"Summary The American Petroleum Institute had a series of questions on oil changes and lubrication included in 1957 Look and 1955 Crowell-Collier automotive surveys. These questions in the two surveys were sufficiently similar that the resulting answers could be used to indicate trends. Highlights of the comparison between the 1957 Look and 1955 Crowell-Collier automotive survey figures on oil change and lubrication are as follows: 1. In 1957@ 5% more consumers took their cars to service stations for oil changes than in 1955. This 5% gain by service stations resulted in a corresponding loss by the car-dealers and ""do-it-yourself"" groups. 2. In 1957@ 5% more consumers bad their oil changed at the same place they had their cars lubricated than in 1955. This indicated trend towards taking cars to the same place for both oil changes and lubrication shows up in all categories. The only exceptions were (a) consumers with under $2@000 income@ (b) consumers under 26 years of age@ and (c) among cars three years old. 3. The weighted average distance traveled between oil changes increased from 1@599 miles in 1955 to 1@925 in 1957@ an increase of 326 miles. This represents 20% fewer oil changes in 1957 than in 1955 and@ projected nationally@ approximately 53.75 million less gallons of oil sold in 1957 than in 1955 in crankcase oil changes. 4. During the same period@ the median (exact mid-point in all figures collected) in the number of miles between oil changes increased from 1@348 to 1@788 miles. This represents an increase of 440 miles or 33%. 5. There was an almost universal trend to less frequent oil changes in all categories by income@ by age groups@ by year model of car@ by car bought new or used@ by metropolitan center size and by geographic regions. 6. Service stations generally reflected a gain in favor in 1957 over 1955 as the place where consumers took their cars for oil changes. This was not true@ however@ in the South@ South Atlantic and South Central states. ""Do-it-yourself"" showed gains in these areas. Independent garages also showed gains in 1957 over 1955 as the place cars were taken for oil changes@ everywhere except in the West. 7. Service stations showed a gain as the place where cars are taken for lubrication by almost all income groups@ age groups@ year model of car@ by car bought new or used@ and metropolitan center sizes. Exceptions were (a) the under $2@000 income group and the $3@000-$3@999 income group; (b) cars 3 and 5 years old respectively; and (c) the ""outside metropolitan - excluding farm - areas."" ""Do-it-yourself"" declined in every consumer age group in the two year period@ 1955-1957. 8. By geographic regions@ service stations showed a decline in 1957 from 1955 in lubrication work done in total South@ South Atlantic and South Central states. In these states during this two-year period@ independent garages show gains for this service. 9. The results of the survey on oil change intervals give additional evidence to bear out the continually declining trend of the overall motor oil-to-gasoline ratio which bas been evident over the past several years."