General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsState hopes to break car owners' habit of changing oil too often - 7.5K to 10K is better than 3K
State hopes to break car owners' habit of changing oil too oftenCalifornia launches a campaign against the widespread notion that oil changes are needed every 3,000 miles. Officials say the practice wastes millions of gallons of oil a year.
Many automobile owners are spending more than they need on motor oil, believing that it should be changed every 3,000 miles even though almost no manufacturer requires such an aggressive oil-change schedule.
The long-held notion that the oil should be changed every 3,000 miles is so prevalent that California officials have launched a campaign to stop drivers from wasting millions of gallons of oil annually because they have their vehicles serviced too often.
"Our survey data found that nearly half of California drivers are still changing their oil at 3,000 miles or even sooner," said Mark Oldfield, a spokesman for the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery, which has launched the Check Your Number campaign to encourage drivers to go with the manufacturer's recommendations.
Improvement in oils, friction proofing and car engines have lengthened the oil-change interval, typically 7,500 miles to 10,000 miles for most vehicles.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-autos-oil-change-20111215,0,4554184.story
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
tridim
(45,358 posts)This is good to hear because although I do my own oil changes, I don't enjoy it all that much because it's so messy.
I'll just keep an eye out for any hint of of sludge as I near 7000 miles.
Andy823
(11,555 posts)I asked the mechanic at the dealership I bought my car at, and he said well yes the manual says 7,500, but they, the service department at the dealership, still recommend 3,000. I did get him to say that 5,000 might be OK! They still put down 3,000 on the sticker for the next oil change.
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)The dealership told me: no more than every 7,500 to 10,000 miles.
proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)And I get a warning on my dash at around 4700.
rtassi
(629 posts)We were all hammered by Pennzoil and the rest for decades on the TV to change oil and have a "Tune up" (remember them ... points, plugs & condenser, cap) every 3k
those of us who remember that stuff are getting pretty old though!
randome
(34,845 posts)...we should always question the manufacturer's recommendations because they more often than not reflect the corporate need to increase profits, not to see to our general welfare.
Corporations are Mindless Greed Machines.
I figured out the oil scam some time ago.
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)I'll be sticking with 3000.
Oil that is recycled isn't lost. Oil that burns because of worn rings and valve guides is.
bluedigger
(17,431 posts)06 Jeep Wrangler.
3000 miles...
randome
(34,845 posts)Talk to a skilled mechanic who doesn't have an agenda -if you can find one.
bluedigger
(17,431 posts)If they are just putting up the owner's manual info, then the state has wasted my time - they can just run psa's to raise general awareness. 
Depending on what conditions I've been running under, I shoot for around every 4-5k. I get a little dirty and dusty - it's a Jeep! 
People need to take other factors, such as pulling/hauling heavy loads into account as well.
(I do need a skilled mechanic, though. 
)
joeglow3
(6,228 posts)
ProdigalJunkMail
(12,017 posts)and took it in to have it serviced and they told her the little service light would come on when it was ready. She took it in at 6000 and they told her it wasn't needed yet...took it back at 10000 and just to get her to stop bringing it in they went ahead and changed the oil for her to make her happy.
My 2002 Jeep has the default schedule at 5000 miles...I get the oil changed and the tires rotated and balanced in the same shot.
sP
iris27
(1,951 posts)Actually, this would seem to bear that out: "Improvement in oils, friction proofing and car engines have lengthened the oil-change interval, typically 7,500 miles to 10,000 miles for most vehicles. "
I'd think a majority of cars still on the road are older than these new recs.
taught_me_patience
(5,477 posts)allowing precise metering of fuel to the combustion chamber. Pretty much any car since the mid 90's has fuel injection and can safely go 5k between changes.
iris27
(1,951 posts)
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)so I am probably in the 10,000-mile category.
Lazlo301
(8 posts)Wash, rinse, repeat. Does anyone really "repeat"? Think of the waste! Thank you Proctor & Gamble.
tridim
(45,358 posts)Learned that from the Supercuts lady.
ProdigalJunkMail
(12,017 posts)gotta wash daily or looks horrid and yes, i do repeat...and for me it is not a waste.
sP
iris27
(1,951 posts)Wasn't always the case...I think it started when I got a short enough cut to need hair gel. I started washing every day to wash the old gel out. But my scalp must have gotten used to that or something, because I've had a different hairstyle that doesn't need the gel for several years now, and I still have to wash my hair every day unless I want to look like I dunked my head in a vat of grease.
pinstikfartherin
(500 posts)I had great results from using a baking soda/water solution. Not too much baking soda in a squeeze bottle worked great for me. About the 2nd week it will look greasy again, but if you stick to it, it will really do amazing things for your hair. If you need a conditioner, use a apple cider vinegar/water solution, but go very light on the vinegar. Also, every other day just rinse your hair with water. The thinking on these things is that if you continue to get rid of natural oils, your hair will keep producing too much.
Might not work for everyone, but it worked for me!
pipi_k
(21,020 posts)you can make your shampoo last longer by diluting it a bit, which actually helps (me, anyway) get it to all parts of my hair, which is long.
One lather isn't enough to get it to the back parts. All it does is prime my hair for a better lather with the second application, which works up into a good foam and makes me feel like all parts of my hair are getting clean.
Anyway, one of the "shampoos" I use is Dr Bronner's Peppermint Soap. A little bit diluted with some water...lather and rinse, then repeat.
It's really just a mild castile soap with peppermint scent that refreshes the scalp. It also makes a dandy shower wash...
taught_me_patience
(5,477 posts)Makes it real easy to remember when to change the oil! You know the 3k is complete bullshit because the exact same cars in europe have recommended intervals of 10-15k miles.
There have been huge advancements in fuel injection, allowing the precise metering of fuel and air in the combustion. Therefore, the old problem of fuel polluting the oil is long gone.
The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)Her ghost keeps it going (the van is 1989 model iirc). Folks call it the mystery van.
Sure as I change the oil/etc it will break down
bluedigger
(17,431 posts)You'll know from the loud bang as the rod exits the engine. 
I've had it happen. Good luck! 
REP
(21,691 posts)Been there, done that (gears, so it didn't throw a rod).
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)reggie the dog
(7,755 posts)gets 55 to 60 MPG and has to have the oil changed every 20 000 kilometers according to the owners manual.
EnviroBat
(5,290 posts)Subaru considers this an "extreme use" engine, and the warranty explicitly calls for 3500 miles between oil changes. I change my own oil, and I run only synthetic. At 3500 miles the oil is pretty dark. Apparently a turbo is pretty hard on motor oil. 0 to 60 in a matter of seconds might be as well...
MattBaggins
(7,948 posts)Is the STI turbo or supercharged?
EnviroBat
(5,290 posts)Mind you, that is with a professional driver behind the wheel. The Sti is a scary-fast vehicle. The most fun to drive of any car I've ever owned. It's full-time AWD so the mileage suffers a bit, but it sticks to the road like melted gum.
Oh, it's turbo-charged by the way. There have been quite a few advancements in turbo technology over the last few years and "turbo lag" is not much of an issue anymore. It comes on full boost pressure darn near immediately. Pins you in the seat real good...
jmowreader
(53,155 posts)The design of a turbo, which has oil-lubricated bearings that are heated by exhaust, means your oil gets cooked on a regular basis. So...ya gotta change that oil more often than those of us with non-turbo engines.
Everyone else? I wouldn't recommend going past 7,000 miles with one exception: if you've got an old aircooled VW (specifically, any Bug, Karmann Ghia or Thing, and Buses 1971 and older) you need to change the oil every 1500 miles because there's no oil filter on those engines.
flvegan
(66,235 posts)You get to 60 a bit quicker, but we run the same oil.
ohheckyeah
(9,314 posts)mile oil changes a good while ago. We now use the synthetic oil and I think we go about 7,000 miles between changes.
I only put about 5,000 on my car last year. It's a 2005 and only has 35,000 miles on it.
i do about every 6000 with synthetic, it could probably go a little longer but i'd rather error on the side of caution when it comes to oil changes.
ohheckyeah
(9,314 posts)Cars are too expensive to take a chance with.
REP
(21,691 posts)Ive had it since November '07 so at this rate, I'll have 35,000 on it in another 5 years...
ohheckyeah
(9,314 posts)teased about how few miles "The Princess" has. My husband swears she doesn't like getting her feet wet or dirty. Actually, we use his truck for a lot of our running around and I don't drive all that much. If the weather is great we take my car because it's a convertible.
Blue_Tires
(57,596 posts)
dionysus
(26,467 posts)MattBaggins
(7,948 posts)
Bill USA
(6,436 posts)where the oil tends to pick up particulates. Most people drive on paved roads where dustiness is minimal.
Thegonagle
(806 posts)It comes on every 7,000 to 10,000 miles, I think. It tells you other things you need, too, like air filters, coolant and other fluid changes, spark plugs, tire rotations, and various inspections. It makes it so easy to properly maintain my machine. It's an incredibly expensive and complex machine, so I want it to last as long as possible with minimum hassle.
spanone
(141,470 posts)
BiggJawn
(23,051 posts)It gets changed about every 10,000. Truck has 150,000 on it and it's running great. They build them better nowadays. Cars from the 90's and earlier were junk by 150,000 miles.
uncle ray
(3,351 posts)literally tens of thousands of miles. or course it helps to have several gallons of capacity vs. 4 or 5 quarts. they will, however have the oil tested on occasion to see how much foreign matter has accumulated, and how much the oil has broken down, to determine how long they can go between changes.
tammywammy
(26,582 posts)My previous car was a VW Beetle TDI. It got an oil change at 5k, 10k and then every 10k miles.
madokie
(51,076 posts)I've gone as long as 7000 before when I wasn't paying attention. Now when I change oil I write the miles on the odometer on the oil filter with a magic marker so I can more easily keep track of when I changed it last. I put the date on it too
taught_me_patience
(5,477 posts)Synthetic can easily go 10-15k miles before a change. If you do an oil analyzer test, some people are pushing 20-25k miles before a change. 5k is the minimum on dino juice... no need to waste money.
madokie
(51,076 posts)between changes. I started using synthetic oil when Amsoil first came out with their synthetic which btw was black right out of the can. I even forced myself to extend the interval of changes but it wasn't long until I just couldn't do that anymore so I opted to spend the few bucks to change the oil at a more reasonable, to me, mileage.
Happy new year to you.
Since we're here may I ask you a question of what taught you patience. For me it was becoming a grand dad. I realized that the things that I thought were so important when the kids were growing up turned out not to be so.
I wish I could have been a grand dad first before becoming a dad as I'm a much better grand dad than I ever was as a dad.
peace
arikara
(5,562 posts)and rarely changed the oil, maybe once a year if that. The engine was still fine when she finally died. I did find that the car required the higher octane gas though or else it pinged like crazy.
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)he feels guilty and anxious. They have him trained like a seal.
taught_me_patience
(5,477 posts)If he's got a 1986 Ford Taurus, it might be 5k. If he's got a 2010 BMW, it might be 15k. Just check the manufacturer's specifications. Most cars are between 5-10k miles between changes.
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)when getting other car service by another shop. That was my last visit to Jiffy Lube.
ProdigalJunkMail
(12,017 posts)left an oil soaked rag on my engine after a change...it unceremoniously fell onto some rather hot parts and burst into flames while driving that very evening. That was fun and I have done every (ok, MOST) changes since then but never again to the Q-Lube.
sP
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)Jiffy Lube has a window into the bay. After my experience, I understood why some men watch the process.
Glad you survived the oil rag fire.
ProdigalJunkMail
(12,017 posts)a buddy of mine and i had been out to watch something at a sports bar. on the way home, we were stopped on a bridge while waiting at a traffic light. we had been having a good time and were joking around and my buddy and i started to notice all the smoke. we of course thought it was someone else and were commenting how someone's car had to be on fire. my buddy looked out the window down toward the pavement and started yelling, "It's US! It's US!"
the light had just changed so i had to decide if we could make it to a point to turn off. so we went and made it to a parking lot. we hopped out of the car and i was getting the fire extinguisher out of the back (a kindly Samaritan pulled over to help as well and came running with his) when the fire extinguished itself.
we poked around in the engine and found the rag! the good news is, i got a lot of new belts and hoses out of the snafu!
what fun!
sP
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)out in our garage. Kind of have to watch them.
Donnachaidh
(19,749 posts)Californians are seriously dependent on their vehicles. I think the fault really lies on the businesses that depend on car owners utilizing their services.
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)
ileus
(15,396 posts)That covers 1994,1996,1997,2001,2003,2007 new vehicles
1987,1990,1991,1994,1996 used vehicles with 73-225k
All these have been since college...I've had zero engine or tyranny failures. Japanese and domestics....I try and do 7k but if I go to 10k it doesn't bother me.
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)Regular oil: 3,000 to 5,000 miles.
Synthetic oil: 10,000 to 15,000 miles.
Simple as that.
ananda
(35,067 posts)It's around 6,000 miles, which seems about right to me.
So far I've driven 11,000 miles and changed the oil once
and had the tires rotated once.
This is a Honda Civic Hybrid I bought in 2008, and boy it's
a good car, practically maintenance free except for that
one oil change.
B Calm
(28,762 posts)on my Freightliner.
Odin2005
(53,521 posts)Since it is repeated constantly in almost every motor oil commercial.