Oil change question

[Serendipity]

How often do you change your oil? Service stations usually say 3,000 miles. But then the manufacturer gives different intervals and says something like "Severe service/premium/standard" and lists different mileages. For example, if not towing anything, or run in extremely hot temperatures, they say the oil should be changed every 5,000 miles.

[exalted512]

It also depends on the oil used. Amsoil is supposed to last a really long time.

I use Castrol Syntec and replace it religiously at 3k miles.
-Cody

[Serendipity]

Never knew that. Was just wondering why some get away with changing their oil every 10,000 miles...and never have any engine problems, yet others change their oil every 3,000 miles to the dot.

[Toxis]

My new Civic regulates it and it tells me when it needs to be changed. Last time around, I got almost 8k out of the first oil change. The second is now synthetic and it's been another 8k and still has 30% left before needing to be changed. 10k here I come.

[Face]

I uses Mobil 1 synthetic and usually change my oil twice a year or every 5k miles, whatever comes first.

[Serendipity]

So, let's say your local service station changes your oil every 3,000 miles with regular oil. If one were to switch to Synthetic oil, would you be able to get away with a 4-5,000 mile oil change?

[bobman1235]

I use Castrol Syntec and replace it religiously at 3k miles.
-Cody

I thought "Syntec" was synthetic, so you wouldn't have to replace it so much.

Replacing synthetic oil at 3000 miles sounds like throwing money away to me.

[Serendipity]

I thought "Syntec" was synthetic, so you wouldn't have to replace it so much.

Replacing synthetic oil at 3000 miles sounds like throwing money away to me.

What about replacing regular oil at 3,000 miles? Is that throwing money away too?

Even if the car is not used in a way that warrants the "severe service" maint. schedule?

[eloplayspolo]

My new Civic regulates it and it tells me when it needs to be changed. Last time around, I got almost 8k out of the first oil change. The second is now synthetic and it's been another 8k and still has 30% left before needing to be changed. 10k here I come.


it doesnt actually regulate it, the dealership (or wherever u get it changed) resets it and it just goes by miles.... dealership told me.

[Lasareath]

I always wanted to get my oil changed and then go back the next day and change it again and see how dirty it was.

[bobman1235]

What about replacing regular oil at 3,000 miles? Is that throwing money away too?

Even if the car is not used in a way that warrants the "severe service" maint. schedule?

No need to get snippy. Regular oil typically "lasts" 3000 miles before it starts to get dirty / break down; synthetic is supposed to last longer. Isn't that the point?

I don't know anything about this stuff, so feel free to correct me. But the biggest selling feature I've heard for synthetic is that you don't have to change your oil as much.... you're paying 4x as much for the oil, you better get something out of it.

[Sami]

There's no reason to use anything other than fully synthetic. Some situations benefit more than others.

Mobil 1 will easily last 5-6k miles on regular car.

[joeparaski]

You guys are forgetting another important reason for regular oil changes at 3,000 miles. That is the time that you should "service" your car, meaning that the air filter and all other fluids are checked as well as the belts. The air in the tires is checked. The front end is checked for anything that may be worn, such as ball joints and tie rods. Tires are checked for uneven wear which should be corrected with an alignment before they get worse. Tire rotation and brake check. Torn axle boots, if caught early, will save you the price of a front axle.

You'd be surprised how a "slightly" worn tie-rod or ball joint can become "dangerous" in a very short period of time.

Oil is oil, and it WILL get dirty. Waiting 10,000 for your next oil change because you have oil that "lasts" 10,000 miles is just looking for trouble. You don't want your oil to be black as crap when you change it, that only means that the dirty crappy oil has been circulating in your engine.

Oil is the "blood" of your engine, you need to keep it clean.

Joe

[mrmusicman]

Non synthetic 3,000 city miles 5,000 highway miles
Full synthetic 5,000 city miles 7,500 highway miles

Thats the schedule I would change the oil on my vehicles,there is no way I could let a vehicle go 10,000 miles before a oil change...I don't care what the thingy on the dash says.This is just my .02 nothing professional:D

[exalted512]

I thought "Syntec" was synthetic, so you wouldn't have to replace it so much.

Replacing synthetic oil at 3000 miles sounds like throwing money away to me.

I think its supposed to last about 5000 miles. Ill gladly pay a little more to ensure the life of my vehicle.

As well as, like someone else mentioned, its a good time to check everything else as well. But I recommend checking your tire pressure more than just everything 3000 miles.
-Cody

[disneyjoe7]

I use 10/30 Amsoil with a Wix filter, I'm changing at about 10k once a year. The Amsoil I use states 25k miles use but I like the once a year thing, since I don't replace the filter at 5k and add a fresh quart.

[bigaudiofanatic]

I use mobile 1

[black magic]

I use Mobil 1 and aim to change it roughly every 5000-6000 KM.

[Toxis]

it doesnt actually regulate it, the dealership (or wherever u get it changed) resets it and it just goes by miles.... dealership told me.
It actually has sensors to see how the oil is reacting and working within the motor. On one of the civic sites I am part of, there's a thread just about how long your oil lasts and it ranges depending on how the car is driven. Its not based on mileage.

[dfranks]

I change my oil at 20K intervals or 1 year whichever comes first. I take an oil sample and send it Blackstone labs for analysis at every 10K. I also use a by-pass oil filter with synthetic oil which filters down to 1 micron absolute. This is in a diesel where clean oil is ultimately more critical to engine logevity, Soot suspension oil additive-toTBN values in diesel engines over gas engines.

A good place to discuss oil change intervals and values of oil is
www.bobtheoilguy.com. You will find all the interesting arguements about oil and the intervals to change or not change at.

Most mechanics will tell you that oil will not breakdown or wear out like the oils of yesterday. They do however get dirty that is the only reason why you have to change the oil.
So for my wifes car I check the oil every second fill up (2 weeks) when the color of the oil starts to turn darker, about every 3months I change it.

[heiney9]

I uses Mobil 1 synthetic and usually change my oil twice a year or every 5k miles, whatever comes first.

Same here. I usually change it going into Spring and then again in the late Fall w/Mobil 1 synthetic. Probably could go longer but I'm a little anal.

H9

[Kinetic]

i would recomend the Liqui Moly, i really dont know if they sell them on the states, but it is way superior than the mobil 1 wich is really really good.

this oil reduces from 40 to 50% of the internal friction, and last 30,000 KM
i dont know how many miles are, but its supposed to be a lot.

its expensive, but it worth it on duration and performance.

[Kinetic]

here is the website:

http://www.liqui-moly.de/web/lmhomeus.nsf/pages/index_flash

if you can find a dealer, you should use 3 products...

Oil: 10W40 with MOSS
Aditives: Engine Flush, and CERATEC.

you put the "Engine flush" on the old oil with the car started, and leave it for 10 minutes.

then take out the old oil.

put some new oil 10W40 with MOSS (half)

put the CERATEC (nano ceramic treatment)

put the rest of the oil.

in less than 2 weeks you should feel a huge difference on power and engine response.

[heiney9]

Yeah, I don't add any type of cleaner or additives to my engine. If Mobil 1 synthetic isn't good enough then I'll peddle my bike ;).

Recently had to have my head gasket replaced. Opened the motor up and at 90K it looked brand spanking new. Even my mechanic remarked how clean everything looked and no visual wear at all. He sees lots of engines on a regular basis. Since I've known him for 20 years he'd tell me if I had issues based on my oil regiment.

[Jstas]

Ummm...it's not the oil that necessitates the 3,000-5,000 mile change intervals but rather the oil filter. The oil can be elixir from heaven itself, never breaks down and repels dirt like a magnet. But if that oil filter fills up with crap and no longer flows well enough to move enough oil to lubricate the engine properly, the pressure in the filter builds up and the by-pass valve opens. When the by-pass valve opens, the oil is not filtered at all. That means that all the crap the oil filter normally filters out is not getting filtered out. This leads to surfaces that need to be lubricated being damaged and it leads to sludge build up and such too. That kills an engine.

If anyone's mechanic has told them anything different, they are lying to you. Oils last a long time and take a ton of abuse nowadays but filter technology hasn't changed.

And yes, Joe is correct, you should be doing an entire vehicle check at every oil change. That includes all applicable filters, spark plugs, tire wear, brakes, fluids, hoses, belts, suspension greasing points and any other area your car might need to have a regular check. That includes things like car batteries, power and ground cables and even your engine grounding strap. Here's an idea, read your owner's manual. It gives a good solid outline and mileage timeline on what to check and when and even what you should be replacing.


My oil changes? Motorcraft FL-820S and 6 quarts of AMSOIL 5W-20 7500XL. I change it every 3-5,000 miles. Usually about 3-4 months worth of driving. Every oil change the whole truck gets a once over. Every other oil change the air filter is cleaned and every 3rd oil change the fuel filter is replaced. Every oil change, brakes are checked along with ball joints and wheel bearings and seals. I also check transmission fluid, coolant in both the radiator and intercooler and I make sure spark plugs are tight and not showing signs of mis-fires or fouling. I check if I have any lights out too.

Oh and additives don't do anything but lighten your wallet.

[audiobliss]

Does anybody purposely use CL-4 or CL-4PLUS oil in their vehicles? In the engine class I'm taking at school, it was mentioned how those two are the only oils on the market now that are somehow getting away with still having zinc in them. He said Rotella and some type of Valvoline (VR4?) both still have zinc in them.

Zinc greatly reduces engine wear. However, this class is a 'performance engines' class, so the vast majority of cars I'm sure would see no significant benefit from running oil with zinc. I also have no idea how the prices compare.

But, I was just curious. :)

[bobman1235]

Yeah, I don't add any type of cleaner or additives to my engine. If Mobil 1 synthetic isn't good enough then I'll peddle my bike ;).

How will selling your bike help? ;)

[Kinetic]

Yeah, I don't add any type of cleaner or additives to my engine. If Mobil 1 synthetic isn't good enough then I'll peddle my bike ;).

Recently had to have my head gasket replaced. Opened the motor up and at 90K it looked brand spanking new. Even my mechanic remarked how clean everything looked and no visual wear at all. He sees lots of engines on a regular basis. Since I've known him for 20 years he'd tell me if I had issues based on my oil regiment.

Mobil 1 uses a cleaner, thats why your engine looks like new

[Jstas]

Mobil 1 uses a cleaner, thats why your engine looks like new

ALL oils have a detergent in them, champ. They all also have anti-sludging agents.

As long as the oil sold in the U.S. meets the standards and government laws, it will do its job.

[heiney9]

Does anybody purposely use CL-4 or CL-4PLUS oil in their vehicles? In the engine class I'm taking at school, it was mentioned how those two are the only oils on the market now that are somehow getting away with still having zinc in them. He said Rotella and some type of Valvoline (VR4?) both still have zinc in them.

Zinc greatly reduces engine wear. However, this class is a 'performance engines' class, so the vast majority of cars I'm sure would see no significant benefit from running oil with zinc. I also have no idea how the prices compare.

But, I was just curious. :)

Actually you should follow the recommendations by your automobile manufacturer. VW specifically states certain specs the oil should be approved for (501.0 and 502.0) comes to mind. This is a much more intelligent way to pick an oil than based on if it has certain detergents, additives, lubricants, etc.

As new engines are introduced by manufacturer's sometimes the recommended oil specs change. So a 5 year old automobile may not have the same recommended oil a new car does even though it's from the same manufacturer or even the same model car or truck.

H9

[Jstas]

Does anybody purposely use CL-4 or CL-4PLUS oil in their vehicles? In the engine class I'm taking at school, it was mentioned how those two are the only oils on the market now that are somehow getting away with still having zinc in them. He said Rotella and some type of Valvoline (VR4?) both still have zinc in them.

Zinc greatly reduces engine wear. However, this class is a 'performance engines' class, so the vast majority of cars I'm sure would see no significant benefit from running oil with zinc. I also have no idea how the prices compare.

But, I was just curious. :)


Rotella gets away with it because they sell oils meant for large diesel trucks and such which are under much more abuse than the regular engines all the schmucks on the road are driving around. Also, those same large diesel engines are also installed in things like emergency power systems, portable generators for job sites and other stationary uses and off-road uses like farm tractors and bulldozers and such. Those applications are currently exempt from certain emissions standards so they can get away with using zinc in the oils. BTW, Rotella is a brand name from Shell which is a British owned oil company last I checked.

As for the Valvoline VR4 and other "performance oils", they are usually only sold as racing oils and listed for "off-road use only" because race cars are also exempt from most emissions standards. Also, some racing fuels are leaded still and they need engine oil with zinc to protect valve seats, piston ring lands and other such softer parts.

[heiney9]

Mobil 1 uses a cleaner, thats why your engine looks like new

Well I've seen many engines that didn't use HQ oil or synthetic and were not maintained and I can tell you they looked horrible, even beyond the sludge that built up. You'd think the internals were made of brass the way they looked.

My engine looks new because I follow a strict oil regiment and use top quality oil and filters.

[Jstas]

Oil: 10W40 with MOSS


This is not a good idea. Unless your car specifically calls for a 10W-40, you shouldn't use it. 10W-40 is an older weight designation for a heavier oil left over from the smogger days. It works well in warmer climates because it never gets cold enough to get too thick or gel up and become ineffective.

However, new vehicles have engines built to much higher tolerances than 30 years ago. The require oils like 10W-30 at the minimum but most run 5W-30 or 5W-20 and some even call for a 0W-30 or 0W-20. These oils are much thinner but have similar viscosity tolerances. Since the newer engines are tighter, you need a thin oil like a 20 weight to squeeze in between the moving parts and lubricate them effectively. If you use a weight that is too thick, the oil is incapable of being able to easily flow into the tighter tolerances. No oil in between the moving parts, they wear out and those tolerances get wider and you can end up with things like valve taps and rod knocks which will eventually fail.

Use the oil temperature and weight designation the manufacturer of your vehicle recommends. As much as you or some snake oil salesman thinks they know about engines, I'm sure the guy who designed yours knows much, much more.

[heiney9]

Use the oil temperature and weight designation the manufacturer of your vehicle recommends. As much as you or some snake oil salesman thinks they know about engines, I'm sure the guy who designed yours knows much, much more.

+1,000,000.

[m00npie]

Does anybody purposely use CL-4 or CL-4PLUS oil in their vehicles? In the engine class I'm taking at school, it was mentioned how those two are the only oils on the market now that are somehow getting away with still having zinc in them.

I do, I do if you meant CI-4 or CI-4Plus. I have never heard of CL-4

Shell Rotella T 5W-40 for my Diesel Jetta. It's the only oil I have ever used for it and I can buy it at Wal-Mart. It's about $16-20 a gallon, depending if I'm buying it in NY or PA.


I always wanted to get my oil changed and then go back the next day and change it again and see how dirty it was.

Diesels will turn new oil jet black within a minute of an oil change. All gasoline cars I have ever owned will stay clean for a while after an oil change.

[Jstas]

Ugh. Oil doesn't turn black because it's dirty. It has paraffin in it which is a type of wax that gives oil it's slippery properties and maintain viscosity. It is one of the first things to break down. It is also one of the components that gives motor oil it's brown color when new and fresh. When the oil goes through even just one heat cycle, the paraffin turns black. It turns black because that's what it does when it goes through the heat cycle.

Yes, some of the darker colors are due to dirty and oil does get dirty quickly because the detergents in the oil are meant to clean off old deposits of the worn out paraffin and other such viscosity agents. It also cleans off varnish and such from the solvents in the oil. The new oil gets dirty quickly because the new detergents are very effective at cleaning when fresh and the take all the dirt, grime and crude off the lubricated parts and suspend them in the oil. The anti-sludging agents keep the funk suspended and when the funk chunks get big enough, the oil filter traps them.

Diesel oil gets dirty quickly because of all the soot, otherwise known as carbon, that comes out of the oil burners. It's every where and since in the U.S. diesel oils have a high sulfur content, alot of the soot comes from the reactions of sulfur with the other compounds. Just because the oil is black doesn't mean it isn't any good.

[MikeC78]

Use the oil temperature and weight designation the manufacturer of your vehicle recommends. As much as you or some snake oil salesman thinks they know about engines, I'm sure the guy who designed yours knows much, much more.

I agree to a point, however, the oil weight designation by the manufacturer plays a big role with the fuel economy ratings more than protection. If thicker oil is used, the fuel economy will drop, not necessarily the protection being served.

[Kinetic]

This is not a good idea. Unless your car specifically calls for a 10W-40, you shouldn't use it. 10W-40 is an older weight designation for a heavier oil left over from the smogger days. It works well in warmer climates because it never gets cold enough to get too thick or gel up and become ineffective.

However, new vehicles have engines built to much higher tolerances than 30 years ago. The require oils like 10W-30 at the minimum but most run 5W-30 or 5W-20 and some even call for a 0W-30 or 0W-20. These oils are much thinner but have similar viscosity tolerances. Since the newer engines are tighter, you need a thin oil like a 20 weight to squeeze in between the moving parts and lubricate them effectively. If you use a weight that is too thick, the oil is incapable of being able to easily flow into the tighter tolerances. No oil in between the moving parts, they wear out and those tolerances get wider and you can end up with things like valve taps and rod knocks which will eventually fail.

Use the oil temperature and weight designation the manufacturer of your vehicle recommends. As much as you or some snake oil salesman thinks they know about engines, I'm sure the guy who designed yours knows much, much more.

you are right, i was thinking in mexicos weather.

there are a lot of oil types.

http://www.liqui-moly.de/web/lmhomeus.nsf/pages/index_produkte

there is a 0W40, 5W40 etc...

we use this oil for racing and it is awesome...

also: ENEOS and REDLINE are awesome oil brands

http://www.eneos.us/

http://www.redlineoil.com/

[Kinetic]

here is the US contact

West Coast:
Lubro Moly
Gary Boyd
1820 Clark Avenue
USA-00000 Long Beach, CA 90815
United States
Tel. 001 562 5975519
Fax 001 562 5975269
mail: glb90815@yahoo.com


East Coast
Lubro Moly
Tim Riordan
43 Spyglass Landing Dr.
USA-00000 Marshfield, MA 02050
United States
Tel. 001 781 536 8327
Fax 001 781 536 8327
mail: scit-tim@comcast.net

[Face]

I forgot to add earlier, I use German Castrol Synthetic 0-30 in my C5.

[heiney9]

you are right, i was thinking in mexicos weather.

there are a lot of oil types.

http://www.liqui-moly.de/web/lmhomeus.nsf/pages/index_produkte

there is a 0W40, 5W40 etc...

we use this oil for racing and it is awesome...

also: ENEOS and REDLINE are awesome oil brands

http://www.eneos.us/

http://www.redlineoil.com/

I currently use some Redline products and they are top notch and top price. I used the oil for awhile, but it's just too damn expensive. I use the fuel additive every couple months and I swear by the synthetic tranny fluid.

H9

[Kinetic]

I currently use some Redline products and they are top notch and top price. I used the oil for awhile, but it's just too damn expensive. I use the fuel additive every couple months and I swear by the synthetic tranny fluid.

H9

well liquy moly and ENEOS are better

[MacLeod]

I used Mobil 1 with a Mobil 1 filter in the last 4 cars I owned but I never kept any of them longer than 3-5 years so I essentially wasted a lot of money with a $40 oil change every 3000 miles. I dont think that there is a difference between conventional and synthetic in the first 150,000 miles. Now 200,000+ and the benefits of synthetics become apparent.

With my new Honda I decided that since I dont plan on keeping it for 400,000 miles Im simply going to the dealer and let them service it. I also have the oil life meter but I could NEVER drive 7000 miles between oil changes. I take mine in every 3000 miles.

I believe that nowadays oil and car makers are offering high quality stuff and if youre one that is only going to put 150,000 miles max on your car, conventional oil willl work just fine. Now if I had a sweet ride like John's I would plan on keeping that thing til the cows come home and for that I would use Mobil 1 again.

[Kinetic]

I used Mobil 1 with a Mobil 1 filter in the last 4 cars I owned but I never kept any of them longer than 3-5 years so I essentially wasted a lot of money with a $40 oil change every 3000 miles. I dont think that there is a difference between conventional and synthetic in the first 150,000 miles. Now 200,000+ and the benefits of synthetics become apparent.

With my new Honda I decided that since I dont plan on keeping it for 400,000 miles Im simply going to the dealer and let them service it. I also have the oil life meter but I could NEVER drive 7000 miles between oil changes. I take mine in every 3000 miles.

I believe that nowadays oil and car makers are offering high quality stuff and if youre one that is only going to put 150,000 miles max on your car, conventional oil willl work just fine. Now if I had a sweet ride like John's I would plan on keeping that thing til the cows come home and for that I would use Mobil 1 again.

wise words, and also the Honda Oil, is one of the best ive tried, it comes with Molybdenum, like the liqui moly

Molybdenum is a nice antifriction aditive.

[pentavolvo]

Mobile 1 Synthetic in the Vette change it once a year in the spring (doesnt see a ton of miles)

Lexus ES330 every 5k regular 5w30

The rest of the fleet every 3k or so 5w30

[HB27]

I change oil regularly at 2,500-3,500 miles with Castrol Syntec. Oil breaks down and acids are actually created as the oils age. This leads to deterioted and leaky gaskets. Keeping regular service leads to a long and healthy life for your vehicle and helps keep emissions down.
I usually get 200,000 miles + out of my work vehicles and they're usually still running quiet and smooth when I sell them. My old Toyota van has 289,000 on it now. Last year I gave it to a friend who's still driving it and it still doesn't use or leak any oil. My vehicles always rust out before they quit running.
HB

[heiney9]

I. Oil breaks down and acids are actually created as the oils age. This leads to deterioted and leaky gaskets. Keeping regular service leads to a long and healthy life for your vehicle and helps keep emissions down.


This can be true for non 100% synthetics and this doesn't happen if you change your oil at recommended intervals. The only exception is extreme use whether it be extreme cold, heat or extreme racing conditions.

All oils are excellent nowadays but they need to be changed at reasonable intervals to ensure they are completely 100 % effective. Synthetic is more resistant to shearing and thermal breakdown and should allow you to extend you oil changes. Filter technology is where people should be spending their time researching because all filters are NOT the same.

H9

[McLoki]

I change it every 5,000 miles.

300c gets Pennzoil Platinum (purchase it at walmart and take it in to the chrysler dealer. They provide the filter and use my oil. Total charge is about $7 (plus the price of the oil)

Crown Vic gets it every 5,000 miles and it is changed at the local ford dealership ($17.00) They use the ford motorcraft oil (it is semi-synthetic). I mainly use it for highway miles so it really does not matter much.

Tahoe gets it when ever it comes up and tells us to change the oil. (it has an oil life meter) We currently just let the dealer change it. Since we purchased it with over 100,000 miles on it, I did not want to chance synthetic starting any leaks so I just use regular oil. I end up changing it about once per year.

So far - everything is good, but the mileage on all of them (except the tahoe) is pretty low so I would not expect any oil related issues yet.

Michael

[Early B.]

I need to purchase synthetic oil for my car and I want to buy the best stuff out there. Are there quality differences among brands or does it really matter for general, everyday driving?

Thanks.

[exalted512]

I've always heard thats Amsoil is among the best you'd put into your daily driver.
-Cody

[Jstas]

Mobil 1 and AMSOIL were top of the heap for a while. But Mobil 1 went to a lower quality base to start with and now they are on the same scale as a Castrol or Quaker State synthetic. Not bad at all but not the best either.

AMSOIL still uses a high quality base. I forget what the designations are off hand but I know AMSOIL, Royal Purple, Redline and a few other smaller names still start out with the highest quality base, I think the number is 4? Anyway, it's the base level that is used for making aviation lubricants. Mobil 1 used to use it but they stepped down to a level 3 base to make things less expensive.

I've been using AMSOIL in my truck since the owner's manual said I could switch to a full synthetic and I've been very pleased. The Ford mechanics that have serviced teh truck have asked what I used and how often I change it because there are minimal signs of wear and I just broke 98,000 miles this morning.

[heiney9]

I need to purchase synthetic oil for my car and I want to buy the best stuff out there. Are there quality differences among brands or does it really matter for general, everyday driving?

Thanks.

What you need to do is find out what specification your auto manufacturer recommends. Then look at oil brands that have formulations to meet that specification.

Since I'm familiar with VW they have a certain spec that needs to be met (501.0 or 502.0) and that can change based on the year the car was manufactured and obviously the type of engine (4cyl, 4cyl turbo; 6 cyl; diesel, etc.). Not all blends across the same oil brand meet the same manufacturer specifications.

I have always used Mobil 1 synthetic with the approved auto manufacturer spec. The only M1 formulation that meets my (VW) spec is 5w-40 or straight 40 weight.

Amsoil, Royal Purple, M1, Redline are all premium brands that I think you'll find are always touted as the best. It's more important to use an oil that meets manufacturer specs than it is to buy the most expensive and best reviewed brand.

The key is to find both.

H9

[McLoki]

For forums of oil analysis and guys who think WAY to much about oil in gerenal, check out this forum:

Bob is the oil Guy (http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php)

Very informative, but it would be better with an occasional cable debate...

Michael

[MacLeod]

I think, just like in audio, eventually you get to a point that although you can improve it wont make much difference in the real world. Its been my experience that all the top brand synthetics (Mobil 1, Amsoil, Penzoil etc) are all top notch and unless youre wanting to get 1,000,000 miles out of your engine, I doubt there would be a difference in them.

Personally I prefer and used Mobil 1 for over a decade and swear by it but since Ive never kept a car longer than 90,000 miles Ive since switched back to conventional.

[riker1384]

I would just follow my manual. It really depends on your driving style. If you do a lot of short trips, especially in winter, then you tend to get water and other contaminants in your oil, that don't burn off because the engine never really gets hot. That's horrible for the car, and if that's what you do all the time then you might want to follow the sever-service schedule.

If you do all highway miles, then that doesn't happen so much. You can follow the regular service interval. I wouldn't think about using synthetic and extended intervals unless I was doing mostly highway miles. Either that, or if the car requires synthetic and was designed for it. Synthetic is also good in really cold weather, or in some high-performance engines.

[raggadiman]

I use Mobil 1 and go 5k...My BMW has a computer that tells me when to change it based on driving style and mileage. Now IF I paid attention to that I would only be changing every 15k. THAT'S CRAZY!!! A friend of mine at the dealership told me of a man that came in with engine problems in a 5 series. When they tore it down the inside of the motor was black and gummy with oil galleries completely plugged. He asked the owner how often he changed his oil and the reply was, "When the computer says it's time." Nuff said!;)

[McLoki]

I pay so much in Gas to fill up my car anymore every 300 miles or so - paying an extra $25 bucks (or so) for synthetic oil every 5,000 miles just does not seem like a point worth arguing about...

[black magic]

I use Mobil 1 and go 5k...My BMW has a computer that tells me when to change it based on driving style and mileage. Now IF I paid attention to that I would only be changing every 15k. THAT'S CRAZY!!! A friend of mine at the dealership told me of a man that came in with engine problems in a 5 series. When they tore it down the inside of the motor was black and gummy with oil galleries completely plugged. He asked the owner how often he changed his oil and the reply was, "When the computer says it's time." Nuff said!;)

Thats ridiculous, I can't believe they recommend that. My brother drives the 335i and he told me that the dealership tells him to change his oil every 24,000km. Thats the most insane thing I've ever heard... at least when it comes to changing your oil!

[Sami]

The last time I took my BMW for an oil change, it was $250. For sure I won't do that every 3k miles. :)

[black magic]

The last time I took my BMW for an oil change, it was $250. For sure I won't do that every 3k miles. :)

If you lease one, you won't have to pay... at least thats how it is up here.

[Sami]

If you lease one, you won't have to pay... at least thats how it is up here.

Yeah, but leases are a rip-off. Free maintenance and bumper to bumper warranty for 5y/100k miles for the 7-series, but my 5 years just ran out. $750 for brake service, each, not both rear and front. $88 for parts online, rear and front, I'm doing it myself today, and I'll be changing the oil too. :)

[black magic]

Damn... $750?! Thats insane! Definitely not worth it if you ask me.

I'd do it myself as well. Good luck!

[Deadof_knight]

750 for brakes is a pure rip off on any car. I would pay that if I had to change the pads on my porsche if I owned one.

They never clean anything up. When I get done doing my brakes the calipers look new everything is as clean as it was when it came off the showroom floor. You ll never get that at the dealer. For 750 I could buy the best pads available, new cross drilled rotors by Brembo and new hubs with new bearings too boot. And thats for the whole car .