A strange American habit

I'm in the auto business and I'm always shocked at the number of people who think cars need to have an oil change every 3,000 miles. That was true in forty years ago, but technology in lubricants has moved on....Most dealership love to push the 3,000 mile change, more $$$ for the service department.

 

No, it has to do with the prevelance of synthetics in your market (Europe).
You'll recall Germany started syn lubes back in WW2.

Conventional or blended oil is changed on the 3,500 to 5K (mile) interval..

I run Royal Purple and the 7500K to 10K would be more normal, but on a lightly used Ferrari "every Twelve Months" will probably occur more often..

We do RECYCLE the used oil though, so we'll never run out!! LOL!

And buy stock, in the oil companies.......

 

Welcome to America! If the person who sell timing belts were someone different from the person who sells pistons and valves, the former would say you need a new belt once a year, and the latter would say you never need a new belt!

 

Big tex is right. Plus:

1. i think driving styles are slightly different: US more city driving vs Euroland more highway driving.
2. US is much more of a consumer spending driven economy. After all we need to keep all the Jiffy lubes/Mobil1/Pennzoil/ et al. in business !!!

BTW, isn't it interesting how BMW changed the oil every 10,000miles under the free maintence program but as soon as that expired the dealer recommended every 5000?!

 

I'll tell you an even stranger American habit, long long ago in the time of the V8 Detroit Dinosaur.

The Franz Oil Filter.

It had a big can by the side of your engine, and you opened the top and put in a roll of toilet paper. Yes, toilet paper.

The scam was that you never needed to change your oil, EVER, with this thing. You just pulled out the TP about once a year or so, and then added a quart of oil when you put in the new one.

There was quite the multi-level-marketing thing going on with this one back in the day - late 50s, early 60s IIRC.

 

+1, but if you notice, even if you take the car back to the dealer who sold you the car with the maintenance schedule that says 7,500 miles, they'll change the oil for you and put a sticker in your window suggesting you come back in 3 months or 3,000 miles.

I think they are banking that you won't remember the last time you brought the car in and eventually you'll look at the sticker - which by the way was written with ink that has a half life of about 35 days and just come back in 3 months or 3000 miles. The only thing I use that sticker for is to subtract 3 months and 3,000 miles to determine when the last time I got the oil change so I can go back when the maintenance schedule advises to.

 

I had the same thoughts when moving from England to the US in the early 90s, 6k to 10k miles seemed to be the standard in the UK at that time
Try selling a Ferrari that has had its oil changed every 10k miles and see the questions.


Russell

 

Most dealers have upped the mark to 12-15k since under warranty some manufacturers where including oil service in the warranty(audi being one), so 3k oil services cost them. On Older cars frequent oil services make more sense, then again, changing the oil more frequent on newer cars is like breaking the car in with care

 

Ferrari recommends the following for my 430: 1st change 5K, 2nd change 15K. Every 15K after that or once a year.

Dave

 

Did IQs suddenly drop?

The main reason to change the oil is to remove any potentially destructive contaminants like fuel or moisture (and any resulting acid compounds) that would not be trapped in the filter.

Frequent oil changes are the single best thing you can do to prolong the life of your engine.

Manufacturer's recommended intervals don't necessarily have your best interests in mind.

 

I've gotten 300 to 400k out of all my Nissan and Toyota pickups (2 each).

I change the oil at 8-10k.

 

I change my 92 BMW oil thru slow leaks and the exhaust pipe. One quart every @ 2K miles. With the miles I drive that equates to about slightly less than one oil change per year. That car runs like a torpedo on Angel Dust.

Gotta love German engineering.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

I have heard that those German stick-type hand grenades are also the bomb when you have the pin pulled...

Sorry, neither could I.

 

I am completely unmoved by your argument. To suggest that contamination cannot occur and that a 3000 mile change interval is some kind of conspiracy is ridiculous and borders on idiotic. I have seen numerous examples of fuel-injected cars with copious amounts of fuel dilution after less than 3000 miles.

For most owners that I know, 3000 miles is more than a year of driving. It is only being conscientious to change oil at least once per year. To let it go three or more years would in my opinion, constitute negligence.

You are of course free to do as you wish with your own cars. It seems a poor place to "pinch pennies".

 

Given the limited use of ferraris, I think the better question is to ask the time interval between changes rather than distance.
Very few f-cars will ever hit their mile "limit" before the yearly (or whatever) change is due.

 

Yep, nothing like a potato masher to ruin your day. Darn fine simple device (over engineered (as usual) for the times). Simple engineering, GERMAN made. Got to love it!!!

My wife (GERMAN civil engineer) designs things to tolarances that would make an American Engineer blush. I constantly ask her WTF? She responds "and it will only last X years before we have to fix it." American engineers would answer "We'll NEVER HAVE to FIX IT."

Go figure.

 

i am still going to change my oils in my 911 and my 308 once a year or 3000 miles.

way cheaper than shopping for another engine.

you guys in Europe with daily drivers are welcome to go 10k+ in your cars.

 

Oil is cheap, and my daily driver has a "unlimited mileage lifetime warranty" as long as I keep to the maintenance schedule or better. It's 6000 miles, sometimes I'll do it more frequently. I fully plan on pulling a quarter million plus miles on the truck.

 

I do love German engineering also. The only car we ever owned that stranded us 300 miles from home was my wife's MB. Cost me a bundle. Takes 10 minutes to change from EST to EDT.
Over engineered? Serious understatement!

 

i change the oil in my f150 by letting it get down to about a quart and filling it back up. Every once in awhile i change the filter too. 180k miles and starts every morning. The italian cars i treat a little better but i'm skeptical about the benefits.