The Kennebec Commuter is about to say something that will cause our trusted mechanic to smack us : Changing your car oil every 3,000 miles could be a waste of time and an unnecessary consumption of oil.

No, we haven't cracked. No, we haven't been drinking the Kool-aid.

Most drivers have had this advice ingrained in their heads since the days of Driver's Ed: Have the oil in your vehicle changed every 3,000 miles. The Kennebec Commuter must have played hooky the day that particular class was in session, because we've been known to drive the truck until the oil light comes on and a burnt stench starts to waft from under the hood (oy, gelvalt!).

Maybe that's taking it to an extreme, but some automobile manufacturers are now recommending drivers can go anywhere between 5,000 to 10,000 miles between oil changes. It's a new era, automakers are saying, and the introduction of synthetic oils and improved engines means getting more mileage for your buck (if only this were true of gasoline).

We first heard about this while perusing one of our favorite consumer and commuting web sites, www.greencar.com. Writer Bill Siuru called the 3,000-mile myth a "misconception", and a "carry-over".

Makes sense to us. At the same time, however, we can hear our trusted, not to mention very competent, mechanic reciting his mantra: All good car maintenance starts with a routine oil change, and that's usually every 3,000 miles.

Sigh.

We checked in with Lauren Fix, America's "Car Coach." Fix, an upstate New York-based Auto Service Excellence technician and author, knows a thing or two about treating your baby (er, we mean vehicle) with tender loving care.

"Changing the oil every 3,000 (miles) is kind of a hoax," Fix said. "Engines in both European and American cars are much more advanced now. Everyone's picked up their game."

Fix cited Audi, Mercedes and BMW as foreign car manufacturers who are perfecting the advanced engine. On this side of the big drink, Ford and General Motors have been turning out engines that last longer and ensure less-frequent oil changes.

The best secret to knowing how often to change your vehicle's oil?

"Follow your owner's manual," Fix said. "You should always follow what the manual says, not the 3,000-mile myth."

For those with an older vehicle or those who can't find their owner's manuals, Fix said an oil change should be scheduled about every 5,000 miles. Synthetic oil can make the time between changes even longer.

"Use synthetic oil in your car if you can," Fix advised. "The benefit is, you can change (your oil) every 5,000 to 7,500 miles and the engine will last you forever."

Warning: This is not an excuse to neglect your car's needs.

Fix proceeded to tell us a horror story of a woman who decided to not change her car's oil for the sake of saving a few bucks. The oil got so thick, it turned to sludge and damaged the engine. The woman's car, Fix said, broke down in the middle of an intersection and shelled out a cool $9,000 to get the car repaired.

"Look, you can go over 3,000 before changing the oil, but it's important to do maintenance," Fix said. "Any red light is bad. If you see that, there's a real problem and you need to get the oil changed immediately."

Follow Meghan Malloy's commuter blog and track the cheapest gasoline prices in town daily at www.kjonline.com.