In recent years, there has been much confusion as to when a vehicle requires an oil change. According to owner manuals through various manufacturers, there is now a recommendation for mileage intervals for different cars--often much longer than the well known standard span of 3 months/3,000 miles. To add to the uncertainty, the automotive service industries are standing behind the 3 months/3,000 mile “rule”. Who is correct?
The answer is they are both correct. How often you service your vehicle depends on a couple of factors:

Driving Conditions and Factors

Manufacturers recommend intervals of service based on driving conditions. Severe service intervals are more frequent than advertised in your car's manufacturer manual. If you regularly drive less than 15 miles in one trip or mostly do stop-and-go driving, your driving habits are categorized as severe. Most cars in this area are driven under severe driving conditions; the condition that puts the most wear-and-tear on your vehicle’s components. Getting an oil change and inspection every 3 months/3,000 miles allows you to check the condition of the entire car and all the fluids can be inspected and changed as needed.

Do you place your trust in your car's manufacturer or your technician/mechanic?

Improvements in engine design have made it possible for manufacturers to reduce the amount of maintenance recommended in newer model cars. Since many of the recommended intervals have changed, engine replacements on newer cars (1999 and newer) are more common. Ninety percent of blown engines are caused by sludge building up inside the engine. The only possible cause of sludge buildup is a lack of oil changes. Newer engines are costly and are estimated around $7,000. Sludge buildup is not covered by any factory or extended warranty. Usually sludge buildup does not show itself until 40-50K miles. Even if you can prove you serviced your vehicle according to the manufacturer's recommendations, it is still not covered by the warranty.
Do you want to trust a recommendation that the manufacturer will not stand behind after your 3 years/36,000 miles warranty expires? If you want your car to perform its best and last for years, change your engine oil and filter every 3 months or 3000 miles.