How long do you go between oil changes?

[Dargo]

No, I'm not trying to open up a can of rotten worms. I'm not looking for a "right" or "wrong" answer. I'm just curious how many different intervals people on here use between oil changes. I'll even go first. Again, remember, I'm not looking for any "right" or "wrong" answers and I'm definitely not implying what I do is the "right" method.

It took me years and years and years to break away from my 3 month or 3000 mile oil change. In my case, it was almost always 3000 miles. I'd sometimes go as far as 6 months to 9 months on oil if it only had a 1000 miles on it. I stayed with this strategy with all of my on road vehicles no matter what type of oil I used. Due to some personal experiences and my own "look see" inside Fram oil filters, I quit using them on anything about 10 years ago. I use Baldwin, Fleet Guard, Wix, Donaldson etc. filters and everything from Amsoil, Red Line, Royal Purple, Mobil 1, Delvac and even Rotella oil. Anyway, I've now moved to change intervals of about 5000 miles or so on most vehicles and on my vehicles that have the oil life percentage shown in the instruments, I go to when I'm down to 20% of the oil life left. That seems to equate to about 5000 to 7500 miles in general.

Again, I'm not endorsing my intervals or my product choices. I'm just interested in what intervals you guys use. From what I've heard by talking to people, I seem to fall about in the middle now. About half of the people I talk to change more frequently (like 3/3) and about half go longer. Heck, one of my employees religiously changes her oil and filter with only synthetics every 2500 to 3000 miles even though about 95% of her driving is all highway. So, what's your change interval?

 

[nmu98]

I go 5,000 on my Diesel and I am using Delo. That is not a synthetic.

I go 3,000 to 3,500 on the wifes Denali. I run Mobil 1 syn. That vehicle is 90percent city driving and it only gets 6,000 -8,000 miles a year on it. So its changed every 6 months or so.

Both cars use AC delco filters and I do my own oil changes.

 

[radioman]

with 3 cars averging 20k a year for 2 cars and 10k for third, I tend to change the 2 cars with 20k a year every 3k miles due to harsh driving we do. The third vehicle I drive 10k a year I change only twice a year, fall and spring due to it is a backup vehicle and towing only. I always use synthenic oil and use the 7k filters instead of normal filters with the exception of kia van where its a paper filter instead of a screw on type. It seems to fit out lifestyle of driving based on color of oil. I don't use the oil consumption rate yet as when to change since it haven't burned any oil yet and 2 vehicles is already over 140k miles and one at 50k miles.

 

[Will_C]

I am still a 3,000 mile guy. We put about that much driving on our truck and car every three months. Now that we have another car (third vehicle), I probably will be putting much less on my truck. I'll probably let that go to 3,000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. I am using Castrol GTX oil and Toyota filters.

Will

 

[20 20]

vehicles are 3000, lot of start stop operation. diesel machinery{tractor etc} 100hrs.

 

[Patches]

Since I purchased my Tundra I've adhered to Toyotas' recommended 5000 mi. maintinance schedule and will until it's out of warranty, another 30,000mi. I will then use my usual 7500/8000 mi. oil/filter change interval, which has served me well for the last 15 or 20 years. I've used Mobil 1 for the past 20 or so years, and never had a vehicle use oil. Having said that, the oil level on some of my past vehicles was in the " add oil" range at change time, but never below the quart range. This Tundra takes 7.5 qts with the filter, so there is room for extending the intervals some.

 

[dodge man]

I have 3 Chrysler products, two with the 5.7 Hemi, and I go about 5000 miles on oil and filter changes and use Penzoil and Fram oil filters. The hemis are recommened for a oil change interval that is a little more often than normal, 5000 miles as I recall, so I'm pushing the limit on the two hemi vehicles.

 

[Mike120]

Sometime back I worked for GM International in Europe (Great job, terrible company). All cars in Europe are delivered from the factory with synthetic oil. Your first oil change and all after are at 10,000 mile intervals. I used to trade my company car in at 9,000 miles so I didn't have to go through the hassle.

I've got a 2001 Ford F-150 that I've had synthetic in since new. It's got 209,000 miles, I change the oil every 10,000 miles, and it doesn't use a drop.

Most car companies recommend change intervals between 5 and 7,000 miles. It's only people like Juffy Lube and others that make a living selling you overpriced real oil that recommend the 3,000 mile interval. It's a terrible waste of a petroleum product that could be better used some other way; like bringing down the cost of diesel.

 

[QueBota]

2001 Dodge Cummins 5W-40 synthetic, change oil and filter every 10K. Oil analysis indicates it could go longer. I change the filter (Fleetguard Stratapore) and add one quart at 5K. Approx 130K on the engine, fuel mileage still improving slightly (avg about 20 mpg per tank) and oil consumption still decreasing slightly.

Rest of the vehicles. Mobil1 of various types, change at approx. 5K miles (Motorcraft or ACDelco filters). I am sure they could go longer but 5K intervals are easier to remember. Our GM's with the oil monitors normally asked to be changed in the 6K to 7K range.

Kubota B2910 Rotella 5W-40 synthetic, Kubota or Wix filter, change yearly every November.

Dave

 

[buckle97]

Mercury Montego, avg 12k miles per year, change oil every 5k miles, synthetic blend.
Dodge Ram, avg 6k miles per year, change oil every 3k miles, non-synthetic.
Honda Accord, avg 40k miles per year, change oil every 10k miles, full synthetic.