oil change: 6000 miles or 6 months?

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Thu 30 Dec 2004 10:01
oil change: 6000 miles or 6 months? - tyro
Having decided to follow HJ's advice on changing oil frequently, I'd like to know whether frequency of changes should be determined by mileage or time.

If I do 12,000 miles a year, but 6000 of those in the first 4 months, should I change after the 6000, or after 6 months?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 30 Dec 2004 10:29
oil change: 6000 miles or 6 months? - Andrew-T
Oil deteriorates by being churned round in a hot engine, not by the simple passage of time (unless we are talking years, not months). So go by miles, not months.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 30 Dec 2004 10:40
oil change: 6000 miles or 6 months? - Altea Ego
All service intervals that state miles or time always add "whichever comes first"
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 30 Dec 2004 15:24
oil change: 6000 miles or 6 months? - Andrew-T
Agreed, RF, but not many schedules nowadays suggest any changes more often than yearly ...
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 30 Dec 2004 10:41
oil change: 6000 miles or 6 months? - Stuartli
Also if you do a lot of short trips rather than mostly long journeys, change the oil and filter even more regularly.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide

If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?