Woman Goes 4 Years Without An Oil Change. Then She Goes To Take 5: ‘I’m So Nervous’

After four years, a Wisconsin woman finally decided to take her vehicle in for an oil change. She was very worried the news was going to be bad, and of the sludgy variety.

Annabelle Calypso (@calypso_solara), explained in a TikTok that she was “filling it back up and hoping for the best.”

On her way to Take 5, a national quick-lube shop, she says she’s never had her oil changed. “I’m so nervous. I really want to see their reactions,” she says. Because “everyone says I’m gonna have a bunch of sludge in the chamber. We’ll see.” 

Her video has racked up more than 1.7 million views. It’s a slightly nerve-wracking take on the “come with me” genre of social media content.

What’s the Worst Thing That Could Happen If You Don’t Change Your Oil?

Experts consistently stress the ease and importance of oil changes. They are one of the pillars of vehicle maintenance.

But Calypso says she kept putting it off—for over four years.

According to Kelley Blue Book, failing to regularly change oil can result in catastrophic engine failure. Dirty oil can damage engine parts, decrease fuel efficiency, or trigger an engine breakdown because the moving parts are no longer effectively lubricated. The oil becomes abrasive sludge, causing things to overheat and seize up. And if you’re out there driving around with no oil, you won’t be for long.

When an engine seizes, it’s often because there is no lubrication to keep things moving. Take it away (or let it run too low for too long), and parts in the engine heat up, warp and weld themselves together: like pistons sticking to the inside wall of the engine.  

What Was the Damage?

At Take 5, Calypso asks the technician if it’s a horror show, and he answered, “It’s not bad, you’re pretty surprised, right?” She admitted, “I am surprised.”

Then in an email to Motor1, she gave a little more context to why she waited years to get her oil changed. She said that after she bought the vehicle off of Facebook Marketplace, it broke down on her way home. 

“It had so many issues and I had to do a lot of work on it, so an oil change wasn’t really my concern for a while, it’s just something that kept getting pushed off until it kind of became a running joke that I’ve never had an oil change. I kind of wanted to see how far I could take it which I do realize is very stupid but at the time, I also didn’t realize that the oil is a closed system. I thought you had to check your oil to see if it needed more and I thought you were supposed to just keep putting more in.”

Calypso is pleased that her car wasn’t damaged because she waited so long to get an oil change.

But the internet was not. Some went so far as to demand systemic change to the license-granting process in America.

“Vehicle maintenance education should be a requirement to get your license,” said negator91. 

Beccajane2021 wrote, “This is not the flex you think it is.”  

But in a later video, user dailymarlee offered some gentler advice: “Babe just take care of your things; it’s about having respect for yourself and your large purchases.” 

“This is worded so beautifully because you’re right and I do need to hear this. This is all coming from a place of trauma and I need to deal with that,” Calypso replied. 

How Often Do You Need To Change Your Oil?

For decades, the rule of thumb was to change your oil every 3,000 miles—and some still swear by this. Since the advent of synthetic oils and blends, many agree that the new rule is to change it every 5,000 to 10,000 miles depending on conditions. These include, but are not limited to, if the car is conventional or hybrid, the kinds of driving you do, like hauling heavy loads or driving long distances, and even the area of the country you live in. Driving in hot conditions can break down motor oil faster (looking at you, Texas). 

If you’re unsure about how often to change your oil, consult the manual and talk to your mechanic. And if you decide to save some money and do the oil change yourself, always consult your car’s manual first.

It’s universally agreed that you should not wait literal years to change your oil. Actually, because oil breaks down over time, it’s generally recommended to change it every six months.

If you neglect to do so, you might not get as lucky as Calypso, who despite learning that an oil change also requires a filter change, had an overwhelmingly positive experience. She told Motor1 that her car is still running fine, and she’s now committed to regular oil changes.