the oil left inside the car. You can also replace the oil filter, and it guarantees that the engine will be refilled with fresh oil. Old oil will, over time, accumulate dirt, metal particles, and other combustion byproducts. When topping off with oil, all you do is dilute them.
There will also come a point when the oil filter simply recirculates the debris back through the engine when it is full. Changing the oil in a car every 7,000-10,000 miles is seen as the right way to go. Given Annabelle’s revelation that she had never had an oil change in her car, the comments section made for pretty interesting reading.
Commenters Were Not Convinced by Annabelle’s Strategy
“Motor probably knocking like a Jehovah’s Witness,” said one comment on the video, highlighting the feeling that Annabelle’s strategy had created. “As a mechanic, I’m glad people like you are around to keep my paychecks comin in,” said another in a damning comment. Of course, the whole video could have been rage bait. But if it is legit, and it looks like it is, how her car is still running is a miracle.
My husband was a mechanic. I would trust his opinion before even listening to someone who probably doesn’t know where to pour the oil!