Oil change frequency....
Discussion
Am I anal in wanting an oil change after 2000 miles. Its my belief that oil quality is very important in a new car, especially as everything is bedding in. I have checked the colour and it is darker than it used to be. I know how dark it can get because i used to change my escort estate oil once a year, but I would like to look after this car. I think, also, it doesent harm when comming to sell it. Any thoughts.... Do other people change oil regularley? How about gearbox oil? I know its not cheap, but worth it?
Wilsog
Wilsog
It was a bit alien to me to have the first change of oil and filter at 10,000, and not after 1,000 miles. Fortunately, part of the network Q sales thingy is to change the oil anyway, and as it had just over 1,000 miles on when I bought it this was ideal. Had another change of oil a few thousand later, and the car is on about 7,000 now. Can't have too many engine oil changes I think! 
Talk to Mobil they have done extended testing well in excess of 10,000 miles with little to no degredation in oil properties.
A bloke from Mobil spoke at a recent show. Basically no point changing it, just a waste of money he said. Just stick to the Manufacturers recommended intervals. But hey its not going to hurt anything changing more frequently except your wallet..
A bloke from Mobil spoke at a recent show. Basically no point changing it, just a waste of money he said. Just stick to the Manufacturers recommended intervals. But hey its not going to hurt anything changing more frequently except your wallet..
I was told NOT to change oil before recc service interval on a new engine as fully synthetic oils are good at their job and if changed too quickly the metal-to-metal contact is not allowing the surfaces to bed in correctly so you have a 'new engine' forever which sounds good but not for performance & economy, I could be wrong but that is my interpretation of using Mobil 1 & the like.
Older engines used a mineral oil based compound developed exclusively for new engines being run in. However, modern engines (mainly from better more accurate machining) and modern oils have developed considerably.
Consequently, a modern car should not need any special oil for running in. Changing the oil when running in or new will have marginal effect (if any) so I don't bevieve it's worth it.
Some Toyota engines run 20,000 miles service intervals!
Even supercar engines such as Ferrari 430 and Lambos have reasonable service intervals - IIRC the first service for a 430 is 10k miles too.
One of the good aspects about a large capacity engine is that it develops power with low revs and lots of torque - this means the oil has a much easier time and doesn't need to work as hard. This is why 0w-40 synth oil is ok. My old car had a 1.8 rover engine that was built to run to 200bhp+ and 8.5k rpm - that needed the strongest oil I could get!
This is all dependant on usage though - for example, a car that lives on track will need more frequent oil changes (figure 1 track mile to 3 road miles as a rule of thumb). However a car that pounds up and down the motorway doesn't need as frequent changes.
Consequently, a modern car should not need any special oil for running in. Changing the oil when running in or new will have marginal effect (if any) so I don't bevieve it's worth it.
Some Toyota engines run 20,000 miles service intervals!
Even supercar engines such as Ferrari 430 and Lambos have reasonable service intervals - IIRC the first service for a 430 is 10k miles too.
One of the good aspects about a large capacity engine is that it develops power with low revs and lots of torque - this means the oil has a much easier time and doesn't need to work as hard. This is why 0w-40 synth oil is ok. My old car had a 1.8 rover engine that was built to run to 200bhp+ and 8.5k rpm - that needed the strongest oil I could get!
This is all dependant on usage though - for example, a car that lives on track will need more frequent oil changes (figure 1 track mile to 3 road miles as a rule of thumb). However a car that pounds up and down the motorway doesn't need as frequent changes.
I have covered only 3000 miles in the last 12mths and my service indicator has started to prompt me again for a service, so im guessing the service indicator works on a time period of 12mts as it is exactly that since it was reset, also think there is some sort of oil condition sensor that propmts when the oil starts to degrade
Quick question for greens if your still reading this, my car is being serviced this friday at Archie Moss (loughborough).Should they use Mobil 1 as stated on the cap or could they use a GM equvilent?
Quick question for greens if your still reading this, my car is being serviced this friday at Archie Moss (loughborough).Should they use Mobil 1 as stated on the cap or could they use a GM equvilent?
i always change mine every 5k or so
100k miles this week - runs sweet as a nut :-)
which reminds me - i need to change the oil again... good job its a cheap car to service ;-)
bugger all interest in anyone buying it however! - dont know why i bother servicing it so much as no ones interested (seriously anyhow) in buying the car... I can see me having it until i've got another 100k on the clock!
the problem of using a car as it was intended i suppose - i.e. whenever and as much as you can!
100k miles this week - runs sweet as a nut :-)
which reminds me - i need to change the oil again... good job its a cheap car to service ;-)
bugger all interest in anyone buying it however! - dont know why i bother servicing it so much as no ones interested (seriously anyhow) in buying the car... I can see me having it until i've got another 100k on the clock!
the problem of using a car as it was intended i suppose - i.e. whenever and as much as you can!
Edited by marcevo1 on Wednesday 17th October 17:25
Perfect timing!... an oil discussion...why is my dashboard display telling me I need an oil service when the car has only done 5000 miles? I do remember a thread from somebody else about this but have been unable to find it, I'm happy enough to get it done, if it needs doing? The opinions above seem, as usual, to be divided?could greens have some input? which is correct - the manual saying 10k miles or the dash saying 5k miles?
willisit said:
Had mine changed per year (3 times in 7500 miles).
Chap I know with a 430 said his service interval is 7500 miles...
Chap I know with a 430 said his service interval is 7500 miles...
I knew it was something like that. The key point is that the old 360 the oil change was the first 1k miles and then every 3k miles. Given that actually *getting* to the oil filter is a pita (not as bad as the 355 - engine out job there)...
The 430 doesn't (or so I've been told) have a first service or running in oil fitted.
PA07 BAT said:
Perfect timing!... an oil discussion...why is my dashboard display telling me I need an oil service when the car has only done 5000 miles? I do remember a thread from somebody else about this but have been unable to find it, I'm happy enough to get it done, if it needs doing? The opinions above seem, as usual, to be divided?could greens have some input? which is correct - the manual saying 10k miles or the dash saying 5k miles?
This is what is says in the Gm service manual for the 2005 6.0L Ls2 gto so i assume it would be similar to the VXR monaro although the reset method seems different i used the method in the FAQ's when my Monaro specialist
didn't know how to reset it 
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