Gster

I understand that totally I'm not disputing that, but I'm still going to change oil about every 3500-5000 miles. I can change it myself with exact same oil and filter ford uses for half the price of a dealership.

GreenCars

I prefer to do it myself but do it every 5000. I also only used Amsoil in my last Mustang and also purchased a filter Magnet. I plan on the same for the new Mustang. I only took the car back to Ford when it was warrenty issues. in the 2006 I went through three batteries and two alternators in the course of owning it the 6 years.

youngstang90

My buddies 5.0 threw a rod at 8,000 without the change....he drove it normally, and they ended up putting in a long block due to the damage. He told them that someone up there told him not to come back until the car told him to...he thought he would test it....that's just asking for problems going for 10,000 mi.


I'm a 3,000-5,000 guy too...

Tony Alonso

Why would you choose a 3500 mile interval if it provides no material benefit?

Gster

Yes. It's all about taking pride in your car and if you plan on keeping it make it last. I believe it does provide a benefit.

JCStang

Since I will only put on around 3,000 miles a year at most, and store it from Nov through April or so, I will just change it once a year....

Tony Alonso

While it probably would be a long debate about this, oil change intervals have been extended on many vehicles over the past number of years as technology has changed. Further, the engineers who designed and tested the engine have a lot more insight into these things.

I am all for making a car last a long time because of the money I spent on it, but these days, I am also about taking advantage of improvements when it can be safely be done.

PS - I am an every 5000 mile person, by the way, as per the "severe duty" recommendation for my 2010 GT.

WhiteBird00

Reminds me of a story...

The husband in a newlywed couple is curious and asks his new wife why she always cuts the ends off the roast before cooking it. She answers, "I don't know, my mother always did it that way." So they get on the phone to the mother and ask her why she always cuts the ends off the roast before cooking it. The mother answers "I don't know, my mother always did it that way." So they get on the phone to the grandmother and ask why she always cuts the ends off the roast before cooking it. Her answer... "my roasting pan is too small."

The point is that we often continue doing things the old way even though the reason for doing it that way no longer applies. Engines are much better than years ago and oils are also vastly improved over what we used years ago. There is simply no reason to change oil any more often than recommended by the manufacturer. Doing so just wastes your money and creates additional waste oil disposal issues.

It's like saying "my dad taught me to check my arithmetic by 'casting out nines' so I'm going to continue doing that rather than use a calculator."

Gster

Oil is recycled today. When your warranty is up and you go 10000 miles and something happens do you actually think that ford is going to say"we recommended 10000 miles and so do all these professionals so here's a new engine for ya sport". Even if you take it to the dealer every oil change once u hit 60000 it's all on u. So if you go 10000 and your getting a little damage every time you can't tell. Sooner or later it will break. A little money no saves a lot later.

Glenn

wait till 9k next time

Thamac15

This ^^^

Kinyodas

My brother brought his old Focus in for it's eight recall or so - went to leave the dealership and heard clunking and crunching from the front - he got out and the wheel was almost off - they didn't even put the lugs back on!

JCStang

I wish there was a place that was a "premier care" type of oil change shop....super clean, guys wore super soft gloves when touching your car, etc, etc...where they treated your car like you do..now i would pay a little extra for that...everytime I take it in the guys look like they wish they were anywhere but there and I cringe to leave it in their hands..to them it is just a car!!!! I shouldn't have to worry about whether or not they put in too much or too little oil, if the filter is on tight, if they even changed the filter, etc.

WhiteBird00

Yup, that's the same answer that the oil companies and quick lube places will give you to convince you to change your oil as often as possible - it's money in their pockets. Back in the 70s and 80s I used to say the same thing and had my oil changed every 3,000 miles like clockwork. But my last car had almost 100K miles on it when I sold it and it ran like new despite the "reckless" way I changed the oil only when the indicator said it needed it... about every 7,500 miles or so. And these days we're talking about products that are more than a decade more advanced than an LS1 T/A.

I probably wouldn't run 10K miles between changes just because I like to allow a margin of error. I go with about 20% oil life left which is around 8,000 miles.

I worked in dealerships for many years and have seen lots of engine tear-downs. There have been some cases of abuse (no oil changes in 40,000 miles) and certainly some oil pump failures, oil pan damage, and similar catastrophes (even one where oil was drained but not refilled) but I have never seen an engine failure caused by extended oil change intervals. In fact, even high mileage engines that get regular maintenance with extended oil change intervals using quality products look remarkably clean inside.

So I'll stick with my own experience rather than any handed-down "wisdom". I'll save my time and money for more important things than 3,000 mile oil changes.

JCStang

I think Consumer Reports did a study a couple of years ago on New York City taxi's that verified this...they changed oil at 3,000 miles on some cars and then I believe went either 5,000 or 7,500 or more on others and then did engine tear downs....there was really no difference when they examined the engines. I remember when I was 21 and had a 78 Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am...hell i used to change that oil like every 1,000 miles or less thinking i wanted it to last forever...then one day I realized, I trade them so often I was wasting my money ( I have had like 45 cars or so). Live and learn.

Rjgogo

On my old BMW that I sold, BMW recommended 15K between changes with full synthetic so that is when I changed the oil. When I sold it, it had 170K miles on it and the engine ran purrfect.

Gster

The goal is to make the engine last not the oil last. The other side of the coin is car companies are trying to lower the" true cost of ownership" factor to sell their cars. Saying 10000 miles lowers that by 33%. I think I'll believe in old wisdom over corporate greed. Regardless of the interval people need to check there oil in between. 90 % of people won't do this. 10000 miles is a long time to go without checking the stick.

SD CALSPCL

I believe Ford recommends the IOL monitor because it reflects your driving and the conditions you drive in. I change the oil every six months or when the IOL tells me too. For instance, last winter, with sub-zero temperatures, and cold starts, the IOL monitor had me changing it about every three months. I thought there was something wrong with the monitor, until I read the book. So, trust the monitor, and change it when told too, or twice a year, if you feel more comfortable. If you are using full synthetic you should be fine.

I have used this oil change scenario since 1978 when I first used Mobil 1. I used Mobil 1, in my '79 5.0 in Germany for three years, with no problems. We pulled the valve covers at 45,000 miles, and the engine looked brand new, as did the inside of the valve covers. No discoloration or sludge build up.

The Euro Trash builders, BMW and Mercedes recommend 15,000 miles changes in Europe. They, and VW use 10,000 miles here because, they say, we have been "conditioned" to change it every 3000 miles, and balk at higher mile changes. I still change my wifes' Passat Turbo every 5000. I still look at driving conditions as being an important part of the equation.

JCStang

"Regardless of the interval people need to check there oil in between. 90 % of people won't do this. 10000 miles is a long time to go without checking the stick. "

I doubt there are too many like this on this forum!!! I wipe down the complete engine compartment every couple of weeks and check it then...when I took the car in for the oil change, all 3 of the guys there came over to check out the MRT hood struts I had added...they really like them...one ( the guy running the place) sarcastically said i needed to clean the engine compartment more often....

Gster

I meant the general population. I agree I think every one on this forum loves their car or they wouldn't be on here.