There are many ways to overthink this one, but (after overthinking it) my best suggestion in your case is just change the oil and oil filter once every 12 months, irrespective of miles driven.
HTH
10,000 Mile Oil Changes Damaging Motors
- Thread starter ElJayBird
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There are many ways to overthink this one, but (after overthinking it) my best suggestion in your case is just change the oil and oil filter once every 12 months, irrespective of miles driven.
HTH
@bicycleagent003 another vote for at least once a year in your use case.
@Underdog I thankfully had heard about the glove
Box recirc flap shenanigans @Sandroad mentioned before I used the one free oil change at my local dealer early on (1k miles or so iirc). They didn’t give me any pushback about using it early - I was surprised. Thankfully, no missing bolts, etc when I finally got it back but it did take an inordinate amount of time imo for an oil change. I can only guess as to why that was, but overall decent experience. I’ve done all my own stuff since either at a specialty shop or by my own two hands.
@Underdog I thankfully had heard about the glove
Box recirc flap shenanigans @Sandroad mentioned before I used the one free oil change at my local dealer early on (1k miles or so iirc). They didn’t give me any pushback about using it early - I was surprised. Thankfully, no missing bolts, etc when I finally got it back but it did take an inordinate amount of time imo for an oil change. I can only guess as to why that was, but overall decent experience. I’ve done all my own stuff since either at a specialty shop or by my own two hands.
You should absolutely change it at the very least once a year, regardless of the number of miles driven. But depending on the type of miles driven, more frequent oil changes might be necessary. If any of those miles driven were short trips that dont allow the condensation to burn off, and especially if the vehicle is garaged (which can cause even more condensation), that oil needs to be changed closer to every 6 months. You might not need to change the filter, but you need to change the oil. Once the oil becomes diluted from repeated stops and starts that produce condensation, fuel dilution, etc...it provides much less protection.
Put it this way, oil with 2500 miles on it which were accumulated from 10 trips of 250 miles each is going to protect and lubricate much, much better than 2500 mile oil where the mileage was accumulated from 250 trips of 10 miles each. Just one short trip can introduce condensation and fuel dilution into the oil supply that affects the oils ability to lubricate and protect, at least for that next warm-up cycle.
I've really only recently learned about this while studying certain Porsche engines and their susceptibility to borescoring due to the cylinder linings that were used in certain years. The 1FZ block is certainly more wear-resistant than those. But the fact remains, how often you should change your oil depends not only on the number of miles driven, and not only on the amount of time since last change, but also how the engine was run over those miles and during that period of time. If you make an effort to being sure you actually drive it long enough to get it up to operating temp every single time you start you engine, then you can possibly go longer than either the mileage or the time recommendations. But environmental temperature changes can also have effects so, maybe not.
So I think its simply too general to say something like "your oil should be changed every 5k miles" OR something like "as long as you change your oil at least once a year, you will be fine". It just depends.
I've had numerous samples done on my 996 turbo that I've gone 2 years and ~1,500 miles, Blackstone says I could easily go longer. And this is Motul 300V that some say doesn't hold up long term. Still has plenty of additives left (TBN).
Just doesn't make sense to change annually when the oil has 700-800 miles on it.
Just doesn't make sense to change annually when the oil has 700-800 miles on it.
It does if environmental conditions mean condensation within the crank case is likely.
Of course. This is one reason I have the UOA done, never any water in the samples. But I also don't short trip the car.
I’ve only done 2 oil changes since I bought my 200 a year ago, but (for the time being) I am doing them every 6 months, even though I am only driving 3000 miles during a 6 month period.
I almost exclusively make short trips. Work is 2 miles away. Grocery store is 0.5 miles away. Hardware store is 1 mile away. Kids daycare is 3 miles away. Lots and lots and lots of very short trips. So paranoia over potential condensation has led me to 6 month oil changes.
I almost exclusively make short trips. Work is 2 miles away. Grocery store is 0.5 miles away. Hardware store is 1 mile away. Kids daycare is 3 miles away. Lots and lots and lots of very short trips. So paranoia over potential condensation has led me to 6 month oil changes.
Not to incite paranoia...
Trips that are so short that "things" don't get (and stay) hot are suboptimal for other systems as well, e.g., the exhaust system for one
I am no expert, but what you say agrees with what I’ve read. I recently created a calendar reminder once a month to go take my Land Cruiser on the freeway and drive for 30 minutes at 70 mph to get everything nice and hot. Maybe once a month isn’t enough, but I guess it’s better than nothing.