Do you change oil every 5,000 miles?
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![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
They know best in that they know it will survive a decent length of time post-warranty as that's all they really care about. Several manufacturers (seem to remember BMW were one of them) said the ZF 6HP was sealed for life and never needed oil changes when ZF themselves directly contradict this because regular oil changes do actually prolong the life of the box.
I happen to agree that changing the oil every 5k miles is unnecessary, but in an older car or a car I was planning on keeping for many years I'd get it changed every 10k - it's hardly a massive extra expense in the running of a car. I think it'd be rather native to assume that manufacturers service schedules are purely aimed at making the lives of their products as long as possible.
I'm sure that modern oils have improved with research and new formulas but a 10,000 mile old oil surely can't perform as well as a 2,000 mile old oil.
As oil flows around the engine, it gets contaminated with fuel and other deposits which will affect its viscosity and the protection it offers to the engine.
Not only the oils though, oil filters will clog up and impede the flow.
Servicing cars may be tedious to you, but I quite enjoy it.
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Soldato
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I would expect that on a Bike, my Sv650 is 4k miles per oil change - but a car? What car do you have?
I'm trying to change mine one a year at the same time. I last changed it in May 2016 so I have got the oil to change in the next few months. Both engine and gearbox.
I enjoy working on it so I change it earlier than is necessary as it only costs £50 for both oils but it's priceless for peace of mind. I don't really follow what the manufacturer says.
I enjoy working on it so I change it earlier than is necessary as it only costs £50 for both oils but it's priceless for peace of mind. I don't really follow what the manufacturer says.
Man of Honour
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I change the oil whenever the car tells me to.
I got well over 200,000 miles out a long life serviced BMW and that was a car built 15 years ago.
I'll continue to service my cars when the manufacturer advises rather than every 34 seconds
I got well over 200,000 miles out a long life serviced BMW and that was a car built 15 years ago.
I'll continue to service my cars when the manufacturer advises rather than every 34 seconds
Didn't you have the car from nearly new though? And, I assume, racked up the majority of those miles in it yourself always exercising mechanical sympathy? In which case the wear you put on your car in 20k is probably equivalent to the wear the average person puts on their car in 10k.
Of course, I'm not saying a car serviced every 20k is going to explode after 100k miles, but for most used cars which likely haven't had the pampered life yours has had, a service every 10k miles seems like good preventative maintenance to me.
Associate
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There's no benefit to changing a modern oil every 5k. Likewise you're kidding yourself if you think a 2year/20k+ change interval is what an unconstrained tribology dept would recommend if you desired maximum engine & component life 
Personally if I had a brand new turbocharged car I planned on taking past 200k miles I'd change it every 10-12k'ish.
Personally if I had a brand new turbocharged car I planned on taking past 200k miles I'd change it every 10-12k'ish.
Soldato
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Reasonable logic. Except your car has 5 times the number of dry starts with an empty filter which probably does more damage than the wear you think you are helping.
No. I follow the OEM intervals, UK fuel is so good it doesn't need drain intervals shortening and modern engine management systems burn very clean.
My M3 has had the same oil in for nearly 2 years. S2000 was every 9k as per OEM, it burns enough that it could probably py go twice as long
However if you want to change it at 5k miles. Keep going !
My M3 has had the same oil in for nearly 2 years. S2000 was every 9k as per OEM, it burns enough that it could probably py go twice as long
However if you want to change it at 5k miles. Keep going !
Interesting... Fox's 530i is still running after long life servicing for 200k and Simon's S2K died at ~170k with changes every 9k.
Make of that what you will
Personally, I'll still be changing my oil every 6k but I appreciate that people will have their own opinions. Interesting thread.
Make of that what you will
Personally, I'll still be changing my oil every 6k but I appreciate that people will have their own opinions. Interesting thread.
Man of Honour
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How many cars have broken down due to too few oil changes? Don't we ship them to India by then?
I think they were driven slightly differentlyInteresting... Fox's 530i is still running after long life servicing for 200k and Simon's S2K died at ~170k with changes every 9k.
Make of that what you will
I have millions of miles of data for my choice.
Soldato
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You think I'm anal enough to change my oil every 6k and not prime the filter?
You filled it with oil isnt quite the same. A lot of engines don't allow this due to origentations. You'd be better off just changing the filter every other service.
I do that but I only have a 2.5 litre capacity and the magnesium cast sump has a fumoto valve in to avoid the chance of stripping the thread.
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