oil change interval question

[NutBucket]

And conversely the OLM in the CR-Z pops on at 8k intervals so far. That's about every 6 months for me so I just use synthetic and call it a day.

The WRX gets 5k changes (no OLM). Haven't decided what interval I will use for the Acadia. Most likely I won't follow the OLM since it only gets driven maybe once a week at most.

 

[Raduque]

I went almost 7000 miles on the last oil change. I checked it at 5k and it still looked new. I drive about 1200 miles a month, mostly highway. 04 F150 4.6 V8.

 

[phucheneh]

Dupe account?

Sort of. Left for awhile, lost login info. Mods said they'd merge them.

Also FWIW I wouldn't doubt that 10k miles on synthetic is fine. I just think it's too long for conventional.

Also Re: that Nissan...It probably never had its hood open past the pre-delivery inspection. Some people are a just a little...not-so-bright. I did kind of wonder if someone told her '3k oil changes are a myth' and she took it as 'you never have to change your oil.' It's just hard to believe an adult could actually just not know about oil changes...as in...know that they exist and that cars generally need them.

 

[pandemonium]

Heh...on my commute to work (20 miles interstate), I see a different vehicle on the side of the road almost every day. A lot of them will just be a flat, but some of them are flats on a donut! It just amazes me how little people pay attention to their vehicles. And then wonder how a 30-car pile-up happens...

I've gone 25k miles on one batch of oil. Granted, it's premium synthetic oil, but I wouldn't just blankly recommend that to anyone unless they're also getting the oil analyzed.

Honestly, that's where maintenance should be going. Just get your oil analyzed instead of changing it out and then you can see signs of extensive wear, coolant burn, oil-burn, filter failure, etc...

IE: http://www.oaitesting.com/

 

[Throckmorton]

Change the oil every year if you're putting that few miles on it. It breaks down with time not just miles but AFAIK the oil monitor doesn't take that into account.

 

[Baked]

The funny thing is either the Toyota dealership's cheating me and didn't change the oil at all, used conventional oil even though the owner's manual calls for synthetic, or something's going on.

When I changed my oil last week, it's at a little over 4K since my last oil change at the dealership (don't ask). They put a sticker on there saying I should get another oil change in 3K. The maintenance light came up around 3K after the last oil change, I didn't have time to bring it in, and then I decided to do it myself. When I drained the oil, it came out looking brown, not yellow like when it's new. I've since changed the oil change reminder to 5K, and put full synthetic oil in the engine. We'll see what happens in 5K miles.

 

[pandemonium]

Color isn't representative of much besides anectdotal shop stories.

And ya, don't take it back to that dealership.

 

[zerocool84]

Why don't people just do what the owners manual says? Why is that so hard to follow? It's not like an oil change is expensive, especially if it's only every 10,000 miles.

 

[Meghan54]

Why don't people just do what the owners manual says? Why is that so hard to follow? It's not like an oil change is expensive, especially if it's only every 10,000 miles.

Because so many think they're experts and know sooooo much more than the engineers that designed the vehicle. You do understand car engineers are stupid and don't have a clue, right? And that the average lay person is so very much more knowledgeable than they are, esp. concerning maintenance, oil change intervals, tire pressure, etc.

 

[railer]

What Meghan said. Also people have had it bashed into their heads that oil needs to be changed every 3k, so when your manual states 10k miles, or your OLM doesn't come on for 13k miles, I guess people just get nervous.

 

[leper84]

Yeah 3k oil changes were back in the land of crap rings and carbs dumping fuel damn near straight into the oil. Oil and engines have come a long way since then.

Follow the maintenance light. Read your owner's manual, use at least the minimum API spec oil, follow the light.

GM has been using their algorithm based oil life monitor for more than a decade now. I have seen not one, not one single GM product, ever, ever, ever have an issue related to oil sludge or engine wear when the OLM is followed- even when it doesn't trigger until 7.5k, 10k, 12k miles.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

When BMW teleservice says its time for a change, it was about 8k miles for the first one.

 

[SandEagle]

Why don't people just do what the owners manual says? Why is that so hard to follow? It's not like an oil change is expensive, especially if it's only every 10,000 miles.

the manual doesn't cover situations like this where the car gets driven less than 5K a year. that is why i am asking. the manual states to change at 10K, the oil life indicator shows 90% life, but i only put on < 3K in about 10 months. . i believe ThrockMorton answered the question though thanks. i will change it before winter just to be safe.

 

[phucheneh]

Because so many think they're experts and know sooooo much more than the engineers that designed the vehicle. You do understand car engineers are stupid and don't have a clue, right? And that the average lay person is so very much more knowledgeable than they are, esp. concerning maintenance, oil change intervals, tire pressure, etc.

No offense, but saying 'all engineers are smart' is just as retarded as saying...well, 'all engineers are retarded.'

In a practical sense, I'd lean toward the latter. Too much time spent learning mathematical formulas and not enough on critical thinking (hard to teach...more like the college should've just kicked them out for not being able to do it).

And about 'following the manual'...have you guys actually read a modern manual? Twenty pages about how to wear your seatbelt, but simple questions like 'what does this light mean' are usually answered in one sentence: 'Take it to the dealer.' Manuals can eat my balls for pretty much anything other than fuse details and fluid capacities. That's about all the useful information left in them.

Or how about the opposite of your 10k oil changes? Like the manuals that tell you to do 60k brake flushes or rear diff oil changes? Anyone actually following that?

 

[LTC8K6]

They almost always give a mileage and a time for OCI. Whichever you get to first.

 

[Kroze]

i put on about 2400 miles in the last 10 months on my civic. its supposed to get an oil change every 10,000 miles. i still have 90% oil life left. should i change the oil now or is there anything wrong with letting it go longer? at this rate it'll probably be 3 years before i hit 10K.

If you read the owner's manual, they say to replace the oil once a year or follow the maintenance minder system (typically 15% oil life) whichever COME FIRST.

So if you're approaching 1 year mark and still have 50% oil life left, you still change the oil.