oil change: i went over 3000 miles, is that ok?

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: Regs
After 5kmiles without changing my oil, the oil looked more like tar coming out of my car. Common sense, I say that's bad.

No.
28,000 miles with no oil change looks like tar. Yes, my wife but at-the-time friend wasnt too up on car maintenance back in the day. That has since been rectified. :disgust:

 

[NickE]

These sound like amazingly short intervals for oil changes - do you have a problem with oil or engine quality over there? Standard for UK and Europe would be around 9-10,000 miles between services for cars that have a fixed interval. On my BMW 320i that has a service interval indicator, it usually comes around every 14-15,000 miles depending on how it's been driven over the period. I use Shell Helix Ultra synthetic oil, usually I find it needs about a half litre top-up around 10,000 miles after last service.

Overall, that sounds like something the oil companies are pushing on you, to see who falls for it.

 

[teddymines]

30000?????

*rubs eyes*

Oh, 3000! Gotta hate early morning eye blur. I've gone to 6k without problems.

 

[rh71]

Dad bought a Mazda a few short months ago and I believe his manual (if all Mazdas are the same up front) says every 6k.

 

[CChaos]

I don't really know that 3000 miles is a marketing scheme. I think it's more along the lines of people not RTFM and assuming that you need to change your oil every 3000 miles because that was true 10 years ago. Do what the people who designed and built your car recommend. It's not as if an oil change is expensive.

EDIT: And for reference, my last car and my new car manuals say 5000.

 

[StageLeft]

3000 is a waste of money simply put. I doubt any car manufacturer now recommends oil change intervals as early as 3k. My maxima recommends longer ones (3750 in heavy city I think or up to 7500 if you're just highway). I wouldn't even consider changing before 4k, and I went about 6200 on the maxima's synthetic last change and I have no doubt in the world that no damage was done.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: LOLyourFace
on mazda 6 2003. It's currently on 4000 miles right nows since the last change, how bad is this?

can someone clarify this for me, as ppl always argue about how 3000 mi is marketing scheme, etc...

[edit] more info:
it's 6 months old, 15K miles on it.

It is a marketing scheme. Back in the '50s when the 3000 mile rule was created, MAYBE it was true. but in today's tech age, u can go 7500miles unless you often are pulling large trailers.

Consumers did a study a couple of years ago with NYC taxis. They got a fleet operator to allow them to track their taxis for a period of time. they took the engine apart, measured/weighed components, and had 1/2 the fleet do changes at 3000 miles and the other 1/2 at 7500.

the fleet had a combined milage of 2 MILLION miles! There was NO DIFFERENCE in the engines.

 

[rootaxs]

I've gone beyond 5,000 miles before another oil change on my Max. The oil checked out okay but i changed it anyway. Though this is all highway driving.

 

[Regs]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: Regs
After 5kmiles without changing my oil, the oil looked more like tar coming out of my car. Common sense, I say that's bad.

No.
28,000 miles with no oil change looks like tar. Yes, my wife but at-the-time friend wasnt too up on car maintenance back in the day. That has since been rectified. :disgust:

However you where not there to compare oil coming out of my pan. But it might of been longer than 3k miles since it was just a bought used car from a dealership.

:evil:

 

[Aharami]

i dunno about new japanese cars. but the germans recommend first oil change at 10,000 miles...then every 8000 miles. so ur car should be ok

 

[BillyBatson]

It should be ok, 3000 is a generic # because in reality no one knows how you drive (fast/slow, constant/start stops, temperature of where ya live etc) so a little before or a little after should be fine. You do have a nice new car though so you should probably stick to aroudn 3k just in case, 4k won't kill ya though.

 

[Turkey22]

I once went 9 months (I thought it was only 6 but when I got there and got the dates I realized it was 9!!!) cart is still fine it only had about 1000 miles on it in that time, but man that stuff was dirty.

 

[Ness]

Don't trust mileage as an acurate measurement of when to change your oil. Just a dipstick. As long as it looks clean and it has a proper amount, you are good. Another good way to tell is to keep an eye on your temp. guage. When you've had an oil change, take note of where it is for a while... then if you notice that it keeps getting hotter a few months later, it's a good indication that you NEED an oil change.

the whole 3000 mile thing is for morons who don't even know where to find the dipstick.