Opinions differ on how often to fully change the oil in a car. For exampe with my Grande Punto the service manual says every 30,000km or 2 years. But I wouldn't leave it that long myself and the Harnes manual says every 6 months. What do you think?
Poll: Oil change
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Poll: Oil change
Poll does not let you choose Age AND Distance..?
yearly or every 5000 miles, done this with all my cars regardless of age and mileage, sooner the price of a filter and oil than a new engine, one exception was an old vw jetta that was using a pint of oil a week never done the oil in that cause it used oil like 2 stroke
vexorg
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5000 miles is a bit low for modern oil.
Our maincar get a lot of miles 15k to 18k a year as we just go for drives when bored at weekend, or run after children and family. The last 1.0 juke was 10k mile oil service, so that was a bit of a pain booking it it as it had to be done by nissan ( first few services included in the deal). You cant leave it too long as the car knows and starts telling you off!
Our maincar get a lot of miles 15k to 18k a year as we just go for drives when bored at weekend, or run after children and family. The last 1.0 juke was 10k mile oil service, so that was a bit of a pain booking it it as it had to be done by nissan ( first few services included in the deal). You cant leave it too long as the car knows and starts telling you off!
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lunchbeers
Established member
Generally annually or 9,000 miles, which ever comes first, this is generally half the recommended service schedule of the last couple of cars I've owned
In answer to the OP asking reference Haynes
@5k per oil change was common in 1990's Diesels
Petrols have been 10k to 12k for a while
Obviously Oils have evolved in the 20 year period,
Fully Synthetic was novel back then, Semi being more common..
Now it's 50/50 even prices are comparable..
So IF you drive 8k per year, and don't spend hours shunting in traffic.
Annual is fine (possibly longer)
Personally 15+k between changes is too far!
@5k per oil change was common in 1990's Diesels
Petrols have been 10k to 12k for a while
Obviously Oils have evolved in the 20 year period,
Fully Synthetic was novel back then, Semi being more common..
Now it's 50/50 even prices are comparable..
So IF you drive 8k per year, and don't spend hours shunting in traffic.
Annual is fine (possibly longer)
Personally 15+k between changes is too far!
yearly or 10,000 miles whichever comes first, so yearly for most of the "family fleet". Always use top quality oil to manufacturer's spec.
12 months or 10k which ever comes first,When I got my golf I was doing nearly 20k a year so it was getting twice a year services, now it’s probably only doing 5k a year if that and so it just gets an annual service when it asks for one.
From new I had the option of 10k it 18k service intervals but as I had intended to keep the car long term I opted for more frequent servicing, I believe for the longer service intervals they uses a different oil formulated for a longer duration
From new I had the option of 10k it 18k service intervals but as I had intended to keep the car long term I opted for more frequent servicing, I believe for the longer service intervals they uses a different oil formulated for a longer duration
OP
OP
I'm currently doing around 35,000 miles per year split over two aging Fiat cars, poor them! I don't think I can justify changing the oil every 6,000 miles like in the Haynes manual - that'd be 6 oil changes a year.
Does anyone know what affect being a 10+ year old car has on oil changes? I'm presuming they need more oil changes but why is that?
Does anyone know what affect being a 10+ year old car has on oil changes? I'm presuming they need more oil changes but why is that?
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It's unlikely to kill it immediately so if your long term plan is..run it until something expensive breaks and call the scrap man then it's entirely compatible with that.
They're a reasonably hardy engine, effectively old oil is a not as good a lubricant so you get more wear also carbon is carried away in the oil.
So changing it regularly ensures it's got the best possible protection and less opportunities for crap to build up and block oil galleries, hurt bearings and generally increase wear. But at the same time none of those happen overnight so it may be a case of it shortens theoretical max life span of the engine but not so as you'd notice.
They're a reasonably hardy engine, effectively old oil is a not as good a lubricant so you get more wear also carbon is carried away in the oil.
So changing it regularly ensures it's got the best possible protection and less opportunities for crap to build up and block oil galleries, hurt bearings and generally increase wear. But at the same time none of those happen overnight so it may be a case of it shortens theoretical max life span of the engine but not so as you'd notice.
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The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Company Vectra had variable service interval. Light came on at 32000 miles. Bravo used to light up at 18000 miles. TA gets exactly as per the book. Tthe others get 12 months unless miles go crazy high.
OP
OP
This is the plan yeah. I need two cars running and to have a third waiting in the wings.
I've already killed one Grande Punto, I don't want to put a clutch in it, so it'll be going off to webuyanycar before long. I currently have an EVO and another GP, I'm on the lookout for another EVO as a replacement for the dead GP.
Based upon the replies to this thread I'm going to have to write down a set mileage for each car and then do the oil change at that mileage.
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OP
You couldn't really trust a dashboard light from a Fiat, i mean it'd either come on early or never at all LOL
vexorg
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Older cars, or high mileage cars, used to be recommended to go to a slightly thicker oil, compensate for the wear.
It was true of the corsa, oil level used to go down with the recommended 5w30 (or 0w30), and was fine with 10w40.
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Do each car 6 monthly, and you should be fine
What kind of driving is this
Fast A roads and M. Way?
Or shunting around cities, that SHOULD change the intervals
Modern'ish Fiat's log Hours running..
in some respects.. That is more useful than miles covered
OP
OP
I travel on motorways and dual carriageways mostly.Do each car 6 monthly, and you should be fine
What kind of driving is this
Fast A roads and M. Way?
Or shunting around cities, that SHOULD change the intervals
Modern'ish Fiat's log Hours running..
in some respects.. That is more useful than miles covered
The most modern car I have is a 2010 plate EVO. I'm not sure if it logs hours running, possibly because it has a Trip A calculator for miles per gallon, but I'd need to look closer to know for sure.
The trip logs Hours and Average speed
My average speeds tends to be 31mph..
That's 200 miles of 65mph per week and another 75 on B roads.. So 40 max
No shunting.. So I am happy with 12k on that oil
My average speeds tends to be 31mph..
That's 200 miles of 65mph per week and another 75 on B roads.. So 40 max
No shunting.. So I am happy with 12k on that oil
OP
OP
Interesting, I need to get a better calc going, thanks for this!The trip logs Hours and Average speed
My average speeds tends to be 31mph..
That's 200 miles of 65mph per week and another 75 on B roads.. So 40 max
No shunting.. So I am happy with 12k on that oil
I'm one of those people that usually watch the rev counter, not the speed counter. I keep these 199 engines at or below 3500, which is circa 62 mph in fifth. I'm sure the engines thank me for this - as long as the oil level doesn't get low
Our "family fleet" have widely varying operating parameters. Mrs J's Panda (1.2 eco dynamic) does very low mileage, maybe 2 to 3 thousand miles a year, it did less at the height of covid. My Ibiza (1.0 3 cyl turbo petrol) does around 5 to 6 (but did much less over covid) of varied city country and motorway. The Mazda 2 does around 5 thousand, much of it a daily run of only about 15 minutes but all on country roads. My boy's Audi A4 1.4 turbo petrol is the highest mileage usually around 10 to 12 thousand and does both local and longer distance motorway running. Older boy's Punto (2012 1.4 8valve) does a daily half hour drive from the suburbs into the city centre (Waverley station) taking him to and from his work and their Kia Rio (1.4 diesel) is doing very little running. It was bought in 2017 to do a daily 60 mile return trip to his wife's work (mostly motorway hence the choice of diesel) but with covid they all started working from home - she's a journalist - and they found it worked well so they sold their premisis and do every thing from home and on line with a couple of "get togethers" in a hotel conference room yearly. They're now thinking of a new car and chopping both the Punto - which has blue and me problems - and the Rio in part ex.
All these vehicles are looked after by me, except the Rio which my boy doesn't want me to touch as it's still within it's 7 year warranty. However I'm now so old and creaky I'm starting to draw back from the heavier tasks and my daughter - Skoda Enyaq and citigo - which I never get to work on being as how they live at the other end of the country - is always giving me a telling off and telling me to "get real" and act my age!
So, now you have the picture of the very varied operating conditions for these vehicles and I treat them all the same. A thorough yearly service with all filters and oil changed regardless of manufacturer recommendation. I always use the best possible oils and always to manufacturer's spec. When a new vehicle joins the family fleet i will often contact my preferred lubricant manufacturers for their specific recommendations - I find Fuchs particularly helpfull in this respect and have had a number of very interesting conversations with them. I almost certainly renew air and cabin filters too often but I get my filters at very good prices from the local factor and like to keep them "super clean". I especially like to keep cabin/pollen filters clean to ensure ano possibility of restriction of air flow over heater motor resistor packs (can't remember when I last had one fail and, having seen the horribly manky state of many friend's pollen filters, I'm sure many fail due to lack of cooling air flow). The Audi is probably doing the highest annual mileage I'd feel happy with before doing a twice yearly oil change, especially as it's a turboed engine and clean oil is critical to turbos.
Lastly, many years ago, one of the older mechanics I worked with showed me a good, quick and very cheap "trick" for assessing oil condition. After the engine has been running and the oil is up to running temperature - so best done when you return home after a run so any solids in the oil will be in suspension. Take a piece of clean paper towel, kitchen towel or loo paper works well, although I use blue paper towel which I buy in big rolls for use in the workshop. I'm sure clean cotton rag would do just as well but if using rag don't use anything "hairy" which might shed fibres which could accumulate in the pickup filter. You want something light coloured too so you can see any contamination - a black or dark colour would not be suitable. Draw the dipstick and wipe it on the towel/rag and now set the it aside for a few minutes. The oil will be drawn into the toweling leaving behind any residue for you to see. It will be immediately obvious if the oil is heavily contaminated as you'll see the dark colour of the dirt on the towel/rag. Try it, it's amazing how oil which looks quite dark and dirty may actually be quite clean. This is a very non technical check and shouldn't be used to extend the change interval as it doesn't reflect the condition of the oil's additive package, but I find it very useful as a quick check to do every time I dip my oil. Have to say it doesn't work so well with diesels though.
All these vehicles are looked after by me, except the Rio which my boy doesn't want me to touch as it's still within it's 7 year warranty. However I'm now so old and creaky I'm starting to draw back from the heavier tasks and my daughter - Skoda Enyaq and citigo - which I never get to work on being as how they live at the other end of the country - is always giving me a telling off and telling me to "get real" and act my age!
So, now you have the picture of the very varied operating conditions for these vehicles and I treat them all the same. A thorough yearly service with all filters and oil changed regardless of manufacturer recommendation. I always use the best possible oils and always to manufacturer's spec. When a new vehicle joins the family fleet i will often contact my preferred lubricant manufacturers for their specific recommendations - I find Fuchs particularly helpfull in this respect and have had a number of very interesting conversations with them. I almost certainly renew air and cabin filters too often but I get my filters at very good prices from the local factor and like to keep them "super clean". I especially like to keep cabin/pollen filters clean to ensure ano possibility of restriction of air flow over heater motor resistor packs (can't remember when I last had one fail and, having seen the horribly manky state of many friend's pollen filters, I'm sure many fail due to lack of cooling air flow). The Audi is probably doing the highest annual mileage I'd feel happy with before doing a twice yearly oil change, especially as it's a turboed engine and clean oil is critical to turbos.
Lastly, many years ago, one of the older mechanics I worked with showed me a good, quick and very cheap "trick" for assessing oil condition. After the engine has been running and the oil is up to running temperature - so best done when you return home after a run so any solids in the oil will be in suspension. Take a piece of clean paper towel, kitchen towel or loo paper works well, although I use blue paper towel which I buy in big rolls for use in the workshop. I'm sure clean cotton rag would do just as well but if using rag don't use anything "hairy" which might shed fibres which could accumulate in the pickup filter. You want something light coloured too so you can see any contamination - a black or dark colour would not be suitable. Draw the dipstick and wipe it on the towel/rag and now set the it aside for a few minutes. The oil will be drawn into the toweling leaving behind any residue for you to see. It will be immediately obvious if the oil is heavily contaminated as you'll see the dark colour of the dirt on the towel/rag. Try it, it's amazing how oil which looks quite dark and dirty may actually be quite clean. This is a very non technical check and shouldn't be used to extend the change interval as it doesn't reflect the condition of the oil's additive package, but I find it very useful as a quick check to do every time I dip my oil. Have to say it doesn't work so well with diesels though.
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OP
OP
You should tell her you are acting your age!
I like the idea of having a fleet of Grande Puntos. I don't think the neighbours would be that impressed with me clogging up the road though lolI have to admit I've not found the cabin filter in my Grande Puntos yet, maybe it doesn't have one. The heaters in these GPs cars are very vaiable, they don't quite work, but manage to stop working in stlightly different ways, makes life interesting I guess.
Thats a neat trick, I'll give it a try.
I watched this documntary on Youtube recently about oil changes. The presenters asked people how often they change oil, then went to dealers and asked them, then took samples of oil from various cars for scientific testing. The testing process was something like what you describe, looking for contaminants. Mostly the documentary presenters showed that dealers do far too many oil changes and the oil they were changing was still clean. They do this because once they have the car they can upsell other products.
