3000 Mile Oil Change is a Waste of $$$

2282 Views 18 Replies 16 Participants Last post by mbc, Mar 23, 2007

plugnickel

Discussion Starter · Mar 22, 2007

Every 3,000 miles is too often for new cars' oil changes | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

I have suspected this for many many years. I am only doing 5k due to warranty reasons.

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

dsrtrcr01

· #2 · Mar 22, 2007

I do mine every 3k , I change my wifes every 5k because she only does highway driving and babies the car. I tow alot in extreme heats and run the truck hard. 3k is the recomended interval for hard usage which seems to be everyday driving (at least mine).

bbfirebird

· #3 · Mar 22, 2007

If you have a commute to work where you're doing highway speeds for over 20 minutes, 5000 is fine. If you drive 4-5 miles in stop-and-go traffic every day, you should change it every 3000 (unless you use synthetic). When you turn your engine on, you get pollutants and stuff in the oil. It burns off if you drive for a period of time at higher speeds, but if you only go a few miles, it doesn't have a chance to burn off, and gets left in the oil.

Buckeyefan

· #4 · Mar 22, 2007

I go 10,000 miles with Mobile 1 Synthetic, and have 138,000 miles on my F150. It's all city stop and go driving. I've never had engine trouble with synthetic oil. 3,000 miles is headtrash - even for standard oil. Most can go 5000 to 7500 miles between oil changes and get 150,000 - 200,000 miles on an engine.

Two Toyota dealers (maintenance managers) told me not to use synthetic in my Tundra b/c they tend to leak oil with synthetics. I need to find out more about that, b/c I've always used synthetic in my cars. That was very odd to me.

jdeaton

· #5 · Mar 22, 2007

haha sure beats every 3-5 hours in my dirtbike

Big_Al1

· #6 · Mar 22, 2007

Buckeyefan said:
I go 10,000 miles with Mobile 1 Synthetic, and have 138,000 miles on my F150. It's all city stop and go driving. I've never had engine trouble with synthetic oil. 3,000 miles is headtrash - even for standard oil. Most can go 5000 to 7500 miles between oil changes and get 150,000 - 200,000 miles on an engine.

Two Toyota dealers (maintenance managers) told me not to use synthetic in my Tundra b/c they tend to leak oil with synthetics. I need to find out more about that, b/c I've always used synthetic in my cars. That was very odd to me.

I call BS I have about 24,000 on my 05 been running synthetic since 5,000.No leaks and doesn't burn a drop.

Nylo

· #7 · Mar 22, 2007

I really dont care what they say..... Im changing every 3000 miles.

If nothing else it makes me feel good...... After all, "its all about me!"

tuesdayd

· #8 · Mar 22, 2007

Buckeyefan said:
I go 10,000 miles with Mobile 1 Synthetic, and have 138,000 miles on my F150. It's all city stop and go driving. I've never had engine trouble with synthetic oil. 3,000 miles is headtrash - even for standard oil. Most can go 5000 to 7500 miles between oil changes and get 150,000 - 200,000 miles on an engine.

Two Toyota dealers (maintenance managers) told me not to use synthetic in my Tundra b/c they tend to leak oil with synthetics. I need to find out more about that, b/c I've always used synthetic in my cars. That was very odd to me.

I'm with Big_Al1 on this one. I've put 50k on mine with synthetic. You sure hear some strange things from people sometimes.

TRDSport

· #9 · Mar 22, 2007

Buckeyefan said:
I go 10,000 miles with Mobile 1 Synthetic, and have 138,000 miles on my F150. It's all city stop and go driving. I've never had engine trouble with synthetic oil. 3,000 miles is headtrash - even for standard oil. Most can go 5000 to 7500 miles between oil changes and get 150,000 - 200,000 miles on an engine.

Two Toyota dealers (maintenance managers) told me not to use synthetic in my Tundra b/c they tend to leak oil with synthetics. I need to find out more about that, b/c I've always used synthetic in my cars. That was very odd to me.

If I understand it correctly, it is more of a problem when a higher mileage vehicle switches over to synthetic. I think there can be a problem with the gasket around the drain plug and other seals not gorging themselves enough with the synthetic oil, thus not swelling enough and allowing oil to leak.

If I'm totally wrong on this, sorry.

bobcat7677

· #10 · Mar 23, 2007

I'm going to run at least 5K intervals in my Tundra.

With my Honda (manual transmission), I can usually "feel" when it needs and oil change around 3K with non-synth oil. It will sound funny when I start it and be more prone to stalling at a stop sign if I let out the clutch too fast. I recently switched to synth oil in it though and noticed yesterday that I had put over 6K on it without changing the oil. I think it's starting to feel weird now meaning it's time to change. But that is a pretty good improvement in oil technology in my opinion. Definately makes going to Synth oil worthwhile.

lalojamesliz

· #11 · Mar 23, 2007

USMCParrisIsland said:
If I understand it correctly, it is more of a problem when a higher mileage vehicle switches over to synthetic. I think there can be a problem with the gasket around the drain plug and other seals not gorging themselves enough with the synthetic oil, thus not swelling enough and allowing oil to leak.

If I'm totally wrong on this, sorry.

on my previous camry (98 4cyl) i used mobil1 ss along with the mobil1 filter and never had a leak. I used it from 42k miles (when i bought it) until 100k when i sold it and i changed it every 3-4k because i drove the crap out of it and i never thought i was going to sell it. it NEVER leaked. one wiered thig happened though, at about 90k my mother in law took it to sears for a oil change without me knowing

they put regular oil and it was a quart low 3k miles later? that was the first time that happened

i still wonder why it was low. any ideas?

knucklehead

· #12 · Mar 23, 2007

I have used Synthetic and a Toyota Filter every 10K in my '01 Tundra since mile one - 140K of mixed driving with some HEAVY towing over the mountains in the heat of Summer...never leaked, never smoked, never had a mechanical failure. Went 200K in my '05 Subaru...it leaked some, otherwise no problems. How could I be so brazen to assume I could go 10K??? My BMW 325 had a computer that told me when to change oil, and it went to 10K all the time with mostly city driving - assuming regular oil! The Engineers at BMW had to the research, and factor in the potential for huge liabilities due to engine failures when they came up with this scheme...I'm sure they factored in a HUGE margin - even at 10 K! I'm totally convinced that it's a waste of time and money to be changing oil every 3K.

grayshadow

· #13 · Mar 23, 2007

I have three Toyota Trucks T-100 and two Tundras 02 and 04 DC.
The only oil I have used in last 20 years is Ams/OIL.
I some times change at 10 K but most of the time I get to it around
15 K. Never have had any kind of engine problems at all. I do change oil
filters once inbetween changes.
The last two trucks have over 100 K and still like new.
I have a question for any body.
I ordered a 07 CrewMax Limited last week and was wondering what kind
of time I'm looking at until delevary.

evangelos k

· #14 · Mar 23, 2007

I never got the 3K oil change either. In Europe, manufactures (EVEN Toyota and Ford) recommend 15K Kilometers oil changes in the manual, which is 9321 miles. I lived 27 seven years there and I know.

So, what happens here? Could it be a thing to "boost" the economy? I would not be surprised at all.

bbfirebird

· #15 · Mar 23, 2007

USMCParrisIsland said:
If I understand it correctly, it is more of a problem when a higher mileage vehicle switches over to synthetic. I think there can be a problem with the gasket around the drain plug and other seals not gorging themselves enough with the synthetic oil, thus not swelling enough and allowing oil to leak.

If I'm totally wrong on this, sorry.

I think you're correct on this. The same thing happened to me on my 2000 Firebird- I bought it with 25k miles on it and switched over to synthetic (it was run with regular oil before that). It didn't leak with regular oil, but developed an oil pan gasket leak with the synthetic. My mechanic warned me about it too. After you change the gasket though, you don't have any problems.

mbc

· #16 · Mar 23, 2007

IMHO, I believe the benifets of frequent fluid and filter changes appear later in the vehicle's "life". Anyone who is leasing their car, or truck in this matter, probably is not too concerned with maintenance because they will return or sell it in a few years.
We all know that most vehicles manufactured today are of far better quality than before. Heck, look at Hyundai. BUT, Toyota is in the business of selling cars and we should keep in mind that following their specific guidlines for maintenance (while OK,) may lead to problems later on. Those of us who own Siennas know this all too well

This can speed the cycle of trading in your old Toyota for a new one.
I can't speak for everyone, but I'm self employed and use my truck for my business. General vehicle care is a top priority for me. Most would say that i'm wasting money on needless oil changes, etc, but I keep my cars and trucks untill they are very old and sell them when finding parts becomes difficult. I own a 21 year old Toyota Van with 474,565 miles with the original shiny paint, engine and auto trans. I also have a Honda Accord that will soon see 500,000 miles( all orig as well). While my Tundra currently has only 96,000 miles I plan on driving it, and excessively maintaining it for a looonnnggg time.......unless I win the Lotto

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Buckeyefan

· #17 · Mar 23, 2007

mbc said:
IMHO, I believe the benifets of frequent fluid and filter changes appear later in the vehicle's "life". Anyone who is leasing their car, or truck in this matter, probably is not too concerned with maintenance because they will return or sell it in a few years.
We all know that most vehicles manufactured today are of far better quality than before. Heck, look at Hyundai. BUT, Toyota is in the business of selling cars and we should keep in mind that following their specific guidlines for maintenance (while OK,) may lead to problems later on. Those of us who own Siennas know this all too well This can speed the cycle of trading in your old Toyota for a new one.
I can't speak for everyone, but I'm self employed and use my truck for my business. General vehicle care is a top priority for me. Most would say that i'm wasting money on needless oil changes, etc, but I keep my cars and trucks untill they are very old and sell them when finding parts becomes difficult. I own a 21 year old Toyota Van with 474,565 miles with the original shiny paint, engine and auto trans. I also have a Honda Accord that will soon see 500,000 miles( all orig as well). While my Tundra currently has only 96,000 miles I plan on driving it, and excessively maintaining it for a looonnnggg time.......unless I win the Lotto

If I'm figuring this right, you are spending a large percentage of your life driving, and changing oil.

The Phoenix

· #18 · Mar 23, 2007

Buckeyefan said:
Two Toyota dealers (maintenance managers) told me not to use synthetic in my Tundra b/c they tend to leak oil with synthetics. I need to find out more about that, b/c I've always used synthetic in my cars. That was very odd to me.

Maintenance managers want to make more money, and they'll feed you any line of BS they can to reel you in.

Oil is oil people. It's not going to leak because you switch. That's almost as bad as that rumor you can't go from synthetic back to conventional.

mbc

· #19 · Mar 23, 2007

Buckeyefan said:
If I'm figuring this right, you are spending a large percentage of your life driving, and changing oil.

I own a small construction company in Southern CA. My truck is my office.

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