Just been looking on this US site www.csgnetwork.com/oilchangecalc.html
at this progam for oil changes and came across this statement.
This program will calculate the calendar time of 90 days in the immediate past. If you have not had the oil and filter in your motor vehicle changed between that date and today, you are exceeding most manufacturers maintenance suggestions. The general guideline agreed upon by most manufacturers worldwide is 3000 miles (about 4800 kilometers) or 90 days, which ever comes first. Check your owners manual for specifications for your vehicle.
I know this is a US site and their cars usually do higher mileages than ours, but surely this is a slightly excessive regime. For the record I have my oil changed every 6,000 miles. Do the Americans use any of the extended service intervals with fully synthetic oils?
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Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
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Not long ago I found some stats indicating that US car mileage is not that much higher than ours. I think the 90-day business is just part of motoring culture over there, as manifested in the cheapness of the "lube job" and the efficiency of its being done at filling stations and other outlets. Another aspect of this is the famed major-service intervals of the GM Northstar V8 -- one owner claimed it was 100k between what he termed major services (didn't believe him) -- and I bet that frequent oil changes are the bedrock of that sort of regime, which kind-of confirms how important frequent oil changes are in any circumstances.
And from
www.babcox.com/editorial/us/us100232.htm
"Except for oil and filter changes, there isn't much to maintain - unless something breaks . . . The newer Northstar V8s use an "oil life monitor" light rather than a specific mileage interval or service schedule to indicate when oil changes are needed. The PCM tracks engine rpm, operating temperature, load, running time and ambient temperature to calculate oil life. Up until 1999, the maximum oil change interval under ideal conditions was 7,500 miles. In 2000, GM bumped the upper limit to 10,000 miles. In 2002, they did away with the upper limit altogether stretching the oil change interval to 12,000 miles or more, depending on operating conditions. However, GM does say the oil should be changed at least once a year regardless of mileage.
Note: When changing oil on a 4.6L Northstar V8, keep in mind that this engine holds 7.5 quarts instead of the more common 4 or 5 quarts.
We think pushing the oil change interval too far is asking for trouble. Changing the oil every 3,000 miles may be a conservative approach to engine maintenance, but considering the fact that most engines operate under less than ideal conditions, 3,000 miles is a realistic figure - especially during cold weather and for short trip, stop-and-go city driving. Oil is a lot cheaper than an engine - especially a Cadillac Northstar V8 engine."
Note the reference to "ideal conditions" -- conditions that very very few of us ever experience.
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>>one owner claimed it was 100k between what he termed major services >>
I seem to remember that a Ford V6 with platinum plugs and other long lasting components only needed a major service every 100k miles - but, of course, that's only one engine out of many.
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I know this is a US site and their cars usually do higher mileages than ours, but surely this is a slightly excessive regime. For the record I have my oil changed every 6,000 miles. Do the Americans use any of the extended service intervals with fully synthetic oils?
They do, but they've had all sorts of problems because US oil isn't (or at least, didn't used to be) made to the same specs as Euro oil. VW and Merc got into all sorts of trouble. MB went back to fixed service intervals in the US a couple of yrs ago.
Oil (and servicing) is very cheap in the US and there seems to be a body of drivers who insist it has to be changed very frequently. It seems to be quite routine to send your old oil off for analysis in the US.
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"Every 3 months or 3,000 miles" that was the oil change adage that got drilled in my head in my early days of motoring there, and a few of the oil companies were sure to use it in there advertising.
When an oil and filter change was less than £6 and took less than 15 mins from a "while-u-wait" drive thru oil change outfit, no-one (other than the Sierra club or Greenpeace) cared whether it was excessive or not.
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If you look at a UK handbook it tells you to change oil & filters more often than say every 12 mths or 12,000miles where there are extremes of temperature /dusty etc
Extremely hot and dusty and Arctic winters are extremes we do not have - we have water shortages when it has not rained for a week or so and go into a blind panic with 2" of the white stuff.
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Just to change the subject slightly, my best mate's daughter had a K-reg Sierra estate which she wrapped round a lamp post four years ago on an icy road.
It was a write off so he and I went looking for a similar replacement - average price was around £1,000 to £1,200 and most were high mileage and not very clever in any respect.
Just by chance I stumbled across a 1.8 Sierra at a main Ford dealership, also a K-registered example, that had, believe it or not, just 29k on the clock and a full service history.
It turned out it was owned by an elderly gentleman, one of its customers, who didn't venture all that far and had it fully serviced every 3,000 miles or three months. The service book backed up its history.
The dealership priced it at £1,995 which, in view of its history was still a good but my mate followed my advice and haggled hard, including being prepared to walk out of the door.
He kept emphasising that, despite the low mileage, the Sierra was 10 years old and quite a bit over book price. In the end he paid £1,495 and felt the comparatively small increased cost over more dubious examples well worthwhile.
The Sierra is still performing splendidly, his daughter travels all over the UK in it and, as far as he and she are concerned, they got one of those rare "low mileage, one owner" bargains.
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Given that most European and japanese manufacturers suggest rather longer intervals, the writer seems to be inaccurate on intervals "worldwide". The Jiffy-lube places use cheap, low spec oils: but even changing these oils frequently won't stop coking due to inability to withstand high temperatures. It is true that quite a few drivers over there use oil analysis, but they often show that synthetic oil is still in grade with low wear metals at 7500 - 10,000 miles, and more.
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It is like many aspects of life, deeply cultural. Our American friends thought all the light bulbs were blowing when we stayed with them, as we switched them off as we left the room.
I found it odd that 3 months was almost a religion. Mind you oil is very cheap and plently of Kwik fit type places do an oil change in the States for peanuts.
I think every 6,000 is fine, although talking to some mechanics at an independant, they refered to a BMW of an 'old boy' that had 3,000 mile changes. The inside they commented was like a sparkling jewel!
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