State hopes to break car owners' habit of changing oil too often
12-16-2011, 08:33 AM
#1
State hopes to break car owners' habit of changing oil too often
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.
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.
12-16-2011, 09:08 AM
#2
depends my mood, I change mine at 1.5-3K now.
for most cars changing them at 3K is too much. My Sonata Hybrid ask for 3750 miles oil change tho, and I change it around 3.5K, reasonable.
but a lot of jiffy lube (or any quick lube place) not gonna be happy about this ...
for most cars changing them at 3K is too much. My Sonata Hybrid ask for 3750 miles oil change tho, and I change it around 3.5K, reasonable.
but a lot of jiffy lube (or any quick lube place) not gonna be happy about this ...
12-16-2011, 09:43 AM
#3
I change my beater's oil every 8-10K miles. Never had a problem with that and I think that any sooner would be overkill.
On a hard driven car with a high revving engine I would never do that though. Instead of trying to categorize people they should spend time teaching them that any engine and car use has its requirements.
On a hard driven car with a high revving engine I would never do that though. Instead of trying to categorize people they should spend time teaching them that any engine and car use has its requirements.
12-16-2011, 09:55 AM
#5
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My Miata burns a quart every 300 miles, and has a 3.8 quart capacity.
So I change the oil about every 1,200 miles, and I don't even have to worry about what to do with used oil!
So I change the oil about every 1,200 miles, and I don't even have to worry about what to do with used oil!
12-16-2011, 09:58 AM
#6
it really is a problem, people are just being ignorant using old world methodology in spite of the technological advances
I change my street cars 7.5k - 10k using regular dino oil, never had a problem. My Honda Ridgeline truck has 178k and has seen substantial mileage at the weight limit towing my RX-8 and enclosed trailer all over the US. It's still going strong and trouble free. I honestly expected the auto trans to have gone out by now, but it has been flawless too. I do change that every 15k due to all the WOT loading when towing. This is the recommended mileage by the manufacturer for towing.
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I change my street cars 7.5k - 10k using regular dino oil, never had a problem. My Honda Ridgeline truck has 178k and has seen substantial mileage at the weight limit towing my RX-8 and enclosed trailer all over the US. It's still going strong and trouble free. I honestly expected the auto trans to have gone out by now, but it has been flawless too. I do change that every 15k due to all the WOT loading when towing. This is the recommended mileage by the manufacturer for towing.
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Last edited by TeamRX8; 12-16-2011 at 10:04 AM.
12-16-2011, 11:29 AM
#8
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My Daily driver 2011 Camry gets 10K miles oil changes. My last daily driver was a Civic that hit 200K miles. It went 5K between oil changes. Both cars just use whatever the dealer recommended and it works fine. Toyota runs all synthetics now.
On rotaries I'll go somewhere between 3K-5K depending on my mood. You need to add oil in there anyways so there is always some fresh oil. I only use synthetic there too.
On rotaries I'll go somewhere between 3K-5K depending on my mood. You need to add oil in there anyways so there is always some fresh oil. I only use synthetic there too.
12-16-2011, 11:45 AM
#9
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Been a while since I mentioned this, but my brother went something like 75,000 miles on a Toyota without ever changing the oil before a rod punched a hole in the block. Never had a problem before that.
I tend to agree that 3000 miles is a bit much, although that's what I do with my 8 and I really try to aim at 3k to 5k on other cars - which is now just down to my wife's Toyota. IMHO, the 7500 that a lot of manufacturers specify is not often enough if you're using dino. I think it's enough that the engine will last through the guarantee period and the original owner's time with the car.
Ken
12-16-2011, 11:52 AM
#11
You change oil on a beater? Doesn't that violate one of the traditions of owning a beater?
Been a while since I mentioned this, but my brother went something like 75,000 miles on a Toyota without ever changing the oil before a rod punched a hole in the block. Never had a problem before that.
I tend to agree that 3000 miles is a bit much, although that's what I do with my 8 and I really try to aim at 3k to 5k on other cars - which is now just down to my wife's Toyota. IMHO, the 7500 that a lot of manufacturers specify is not often enough if you're using dino. I think it's enough that the engine will last through the guarantee period and the original owner's time with the car.
Ken
Been a while since I mentioned this, but my brother went something like 75,000 miles on a Toyota without ever changing the oil before a rod punched a hole in the block. Never had a problem before that.
I tend to agree that 3000 miles is a bit much, although that's what I do with my 8 and I really try to aim at 3k to 5k on other cars - which is now just down to my wife's Toyota. IMHO, the 7500 that a lot of manufacturers specify is not often enough if you're using dino. I think it's enough that the engine will last through the guarantee period and the original owner's time with the car.
Ken
Oil changes and a spark plug change aside I didn't do anything else maintenance wise. Well, just a pulley replacement since its clutch broke.. after 9 years it's ok 
12-16-2011, 12:23 PM
#13
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Years ago (decades, actually) I had an old Ford beater that got oil changes every 3000 to 4000 miles. The reason I did that was the oil light would come on around that time. It wasn't low...the sensor was apparently sludged up and needed fresh oil to work. It also had a pretty loud knock from a rod bearing, but that held together for year or two that I owned the car.
Ken
12-16-2011, 12:27 PM
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DAF XF105
SCR is a tried and tested technology “and DAF has made the best use of it, combining it with additional engine improvements in order to deliver the best in terms of fuel efficiency, durability and reliability. DAF SCR provides an improved engine performance, delivering up to 510 horse power and reduced operational costs on an impressive scale, with fuel consumption up to 4% better, and up to 150,000km between oil changes. Because combustion is more complete with SCR, engine oil stays cleaner for longer, which improves durability and operational life.
SCR is a tried and tested technology “and DAF has made the best use of it, combining it with additional engine improvements in order to deliver the best in terms of fuel efficiency, durability and reliability. DAF SCR provides an improved engine performance, delivering up to 510 horse power and reduced operational costs on an impressive scale, with fuel consumption up to 4% better, and up to 150,000km between oil changes. Because combustion is more complete with SCR, engine oil stays cleaner for longer, which improves durability and operational life.
12-16-2011, 12:37 PM
#15
You're still within my brother's no-change window. Although I think that had he changed oil maybe a couple of times in that 75,000 miles the engine would not have blown.
Years ago (decades, actually) I had an old Ford beater that got oil changes every 3000 to 4000 miles. The reason I did that was the oil light would come on around that time. It wasn't low...the sensor was apparently sludged up and needed fresh oil to work. It also had a pretty loud knock from a rod bearing, but that held together for year or two that I owned the car.
Ken
Years ago (decades, actually) I had an old Ford beater that got oil changes every 3000 to 4000 miles. The reason I did that was the oil light would come on around that time. It wasn't low...the sensor was apparently sludged up and needed fresh oil to work. It also had a pretty loud knock from a rod bearing, but that held together for year or two that I owned the car.
Ken
However I think that we're moving from an excess to the other, a broken engine will end up costing more than 5\6 oil changes during that time span!
12-16-2011, 02:51 PM
#17
the MB have more than 100k km , always maintained by MB service and runs perfectly, that LCV at today have done only 2 oil changes.
Last edited by MattMPS; 12-16-2011 at 02:57 PM.
12-16-2011, 03:08 PM
#18
Strength/Confidence
Back on topic though. I think it depends on your driving habits. I've changed my oil after 1,000 miles in some of my cars because I didn't drive it enough and 1,000 miles was a years worth of driving and I just felt it was time to have the oil changed if it was sitting all winter and not driven a lot during the year.
12-16-2011, 03:46 PM
#20
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every 33.000 km on my LCV Mercedes-Benz Vito diesel 2.2, the onboard computer monitors the use of engine/range of RPM/time of use and warns when you are approaching service interval.
the MB have more than 100k km , always maintained by MB service and runs perfectly, that LCV at today have done only 2 oil changes.
the MB have more than 100k km , always maintained by MB service and runs perfectly, that LCV at today have done only 2 oil changes.
Ken
12-16-2011, 03:57 PM
#21
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http://www.checkyournumber.org/ states my 8's oil should be changed at 7500 miles ... yikes ....
12-16-2011, 04:04 PM
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If you burn a quart every 1,000 miles, you will have completely changed your entire oil capacity before you hit the 7,500 mark. The "oldest oil" you would be draining would be ~6,500 miles old.
IF you don't change your 8's oil at all, just keep it topped off with fresh oil, the average age of your oil never goes beyond ~3,000 to ~4,000 miles. You would have ~6,000 mile old oil mixed with 1,000 mile old oil at the oldest.
The only reason I actually see for a change at all at that point is to drain anything suspended in the liquid, but changing your filter regularly should do that for you.
So if you go longer than ~6,000 miles between changes, why bother changing it at all? (other than warranty reasons, dealers wouldn't accept this logic). Just change the filter. Changing it more frequently is just attempting to reduce the average age of the oil. Every 3,000 miles is an average of ~2,000 mile old oil being drained.
Seriously. What benefit is there of changing the oil at intervals greater than 6,000 miles?
IF you don't change your 8's oil at all, just keep it topped off with fresh oil, the average age of your oil never goes beyond ~3,000 to ~4,000 miles. You would have ~6,000 mile old oil mixed with 1,000 mile old oil at the oldest.
The only reason I actually see for a change at all at that point is to drain anything suspended in the liquid, but changing your filter regularly should do that for you.
So if you go longer than ~6,000 miles between changes, why bother changing it at all? (other than warranty reasons, dealers wouldn't accept this logic). Just change the filter. Changing it more frequently is just attempting to reduce the average age of the oil. Every 3,000 miles is an average of ~2,000 mile old oil being drained.
Seriously. What benefit is there of changing the oil at intervals greater than 6,000 miles?
12-16-2011, 04:12 PM
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My last car and my wife's SUV has the oil system monitor. It tells you when to change the oil. I know in my Acura TL, I could go 7K + before the monitor would show 25% life remaining.
12-16-2011, 04:19 PM
#24
12-16-2011, 04:26 PM
#25
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You're completely right. I hear some valve noises but that's it. 88000kms of stop and go traffic are pretty harsh to an engine.
However I think that we're moving from an excess to the other, a broken engine will end up costing more than 5\6 oil changes during that time span!
However I think that we're moving from an excess to the other, a broken engine will end up costing more than 5\6 oil changes during that time span!
Their web site also gives the "normal" change interval, rather than the "extreme condition" interval. Most driving includes enough short trips and stop-and-go that extreme is usually applicable. Same California mentality that, at one time, required cars to be modified to retard the ignition timing from factory specs.
Ken