Leon Speed

My last oil change was in April last year. Since driving season is March - October (winter storage November - February) I was planning to change the oil end of this month. Due to a no start and waiting to install a new starter I have passed the oil change window. No I will change the oil in March 2015, two years later.



Carry on.

ROG100

Nothing wrong with that at all. Change every couple of years or maybe 15,000m is fine. Your oil will be just as good as new.
Here in the States everyone is brainwashed in to changing there oil every 3000m - drives me nuts. Just good marketing for the oil change shops.

Bertrand Daoust

How many miles (or km) since your last one?

I don't change mine every year.
Two at the most. But I don't drive my car much.
Maybe 5k km per year... At the most.

I know it's not right but...

Leon Speed

Yeah it's funny, my BMW had rigorous service at the dealership, they changed the oil every 30,000km and I am sure I could have gone double that without any problem.

When it comes to my 928 I worry, even if it has been 6000 km since the last change.

Bertrand Daoust

I would not mind following the manufacturer's advice for my daily driver but for my 928... Hum!
Of course, the 928 as a special place in my heart... To excessive maybe but...

hacker-pschorr

It depends on the engine, driving style, oil used etc...

I agree street driven, stock 928's a 3k mile oil change interval with good oil is overkill. I do it yearly, oil is cheap.

On newer cars with oil fed adjustable cam systems, tiny holes in the oil pickup screens, very complex oil vapor systems etc.... I would not go over 5k miles, even with the best synthetic oils. Especially in any turbocharged engine.

I've seen way too many modern cars with sludged up engines on 10k mile oil change intervals to believe otherwise. The problem(s) causing these issues are very complex and complicated, but IMO oil is cheap so it simply isn't worth the risk.

It has nothing to do with "brain washed" Americans. The engines with the biggest sludge issues come from Europe.

dr bob

I'm on with the annual change ritual. If there's a layup period (like winter...) it's a good idea to put fresh oil in before storage, with a good drive to get things warmed up before finding a winter resting place. Any acids or moisture would be taken out before layup.

Oil is really cheap in the giant scheme of things. The local WalMart has M1 for under $30 for the five-quart jug. I buy filters a bunch at a time from our vendors, no clue what they cost at this point. But they are not expensive.


Over the years I've had the joy of working on more than a few engines that had been undermaintained. Sludge and varnish throughout, making you wonder how they managed to run as well as they did for as long as they did. Manufacturers these days are happy to offer "free" maintenance on their new cars through their warranty periods so they are sure the engines will last that long. There are horror stories of high-end leased cars coming back with 30k+ on the original oil. Too much risk of failure for me, so I change the oil. Cheap, easy, and a chance to look at stuff that might not get a look otherwise. At this point the biggest aggravation is taking the old oil to the local recycling place, and that's not really a problem in the big picture.

tmpusfugit

A fellow I knew a few years back never changed his oil or filter on a new 350 Chevy van. Whenever it was down a quart he would add a quart. And no, he would not listen to any advice to the contrary. He passed away at age 39 and his widow sold the van (cherry condition so it seemed, 60k miles) to another fellow I knew. Long story short, he had a problem shortly after he bought it, mechanic pulled the pan, then pulled the engine, then ordered a new long block. No surprise, I never met anyone else who would admit to being that stupid. Mechanic could not find any "good" parts in the engine. Rod and main bearings worn through the bearing surface to the base metal, crank scored too deep to regrind, on and on.....pretty much what one might expect.....

17prospective buyer

Couldn't agree more, "or 3 months, whichever comes first" bull**** we print on stickers.

jon928se

Interesting debate.

What would the opinion be on required oil change intervals for a 928 that has done approx 100 miles per year ? in a couple or three trips. 2 years 3, 4 ?

OTR18WHEELER

IMHO, oil degrades over time just as gasoline. Old oil may look clean and golden, but I believe some properties are lost with age. Would you expect 1 year old gas to be as good as fresh, I would think that motor oil would also degrade over time. I am no oilologist but it just seems to reason.

upstate bob

I'm also in the low miles category; maybe 100 miles a year. I'll go three years before a change. I avoid short drives to prevent moisture build up. This also extends exhaust system life.

vze2jshn

I also agree. I sent some 8,000 mile oil out to one of the oil analysis shops and it came back with no signs of engine wear or harmful deposits, etc. I change oil & filter every 8- 10,000 miles. I think if someone changes at 3,000 they may as well use the best non synthetic and save a few bucks.

gcthree

No, oil does not degrade over time. However, the additive 'package' is the component that breaks down over time, and the 3,000 mile recommendation is in observance of that element. In fact, you can buy re-refined motor oil where the dirty oil is heated in a still and then forced through a filter press, leaving only the intact base oil. They'll then add back the additives and it's every bit as good as virgin dino oil.

How do I know? As a kid, I worked at a company in NJ that did this re-refining and used the oil in my car.....

bureau13

I know fuel dilution was an issue with the rotary engines, and was often quoted as a reason not to extend the change interval just because you were using synthetic (the whole to use synthetic in a rotary or not debate was never-ending and irrelevant here). Assuming that's not an issue with these cars, it would make sense to go with a longer interval. Of course, fuel dilution won't be an issue for people who's cars are just sitting there. I don't know how you only put 100 miles a year on it though. I'm worried about being able to keep it under my 8K/year insurance mandate, frankly. It's just a lot more fun to drive than my daily driver...