mileage between oil changes
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: just outside of Phila.
Well, I agree with Boomer. I see $10-$15 as CHEAP insurance for keeping a $10,000 car on the road. I can't afford another car, but 15 minutes in the driveway? I'll give that to all of my cars any day of the week. Once every-somewhere-between 2,000 and 3,000 miles I change my oil, as I drive her a lot. 15 miles to and from everyday for work, anywhere from 20-500 miles daily, and random trips. She gets worked hard, so I take care of her...constant oil changes in a healthy 1999 Altima? I think she'll be around for a bit.
How do guys not do oil changes every 3,000 miles on principal alone? I mean seriously, it's almost like legally cheating on a woman. Any amount of time in the silence of my garage, with an occassional wrench clang? Sign me up. I don't want to know a life where weekend getaways with a dirty engine or undercarriage don't exist. I'd do it every 100 miles if I had the time.
How do guys not do oil changes every 3,000 miles on principal alone? I mean seriously, it's almost like legally cheating on a woman. Any amount of time in the silence of my garage, with an occassional wrench clang? Sign me up. I don't want to know a life where weekend getaways with a dirty engine or undercarriage don't exist. I'd do it every 100 miles if I had the time.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Mansfield, TX USA
Originally Posted by jdmorg
Once every-somewhere-between 2,000 and 3,000 miles I change my oil, as I drive her a lot. 15 miles to and from everyday for work, anywhere from 20-500 miles daily, and random trips. She gets worked hard, so I take care of her...constant oil changes in a healthy 1999 Altima? I think she'll be around for a bit.
Your car is not alive. Even if you treat it right, it will never come visit you in the nursing home. You will never get to walk it down the aisle. No cards at Xmas. If someone shot it dead, they would not get the electric chair.
Sorry, but it's true.
BTW - Throwing good oil out before its time is wasting money. And wasting money is wasting money.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Sarnia, Ontario, CANADA!
I think he is quite aware his car is not alive. But, I personally would rather see someone change their oil every 2000-3000 miles (I have done it before) than every 10000 miles (especially if I was going to buy the vehicle from them). It's better to do more maintenance than not enough.
-Matt
-Matt
Logistics Pro
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From: Mansfield, TX USA
Originally Posted by Beast12
But, I personally would rather see someone change their oil every 2000-3000 miles (I have done it before) than every 10000 miles (especially if I was going to buy the vehicle from them).
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
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From: Bonita Springs FL
Never change your oil at more than 3000 miles.
This is why:
The shearing action of the internal moving parts in an auto engine 'cuts' the oil molecules, making them smaller and smaller as the miles go on. The smaller the oil molecules are, the less they protect those internal parts.
The reason that manufacturers are now saying you can go 5k or as much as 10k between oil changes is that they like to be able to advertise a lower annual maintenance cost. They do not care if your engine dies at 120k miles because you didn't change the oil often enough. As long as it makes it out of the warranty period, they hope it dies so you go buy a new one.
For a more detailed explanation, along with everything else you ever wanted to know about oil, check this site out: http://www.boss302.com/oil.htm
Summary: change your oil every 3k miles at most.
This is why:
The shearing action of the internal moving parts in an auto engine 'cuts' the oil molecules, making them smaller and smaller as the miles go on. The smaller the oil molecules are, the less they protect those internal parts.
The reason that manufacturers are now saying you can go 5k or as much as 10k between oil changes is that they like to be able to advertise a lower annual maintenance cost. They do not care if your engine dies at 120k miles because you didn't change the oil often enough. As long as it makes it out of the warranty period, they hope it dies so you go buy a new one.
For a more detailed explanation, along with everything else you ever wanted to know about oil, check this site out: http://www.boss302.com/oil.htm
Summary: change your oil every 3k miles at most.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
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From: Bonita Springs FL
Originally Posted by jschira
That was not the question. The question was 5000 versus 3000.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 234
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From: Bristol, RI
I think Consumer Reports did a report on this question a few years back using NYC taxis as test mules. They found no difference between changing the oil at 3,000 and 5,000 miles. They recommended that oil be changed at 5,000 miles based on their test results.
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Elder User
Joined: May 2003
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From: Dixon, Il
Like many of you have said, 3,000 miles has beat into our heads for quite some time. The cars now adays seem to run a heck of alot longer than cars 20 years ago. I guess this will one of those endless debates that will never be solved.
Gone but not forgotten.
Joined: Jul 2001
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Here is a statement from the Consumer Reports tests: "The testers placed freshly rebuilt engines in 75 New York taxis and then ran them for nearly two years, with each cab racking up 60,000 miles, placing different brands and weights in different cars and changing the oil at 3,000 miles in half the cars and 6,000 in the other half. At the conclusion of the test period, the engines were torn down, measured and inspected. The conclusions: Regardless of brand of oil or weight, no measurable differences could be observed in engine wear. Furthermore, there was no difference among cars which had oil changed at the shorter or longer interval."
It is a free country and if someone wants to throw perfectly good oil away and it gives them a warm comfy feeling, so be it.
Dono
It is a free country and if someone wants to throw perfectly good oil away and it gives them a warm comfy feeling, so be it.
Dono
Last edited by dono; Oct 3, 2005 at 02:15 PM.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Georgia
If you tow any, go down dusty roads any, or do alot of city driving I would say do not go over 3000 miles. If you feel your vehicle does not see rough service go 5000. I do not do a whole lot of driving so I change mine at every season change give or take a week whether it is at 2500 or 3500. Every time I change my oil I also check all the fluids and do an underbody inspection. That is what works for me. What works for you may be different.
Last edited by 70blue; Oct 3, 2005 at 02:30 PM.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
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From: Brentwood,CA
No, not necessarily. The issue is does the engine get hot enough to burn off the water.
Water + combustion byproducts = acids
i knew you would mention this. this was my point. i mentioned short trip driving because the oil never gets up to temp so it is hard on everything. and the multiplr starts are the hardest on the engine. ford and the api released a test a few years back that said it took 26 mins to bring the oil up to its operating temp.
Water + combustion byproducts = acids
i knew you would mention this. this was my point. i mentioned short trip driving because the oil never gets up to temp so it is hard on everything. and the multiplr starts are the hardest on the engine. ford and the api released a test a few years back that said it took 26 mins to bring the oil up to its operating temp.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Mansfield, TX USA
Originally Posted by Oval_obsessed
Like many of you have said, 3,000 miles has beat into our heads for quite some time.
At least as long ago as 1964, Ford was recommending 6 month/6000 mile oil change intervals.
Don't believe me? Read it for yourself:
http://www.falconman.com/fullbrochur...llbrochure.htm
You will also note that as an advertising promotion, Ford put several vans through a 100,000 mile endurance test following factory recommended maintenance schedules and all the vans came through with flying colors.
Now that was with the oil available in 1964, which can't even compare to the quality of the oils available today.
Last edited by jschira; Oct 3, 2005 at 03:04 PM.