crw

Is it wise to do yearly oil changes on low use vehicles that are not driven much and kept in climate controlled buildings?

Take for instance a large Porsche collection in which the vehicle might be moved on a few times a year.

The oil viscosity will likely not break down. Other factors such as moisture may come into play?

goofballdeluxe

Sure. It's cheap insurance to change the oil once a year on a vehicle that doesn't get driven much, especially if you have the means to afford and entire 'large Porsche collection".

raclaims

I change the oil in all my cars annually just to be safe...can't ever hurt to have a tech look over the car once per year just to keep all working perfectly

BradB

Annual changes here, too. Even if my yearly mileage is stupid-low. Seems wasteful, but I do it anyway.

DanL993

Annually way less than 2K miles per year. I change oil every two years at the same time I have the car up for brake fluid change. Driven often every month and plenty often to avoid dried seals and animal nests in the engine bay!!

crw

A newer Corvette that we own that my wife uses gets driven less than 2,000 miles a year.

These cars have an "oil life" gauge that gives a % of the oil life left. I didn't change the oil last year and it says 79% of "oil life" left.

My guess is that it measure the viscosity only.

---------------------

No Porsche collection of any type here - 1 toy is enough for me.

Disraeli

I'm at six hundred miles in nine months, mostly an every other weekend car.

Changing it after a year definitely seems like overkill.

NC TRACKRAT

The biggest detriment to oil...and engines...is short trips or starting just to move around the garage w/o getting the oil up to temp. This creates moisture by condensation. Even though you don't put on a lot of miles in a year's time, if the vast majority of your trips are of 15-20 minutes or more, your oil is going to be just fine by changing every two years.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Engine oil should be changed annually, regardless of mileage unless the vehicle is stored in a temperature & humidity controlled environment (such as a museum).

Its all about corrosion control due to condensation and its cheap insurance against bearing damage.

NC TRACKRAT

"stored in a temperature & humidity controlled environment"
Yep, thanks to my wife for finding this "garage with a house on top", we have room for 7. The temperature in the garage goes from a high in the Summer of 75F to a low of 58F in the Winter. Have never seen humidity get higher than 70%, normally 60%.

myflat6

Yep. And who doesn't enjoy the annual oil change ritual?

pp000830

I do it once a year when Mobil 1 has a promo $15 off on 5 quarts, saves $30 at oil change for our cars.Buy the oil at Wal-Mart. If out of stock I order in on their website for in-store pick-up. I Use OE oil filters. Not sure oil filters need to be refreshed with each oil change but I do it anyway. Creature of habit!

ronnie993tt

At less than 1k miles per year and reaching full operating temp every drive, change M1 V Twinn, filters and brake fluid every 2 years. Chats with M1 techs on 2 occasions indicate I'm wasting my money. Go 3 or 4 years. Apparently humidity matters for storage but not temperature. If brakes aren't rusting, humidity is fine.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

I don't need the practice,...

EckFe1

I drive about 5 - 6k miles/year, change the oil every 2 years. Uses about 1qt to top it off. Even then, oil's still light brown in color. I see no reason to change it earlier. Castrol edge 10/60