oil change at 8,000 km ?

[Dixon007]

my manual says 8,000 KM . but it doesnt say time. like 3 months or 4 months. i think 8,000 is a bit too much to drive a car with the same oil. for me, thats like 8 months. time vs distance ? does it matter ? should i change it every 3-4 months and screw the 8,000 km distance ? thank you

[beerbaron105]

with my cobalt and synthetic oil going by the gm oil life meter i was averaging 10-12,000km oil changes, and i still had 20% life left when i changed...the 5000km rule is a myth

[thephenom]

Just follow your manual and check your oil periodically to see if it's low or excessively dirty.

[urban1]

I dont think its as much a myth as it is a rule from days gone by when engines were less efficient and oil was of lower quality.

20 years ago, 5000kms could mean dark, dirty oil. Not today.


the 5000km rule is a myth

[Spidey]

my 1993 VW golf was every 6000K. I followed that rule and I had no problems with it in 14 years.

As long as you have a log of when you did oil changes, or dealer stamps, they cant come back at you if its under warranty that you didn't follow the recommended intervals

[mr_raider]

If that's what your manual says follow it. Make sure you are using the right schedule, i.e. mostly highway or mostly city.

[XxXSnake23XxX]

i do mine every 4,500/5000

[gheart008]

IS300 is every 8000km as well according to manual.

[ES_Revenge]

with my cobalt and synthetic oil going by the gm oil life meter i was averaging 10-12,000km oil changes, and i still had 20% life left when i changed...the 5000km rule is a myth

And the GM OLM is based on dino oil on many cars, and 10-12k seems to be the average amount of kms that it comes on at. Personally I wouldn't go that far on dino oil but hey if the manufacters are fine with it, I'm sure it's fine.

Personally I stick to synthetic as well and change it every 10-15k kms.

Just make sure though that you use a good filter, which in the case of a non-cartridge type filter means using a filter that costs at least $10, if not more. With newer cars and the cartridge filters you're screwed because these don't hold up well in many cases, and their prices are inflated for no reason (less material than a spin-on filter, yet higher prices).

[Dragons4Life]

Its recommended to do it for every 5000km, i work for GM as a P/T car jockey, i ask these question alot and some other stuff, and thats what they recommended for that dealer, and others too such as Mazda, Honda, they do it at 5k.

[tugzy]

Its recommended to do it for every 5000km, i work for GM as a P/T car jockey, i ask these question alot and some other stuff, and thats what they recommended for that dealer, and others too such as Mazda, Honda, they do it at 5k.

Mazda and Honda DONT do it at 5000kms....DONT spread wrong information.
BTW people should go by schedules in your owners manual specific to YOUR car. Not by the schedule at the dealer or independent repair facility. Dealership and independent facility's have service schedules that are generic and not specific to a vehicle....you could be missing an important item on the service list.

[VorteC]

I do it every 8000KM and I redline occasionally... and when I change it, it's usually pretty black.

[scan]

I dont think its as much a myth as it is a rule from days gone by when engines were less efficient and oil was of lower quality.

20 years ago, 5000kms could mean dark, dirty oil. Not today.

I don't think he meant myth. It was just the "old" rule. Today cars can last a lot longer.

[tugzy]

my manual says 8,000 KM . but it doesnt say time. like 3 months or 4 months. i think 8,000 is a bit too much to drive a car with the same oil. for me, thats like 8 months. time vs distance ? does it matter ? should i change it every 3-4 months and screw the 8,000 km distance ? thank you

Follow your owners manual, 8000kms is not a long interval anymore. Engineers write the owners manual and know more about your car than any other....more then you and/or your mechanic.

[2k4accord]

I use Mobil 1 synthetic.
Changed to synthetic oil.
After 5000 km, I change ONLY the oil filter and fill up the oil.
After another 5000 km then I do a complete flush of oil with a new filter.

So I don't really change at 5000km but more like at 10,000km.

[ShadowVlican]

even my old 99 legacy says 6K in the manual

[willpoon]

Just follow your owner's manual and don't change your oil type from the recommended.

My civic takes 5w20 and I go by the oil life meter. Oil is supposed to be black when it comes out, it doesn't mean it's bad.

What you don't want is sludge in your engine, sludge is formed from an excess of crap collected from your wear and tear in the motor oil.

If you want to play it safe, you should change your oil every 6 months or 8000kms, whichever comes first.

Or, you can always call your closest dealership and ask for advice since they would know best.

[Dealz-4-U]

for the 08 dodge grand caravan, it says in the manual 6 months or 10,000 kms for which i assume is regular oil.

We plan on following it along with synthetic. would that be wise? or could we squeeze in a few more thousand clicks? Id rather play it safe but im not too sure.

[Spray]

I put Royal Purple in every 5k on the dot.

gets pricey but it's worth it.

[mau108]

10 grand on synthetic sounds good, use good quality filter thoe (WIX would be my choice aka Napa gold)

[2k4accord]

how? u just put back the old oil? :confused:
is the oil really still that clean?

i believe recommended dealer schedule is 8000km or 6 months.
but at 6 months i only put 5000km, so i still do a full oil/filter change,

reason being i go to redline a LOT, on a daily basis. plus it is parked outside all night in the open breeze and i dont have the patience to wait more than 10 secs for it to warm up in the winter, in summer its in drive on the road by the time engine turns over.

I think $30 every 6 months is the least to do to help the poor thing, but it still gives great gas mileage.

I don't fill up with old oil, are you kidding? I fill up with NEW oil b/c when the filter is taken off, some of the oil will drop down no matter how fast they change the oil filter.
I use my car for work and sometime I may do 5000km in a month or two.
So I don't have the luxury of changing oil every 6 months.

[EH100501AC]

I put Royal Purple in every 5k on the dot.

gets pricey but it's worth it.

Good for you dude! BTW, how much per L and where do you get it from?

[urameatball]

it really depends on the oil you use.
I do oil changes based on how the engine feels/sounds.

When I use the bulk cheap dino oil from generic oil change shops, the engine tells me the oil sucks after about 3000km. When I do my own oil changes with synthetic, the engine loves it for about 5-6000km. That's on a subaru impreza with a recommended 6000km interval.

It doesn't take a die-hard car guy to know when you need an oil change.

[EH100501AC]

I do mine every 5k if not earlier on my Impreza :D

[Fraser River Rat]

my manual says 8,000 KM . but it doesnt say time. like 3 months or 4 months. i think 8,000 is a bit too much to drive a car with the same oil. for me, thats like 8 months. time vs distance ? does it matter ? should i change it every 3-4 months and screw the 8,000 km distance ? thank you

If you really want helpful advice, tell us what kind of car your have & what kind of driving conditions the engine is subjected to. My Ford Escape maintenance manual says to change the oil every 10,000 km./6 months if it is operated in optimal conditions otherwise it's every 5,000 km./3 months...whichever comes first. Using regular motor oil, I found that the oil started to disappear at 7,000 km., therefore I'm changing the oil & filter at 6,000 km.

[hightech]

my manual says 8,000 KM . but it doesnt say time. like 3 months or 4 months. i think 8,000 is a bit too much to drive a car with the same oil. for me, thats like 8 months. time vs distance ? does it matter ? should i change it every 3-4 months and screw the 8,000 km distance ? thank you

What car make/model/year do you have? On my 02 Camry LE V6, the oil change schedule is 8,000 KM or 6 month which ever comes first. I change it every 7-8K with Mobil 1 5W30 and new Toyota filter

[bembol]

I think my '02 Acura RSX (Premium) was 3 Months/8k.

I didn't even look at my '08 Nissan Altima Coupe 3.5SE (or my sister's 2.5S Coupe). We have 4 free Oil Changes and get it done every 5k.

When it's done, I'll be DIY both with Castrol German Synthec 0W-30 with Nissan Oil Filter, again every 3 Months/5k.

[kleptodathief]

can't beat Royal Purple! its only like 8bux a litre at precisiontuning.ca and u can price match it at any partsource.ca store.... GL

[gilboman]

I think my '02 Acura RSX (Premium) was 3 Months/8k.

I didn't even look at my '08 Nissan Altima Coupe 3.5SE (or my sister's 2.5S Coupe). We have 4 free Oil Changes and get it done every 5k.

When it's done, I'll be DIY both with Castrol German Synthec 0W-30 with Nissan Oil Filter, again every 3 Months/5k.

what are you using european formula though? but if doing it yourself, might as well go with the best and use amsoil european car forumla:D

[mart242]

Meh.. I wouldn't worry about it too much. I never change it at 3 months, I always stretch it a bit.. I doubt it makes a big difference. People here even change their synthetic oil at 5k but in europe, it's done every what, 20k? I consider it another big scam.

[bionicbadger]

read the manual very closely. Usually it says to change more frequently in certain situations. Those situations include: cold weather (Canada winter), stop and go traffic (city driving), dusty, etc.

[superdsi]

There must an ongoing thread about oil changes everyday on RFD.

Buy your oil card from http://www.nscnetwork.com/en/thedeal.php.

Buy synthetic oil from Walmart/Canadian Tire ($20 a jug).

Bring it with you.Tell the garage to use it.

Done. Change your oil every 20,000 to 25,000km.

Easy.

Why is everyone so concerned about a warranty on
their engine for 100,000km?
If worried, you bought the wrong car.

The high ends cars tell you to change your oil every 20000 to 25000km.

My old car still running like a champ has 335 000km on it.

[IoannI]

I dont think you should worry anything about it. 3 months or 5K is just an average. Some people go longer without chaning the oil. Older cars you could get away with changing the oil in longer intervals.

But if that's what the manufacturer suggests in the owners manual for proper maintenance then it should be fine.

Of course if you feel that's its too long of a period then go ahead and use your discretion and do an oil change at 3 months or 5K.

[marbss]

like the others say - follow your manual. every engine is different. if the engineers say X kms -- then do it - especially if it's under warranty!

Lately I've been doing one oil change a year using Amsoil (or 2 oil changes per year with Mobil1 when I can't find Amsoil) on my 1993 Honda Accord. I drive around 20,000km per year. www.carst.ca is the guy I've been getting my oil from. I'd only recommend doing extended drain intervals if your car is no longer under warranty. If you have a car that is no longer under warranty and in good shape I'd recommend trying amsoil -- it will save you a few bucks.

[sshe11]

Every 10k with GC 0W-30 and K&N filter on my Mazda 6.

[hightech]

Meh.. I wouldn't worry about it too much. I never change it at 3 months, I always stretch it a bit.. I doubt it makes a big difference. People here even change their synthetic oil at 5k but in Europe, it's done every what, 20k? I consider it another big scam.

It all depends on the car. On some cars like MB, there are 2 oil filters and they use 0W40 synthetic oil so 15,000 to 20,000 km with a very good oil monitoring system is just fine. The best way to prevent issues is by following your owners manual. Anything else (excluding oil analysis) is basically guesstimating.

[i3_dawg]

normally from what i hear its 8000km or 4 months that u need an oil change which ever one comes first

[mart242]

The best way to prevent issues is by following your owners manual. Anything else (excluding oil analysis) is basically guesstimating.

But if you look at most user manuals, most don't follow what they say. "Hang to dry only" ? Pff.. goes in the dryer (unless it's wool). Most manual put so much maintenance / things to do that it's just to protect themselves or be able to deny claims if the user did not do so.

[plucky duck]

I've ran Mobil1 at 10,000 intervals before without any immediate issues. It does look very dark though. I would think it's the filter you'd need to worry about. I run a K&N.

If your engine burns oil, make sure you check it and top it up religiously. If you've ran regular and switch to synthetic, make sure you check your levels as well as that's how we lost our Bonneville :(

[B0000rt]

My Toyota 3.5L V6 says 6months or 5000 miles on dino oil.

Gotta love it here in the states, 0w30 GC in the winter, 5w30 PP in the summer, all for < $4 a quart :D

[jetz]

I say go the 8000 but dont cheap out. Get your baby the good synthetic stuff.....that should you keep you till the next change.

[craftsman]

Your car basically needs an OEM warranty approved oil that meets API/SAE standards - as stated in your owners manual. Almost every oil you see these days is warranty approved. If you want to buy high end approved oil, that's fine. If you want to buy basic approved oil, that's fine.

The key is to remember to change your oil and get a good filter - you can always get a manufacturer's filter. How often? Depends on conditions as one poster said. You should check your oil regularly to see the colour and the thickness of the oil. The darker and thicker it is means that it's getting dirtier. When you get close to the recommend mileage, take note of the condition of the oil - see how thick it is, see how dark it is, see if it feels smooth or gritty. Compare that to when it was new. You'll be able to tell after a couple of times what good oil looks and feels like.

[Gee]

Buy your oil card from http://www.nscnetwork.com/en/thedeal.php.


Has anybody used this service? I noticed that there are 14 locations in Mississauga. Can you recommend one?

We should consider a group buy for these cards. Buy 10, get one free.

[thegradas]

8,000 km or 6 months for VW Passat 1.8T
0W40 or 5W40 syn oil + good filter



my manual says 8,000 KM . but it doesnt say time. like 3 months or 4 months. i think 8,000 is a bit too much to drive a car with the same oil. for me, thats like 8 months. time vs distance ? does it matter ? should i change it every 3-4 months and screw the 8,000 km distance ? thank you

[mr_raider]

But if you look at most user manuals, most don't follow what they say. "Hang to dry only" ? Pff.. goes in the dryer (unless it's wool). Most manual put so much maintenance / things to do that it's just to protect themselves or be able to deny claims if the user did not do so.

And yet most dealers want to do do even more than the manual recommends. Schedule 1 and schedule 2 maintenance is bad enough, but now they have "preferred" packages where they want to flush all your fluids once a year!

I've owned American and japanese cars ranging from 6 to 14 years old, and none of them ever had any serious problems with the engine or tranny. All the maintenance money went into brakes and exhaust, which are the components that take the biggest beating due to our high use of road salt. No amount of preventive maintenance will help you there other than a good wash every spring.

[mart242]

All the maintenance money went into brakes and exhaust, which are the components that take the biggest beating due to our high use of road salt. No amount of preventive maintenance will help you there other than a good wash every spring.

Exactly. Do not skimp on the brakes or wheels. Sadly, the dealers usually do a crappy job on them (quick lube to be sure everything moves and bingo). A friend told me how to properly maintain brakes. It's easy and boy, I'm sure I do a job 100x better than the dealer.

[Chigu]

Its recommended to do it for every 5000km, i work for GM as a P/T car jockey, i ask these question alot and some other stuff, and thats what they recommended for that dealer, and others too such as Mazda, Honda, they do it at 5k.

My 2006 Mazda6 is every 8000kms!! not 5000. i think my cuz's BMW is every 15,000 kms. On newer cars 5,000 is NOT the norm.

[RedDeer17]

My 2006 Mazda6 is every 8000kms!! not 5000. i think my cuz's BMW is every 15,000 kms. On newer cars 5,000 is NOT the norm.

But every 4 months. And that's what I normally do since I drive just over 1K per month.

[jonc]

If you use synthetic oil and if you change it before 10,000km then you are wasting money and not really improving wear levels. If you use reg oil, I'd keep it withint 5-8k.

My manual states 8000km. I do it every 10,000 and I know there's still 5k left should I want to leave it in.

Some of the stuff you read on here is hilarious.

[mlc2000]

My 2006 Jetta Diesel recommends this schedule:

8,000km
16,000km
32,000km
48,000km
64,000km....

[mart242]

Some of the stuff you read on here is hilarious.

Why do you think that dealers make so much money?

[pitz]

I haven't changed oil since early 2004, and that was 60,000km ago. I make the same 700km trip every few months and it always burns exactly 52L of fuel from pump to pump (a slight bit more in the winter and on windy days), so I'm not losing efficiency either.

Quickie lube industry is a scam. Cars do not need 5k or 8k oil changes if a decent quality oil is used in a mechanically sound engine.

[gheart008]

I haven't changed oil since early 2004, and that was 60,000km ago. I make the same 700km trip every few months and it always burns exactly 52L of fuel from pump to pump (a slight bit more in the winter and on windy days), so I'm not losing efficiency either.

Quickie lube industry is a scam. Cars do not need 5k or 8k oil changes if a decent quality oil is used in a mechanically sound engine.

Are you serious?

[pitz]

Are you serious?

Yes. I won't suggest for a moment that such is appropriate for all engines, but it certainly is for mine (proved by oil analysis in engines of identical design).

50L of oil and a dozen oil filters wouldn't have broken my pocketbook, but I see no reason to waste the money.

Oil is Esso/Imperial Oil XD-3 0W-30. Engine is a GM 3.1L V6 MPFI, built in 1992.

[hytong]

wow, were you doing a lot of highway cruising or some special tricks? Transport truckers does this kind of OCI but they also have high oil capacity, bypass filtering and may be pre-pressurization to help with.

[pitz]

wow, were you doing a lot of highway cruising or some special tricks?


Nope. Nothing special. No special filters, no special oil other than XD-3 which costs about $4/L. My engine and oil can handle it; its a very conservative GM design, doesn't run particularly hot, and its operated in a relatively stress-free climate (rural western Canada).

I won't suggest for a moment that such is appropriate for all engines, or even many engines, but it works just fine here.

Another scam that happens with Hondas in particular -- if you buy the car in Buffalo, the manual that's included says change oil every 16,000 km (10k miles). If you buy the car in Hamilton, the manual that's included says change the oil every 8,000 km. Explain that one to me :P . Same deal with many VW's -- same engines spec much longer oil changes if bought in Europe versus the Canada/USA.

[seftonm]

Same deal with many VW's -- same engines spec much longer oil changes if bought in Europe versus the Canada/USA.
That's true. In Europe, the intervals can be 50k kms if the proper oil is used. We are stuck with 16k km intervals.

[superdsi]

I have never had engine trouble and I drive my cars until they drop.
300 000 km plus.

My old car is still going at 335 000 km.

I have 110 000 on my current car.

Change the oil (synthetic) every 20-25000 km.

The 5000 km rule was at the time of my father 40 years ago.

Times change, change with the times.

I must be doing something wrong since my cars last so long and never ever have any engine trouble.