How often do you change your oil?

clm65

clm65

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The old standard was every 3 mos/3000 miles. There's been alot written lately about 3000 miles being too often, and some manufacturers now say every 5000 - 7500 miles or so.

I'm especially curious about those of you with garage queens that don't put very many miles on your cars. Do you change your oil based on time instead of miles? If so, how often?
 
i switched to synthetic first oil change. i usually run syn, for 6-7k miles. but my GMC has a oil life monitor. i read up on it, and it is very accurate at what it does. so after the last oil change, i reset it. i will be going by this from now on in.
 
Its a very subjective thing to talk about. Oils these days are sythetic and more durable than they were years ago. I tend to change my oil every 500 miles...but im a freak. I cant stand the thought of waiting 2000 miles or more....and it only costs like $20-30 dollars if you do it yourself....so i tend to overchange on the safe side....plus I love that little boost in power with fresh oil!!
 
GMC said:
but my GMC has a oil life monitor. i read up on it, and it is very accurate at what it does. so after the last oil change, i reset it. i will be going by this from now on in.
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:iagree: Many of the new vehicles these days have these computers that tell you when the oil needs to be changed etc.

BMW's don't even have a dipstick anymore! So car manufacturers are relying on them to tell you when it needs to be changed.
 
Use to change the oil every three thousand. Although in the past three years I change it every four thousand.
 
clm65 said:
The old standard was every 3 mos/3000 miles. There's been alot written lately about 3000 miles being too often, and some manufacturers now say every 5000 - 7500 miles or so.

I'm especially curious about those of you with garage queens that don't put very many miles on your cars. Do you change your oil based on time instead of miles? If so, how often?
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Daily Drivers: 3 mons or 3,000 miles

Semi-Garage Queens: 3,000 miles and/or before winter sets in.

Even if the vehicles have an oil monitoring system, a quick check of the dip-stick (if available) every so often.

3,000 mile intervals, to me, is cheaper than other potential damage.

OP: What's your oil change schedule? What's your Garage Queen?

:)

Bob
 
I use Mobile One full synthetic every 5k-6k. My Accord is still running like a champ and hopefully will for a long time.
 
every 3k miles . I change it myself . oil and filter is cheap insurance . I have 2 cars with over 130k miles and 2 with less than 40k. They all get the same treatment
 
I was using Castro Syntec Euro Formula until they discontinued it. Now I'm using Mobil 1 Synthetic. To answer the question, I change the oil every 6 months (I average about 5-6k miles in a 6 month period), but the oil filter every 3.
 
My VW Jetta TDI Daily driver Gets changed every 5,000 miles full synthetic. VW says Every 10,000 is recommended, as a matter of fact they give you free service when you buy one for the first 36,ooo miles @ 10,000 mile intervals of course ...... NOT! Way to long if you ask me. Wifes car that gets driven maybe 6-7,000 miles per year gets fresh oil every 6 months full synthetic. :buffing:
 
GMC said:
i switched to synthetic first oil change. i usually run syn, for 6-7k miles. but my GMC has a oil life monitor. i read up on it, and it is very accurate at what it does. so after the last oil change, i reset it. i will be going by this from now on in.
Click to expand...

I use Mobile 1 10W30 and change oil about every 5,000 miles to save money from a life altering change. That said, I still prefer to change it about every 2500-3000 miles.

I always figured if Mobile 1 is good enough for a Corvette, it's good enough for my Buick Regal GS.

Now on this monitor thing...my monitor reads no different than when I used regular Valvoline oil. I mean the percentages read the same at about the same mileage. This leads me to believe that the montior is set-up based on miles, and doesn't actually monitor the oil itself. I could certainly be wrong, but that's what I've observed...monitor reading the same and certain mileage intervals.

If someone has information and can provide something to back it up I'd certainly appreciate knowing it, since my observation could be way off.

If some of you go strictly by the monitor now, at what percentage do you change your oil?
 
How many of you do it yourself/take it someplace to get done?

I know how to change my oil, but I never do. Do you guys find it a hassle to deal with the old oil/filter? Do you recycle it the same day or store it?

Thats the only thing stopping me from doing to myself.
 
I use mobile 1 every 7500 miles per my factory maintanence schedule.
 
FUNX725 said:
OP: What's your oil change schedule? What's your Garage Queen?

:)

Bob
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My garage queen is nothing fancy - just a 2007 jeep wrangler. Its primary purpose is running around town on nice sunny days. In fact, I've only had the top on for less than 1 week in the three years that I've owned it, and that 1 week was only because my wife tried to back her suburban out of the garage with the hatch open, and we therefore needed the jeep to be a daily driver during the repairs.

I only average about 1000 miles per year on the jeep, and I've been changing the oil once per year (with synthetic). I know I'm not putting too many miles per oil change, but I'm not sure that only changing once per year is good enough.
 
My BMW's are on a factory interval of every 15K, full synthetic. That being said I do interim changes on my dime every 7500 myself again full synthetic Castrol. Once off warranty I do them still at every 7500 but use Mobil 1 simply becasue it's easier to source. Last 3 BMW's all went over 170K on the clock before I sold them, other than current car my last one is till one the road driven by my son 173K never had the head off, original clutch, only maintenance and fluids. I do gearbox's and diffs at 50K full synthetic, brake fluid every set of front brakes and coolant every 50K. Has worked for me for the last 19 years of owning them so why switch.
 
timaishu said:
How many of you do it yourself/take it someplace to get done?

I know how to change my oil, but I never do. Do you guys find it a hassle to deal with the old oil/filter? Do you recycle it the same day or store it?

Thats the only thing stopping me from doing to myself.
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I can usually get my oil changed for less than $20. Time is money, so there's no chance I'm baking or freezing under my car and then dealing with the hassle of recycling the old oil, just to save a dollar or two. There's a time and place to be a DIY'er; but to me, oil changes isn't one of them.
 
I change it most of the time every 2500-3000 miles and air filter every 2-3 oil changes...never had engine problems. I buy the oil at Costco usually the cheapest around and it last me 3 oil changes...great deal.
 
Y2KSVT said:
I can usually get my oil changed for less than $20.
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Oil changed for $20 huh? What brand and how many quarts? You won't change Mobile 1 for that price, and I'm not even sure you can change Valvoline for that price either, even doing it yourself.

I'm south east of you by about 3 1/2-4 hours and $20 oil changes are long gone. That said, I agree with the rest of your comments about a time and place to be a DIYer, and is the reason I let Wal-Mart change my oil now. I can't buy the filter and oil, Valvoline, or Mobile 1 for $20.
 
erock said:
Its a very subjective thing to talk about. Oils these days are sythetic and more durable than they were years ago. I tend to change my oil every 500 miles...but im a freak. I cant stand the thought of waiting 2000 miles or more....and it only costs like $20-30 dollars if you do it yourself....so i tend to overchange on the safe side....plus I love that little boost in power with fresh oil!!
Click to expand...
Changing your oil too often will shorten the life of your engine. Ideal OCI is to have your oil analyzed and change it right before it has worn out.

Testing has proven wear metals produced per mile goes down the longer the OCI but goes up when the oil is done. UOA testing is the only way to dial this in. This is why OEM's have increased there recommended OCI. Dan
 
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