How about motorhomes??? In my case I won't drive 3,000 miles in a year with my MH.
So how often? Once a year?
I just did my own oil change at 3600 miles, the first oil change since buying it new last summer. Using the recommended Motorcraft 5W-20 synthetic blend oil.
Been doing this for over 10 years and never had an engine problem, probably had 8 or 9 cars and trucks in that time frame. I will stick to what I know works. Also spoke to a Mobil rep once and he said on the QT you could go 50,000 miles. Also saves me alot of money and I am conserving oil. Ken
Ken I hear you loud and clear. I just can't follow you. I'm stuck in my old way of thinking....It's been 3000 miles since I last changed the oil, and this oil looks dirty.
Bought new in June 2007, Phoenix Cruiser-2350
Fits inside our garage.
Dingy towing a red Toyota MR2 Spyder
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It's a Myth and manufacturers have also been caught. I purchased a warranty that included "free" oil changes, at 5,000, while the manual said 3,000 miles, hmmmm I see as long as I'm paying it's 5k, between they have to pay it's 5k.
First let me say mileage or color is never an indicator to the functionality of oil, only an analysis can determine if your oil needs changing.
Airlines and large ships, tractors all use oil analysis. When you change a few hundred gallons at a time, you want to get all the life you can out of the oil.
Two quick stories. As A kid I never ever changed the fluid on my car, I was broke and needed the money for other reasons, and drove my new vehicle 5 years and over 100k. I did put in a quart if needed, and changed the filter maybe four times, but other than that I was too stupid to know better. The car still ran great when I traded it in.
I purchased a new SUV, and I was doing battle with the manufacturer over a Lemon law issue, knowing they were going to get the Lemon back I vowed never to spend a dime on it. For three years I never washed it or changed any fluids in it except for the first 3k change. I went another 45k miles before I turned it back, and pulled an analysis for fun. I was stunned when it came back " good for continued use"
Now that has driven my oil change habits ever since. I never worry about miles, change all my vehicle once a year no matter how many miles, keep them topped off, and in 40 years of driving and dozens of vehicles I have never had an oil related engine problem. That includes my commercial vehicles that all have over 100k of abusive miles with my drivers.
While here in the Unites States the manual in a VW said change oil every 3k, when the same vehicle in Europe was saying 12k. I just purchased a Sprinter that stated ever 10K.......so why is it 10K now when it has always been 3k?
Perhaps 3k changes will make you engine last 500k miles instead of 400k. Who cares? I've never owed a car past 200k in my life. Would anyone want to?
tatest wrote: In the 1950's, it wasn't 3000 miles, it was 1000 miles. We had the same overheated discussions when oils and metallurgy improved, and manufacturers raised change intervals to 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000 miles and more.
In my mind I can still see the road side sign for some brand promoting it was good for 1000 miles.
Been doing this for over 10 years and never had an engine problem, probably had 8 or 9 cars and trucks in that time frame. I will stick to what I know works. Also spoke to a Mobil rep once and he said on the QT you could go 50,000 miles. Also saves me alot of money and I am conserving oil.
Ken
I guess if I had 9 cars in 10 years, I wouldn't even bother with changing the oil.
Quote: Perhaps 3k changes will make you engine last 500k miles instead of 400k. Who cares? I've never owed a car past 200k in my life. Would anyone want to?
I plan to keep my Magnum 20 years and 250,000+ miles. My wife sadly scrapped her 1986 Cherokee Pioneer with 523,000 miles, her 1988 Festiva is at about 205K. My uncle's Dakota turned 300K a couple months ago.
John
1984 Ford B-700 school bus conversion, Thomas body
A bunch of other vehicles
3 nutty cats (Maya, Vierna, Briza)
One lazy dog (Marmaduke)
One wife (Liz)
"A wasted youth is better by far than a wise and productive old age"
-Jim Steinman
Change your oil when your drivers manual or maintenance minder suggests it and if it's more than 3000 miles then laugh all the way to the bank with your spare time and cash while other waste theirs--their choice, your choice.
2008 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 DC V6 4.0L Supercharged 307HP 310TQ
2007 Cruiser RV Fun Finder 250BHS, Equalizer, Prodigy 5500#'s 27ft
The most expensive vehicle I have owned was an 1999 BMW M3, hand-built, blueprinted engine. The vehicle came with 4year 48 thousand miles of scheduled maintenance included. The computer would not call for an oil change, I thought it was broken, it was over 15k miles before the first change. I agree, I think we are all just marketed to death, convinced pistons will fly out of the hood if the oil is not changed every other day. I drive my duramax until the computer hits 25%, if you read about how GM does the oil life, it does use mileage or time as a factor at all, its based on revolutions of the motor, load on engine, cold starts, temperature of engine... I go by one year or until the computer tells me, including my motorhome.
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