How often do you change your oil?

I have used :
5w20,5w30,10w30,10w40 and even 20w50.
Conventional, synthetic blends and synthetics.
Castrol, pennzoil, quakerstate, valvoline, Napa branded, whatever is on sale.

I change my oil every 5-7000 miles. I use a $2 silver filter from Napa.

No problems as of yet.

 

5w30 Mobil 1, fram filter. Change filter only every 5k, oil every 15k. 5 prii no problems. Take it in to a local shop and they change it, rotate tires for $10. No mess for me.
Actually the oil still "looks" clean at 15k but I don't bother to test it. $50 in oil and filters and labor every 15k is minimal which comes out to about a year.

 

Wow krg03, 15000 is a lot of miles for one oil change. Roughly how many months does it take you to clock up that much? My Prius also runs up a fair amount of km's, about 30000 per year, so I've been thinking about trying to stretch my OCI to 15000 km (9300 miles) which would cut it to two changes per year.

Still 15000 miles is a lot more than 15000 km, have you thought about having a used oil analysis done to see how it's holding up at the end?

 

The difference is the synthetic. I've heard this before from mechanic friends. Yes, thinking they only want my engine to change later. Change the filter only at recommended 5k miles.

Oil analysis yes. Oil filter analysys yes. I've used Mobil 1 only. Fram filter. Place I send my work transformer oil testing to so I have an inside deal. Analysis twice now.
Been running this with several cars now 150k mi I've not had engine problems. In general with my nissan truck I've gone 20k miles between oil changes, change the filter and add a quart (synthetic) at 5k. Going on 250k miles.

30kmiles/year so twice a year oil change.

Before I'm blasted, not saying it's right for anyone. Just what I do with success.
http://testoil.com/other-oil-tests-oil-analysis.html

 

Twice a year, using good quality 5w-30 synthetic and decent filter. Works out to 7500 - 9500 miles between changes. Money-wise, about US $30 a year as a DIY.

 

Ive been going 10k

I have been going 10,000 miles, with mobil1 extended performance synthetic. I use the puralator pure one filter, and its been coming out clean after 10k. The oil itself is rated at 15k. I did try going 15k once, and I found that I was a bit low on the oil.

 

Keep in mind with a decent synthetic oil, a 12 month or 10,000 mile interval is safe. Using ACEA A1 minimum spec oil in the EU, a standard oil change interval is 12 months or 10,000 miles

Many cars in the EU now offer a 2 year or 20,000 mile oil change interval. No reports of motors exploding all over the place either

 

Thanks for the info Jayman.

So I'm using ACEA A1 rated oil right now, and even though it's only synthetic blend I should be ok to run it for 6 months (about 9500 miles) then. Does that sound about right.

Obviously I'll still keep my eye on it and look at the dipstick from time to time to check the level and to make sure there's no obvious signs of problems with the oil.

 

I am one of those people mentioned in the article.
My new Honda Fit has the maintenance minder which supposedly monitors "how" you are driving your vehicle and gives you information about projected Oil Condition.

As a new car the owners manual specifically states Do Not Change The Oil until it reaches 15% on the maintenance minder.

Being also one of those people that was used to changing their oil every 3000 miles it was really hard for me to go past that mark. I just changed my Oil at @6300 miles.

I don't know.- I would say if you have a new vehicle under warranty you are best served following you owners manual recommendation, regardless of what you are driving.

 

5000 miles with Synthetic 0w-30 and Toyota Japan 90915-10004 oil filter. This excessive,wasteful, and contrarian behavior costs me about $30 every 8 months. No UOA's necessary at this point in service. I must just be unlucky with engines. My oil looks dark when draining, and black as coal in the oil pan, for many cars and years, always this way. If the oil feels dirty that would be a little past due for me.

BTW Fram filters are pricey for what's inside except their Xtended Guard is pretty nice for $9. The Toyota filter is better than Extra Guard for less/same money. Lots of info on this.

 

I use oil weight toyota recommends. Walmart fram oil filters are not that much. My oil looks about the same as new at 15k intervals. Super easy filter to change at home. Oil and filter tested within spec even at 15k interval in January this year so I stick with what works and not try and save $5 with a cheaper filter. I might save $10/year

 

Yes

A used oil analysis will prove it though

 

Have a look at an oil site like Bob is the Oil Guy, BITOG, and see about the standard Fram offering. Very cheap construction, not worth the price. You are using the cheapest made filter out there(base model.) I used to use them long ago, but not after learning more. The Walmart supertech is better for less money, made by Champion, who also make the M1 filters. The OE filters are about $4. The ones I use are now $10 plus shipping. I will probably go for a Bosch Premium or Purolator Pure one when my stash is gone, just because they are USA made. Both of those are made by Purolator, owned by Bosch and Mann now. That will be some years from now the way I drive.

The 0w-30 Mobil 1 AFE is fine for the Prius, totally interchangeable with 5w-30 per Mobil 1. The main difference is the 0w gives faster oil flow at startup, which is good.

My oils are always dark and black at change, on probably twenty cars over almost fifty years of changing my own oil. Never have seen clean (clear) oil come out.

I save money by not doing oil tests. I have many doubts about their absolute validity. They are good to spot major problems like a coolant leak or torn air filter, but I have doubts about accepting the numbers as gospel.

Back in the day, my Dad and I used to use Frantz filters. We even sold and installed some to others. The same issues were being discussed then, in 1960, as today. Full flow oil filters are a compromise. They must flow well yet catch dirt. So they catch some, but not all. The Frantz bypass filter catches particles in the sub micron range and rnoves some amount of water as well.
The best way to be sure the filter is flowing, bypassing, and filtering to OE specs, is to buy the Toyota.

 

"Clear" is a relative term here. Of course my oil darkens over time and with use too. Straight after an oil change I can barely even read it on the dipstick because it's so light. After about two thousand miles it's more of a light honey color and easy to see on the dipstick. My last oil change (which was also the first I'd done for myself on this car) was at about 7000 miles and the oil was still a reasonably light brown on the dipstick and still felt nice and consistent. When you pour it into a container however it is noticeably darker (than compared to when you only examine the thin layer on the dipstick).

 

every 5.000 miles...

 

every 5.000 m iles

 

Question: Is it important to change the oil/oil filter every 4-5 months even if the miles driven is less than 5000? I last changed the oil in July 2015 (over 6 months ago) but have only put about 3500 miles on. I have a 2006 Prius.

 

i drive about 9,000 miles a year, and change the oil every spring. you're fine changing it every 5,000. unless you fall under the 'severe use' category.

 

The Maintenance Booklet says "5000 miles - 6 months". The implication there I think, is it's either, whichever comes first. Unless you're crazy low mileage I wouldn't override it.

Toyota doesn't address extreme low mileage in it's maintenance schedule. Honda does, saying something along the lines of change the oil at least yearly, with extreme low mileage vehicle, where the "Maintenance Minder" has not yet indicated to do an oil change.

Bisco posted while I was typing. Just illustrates, opinions vary. I LIVE for oil changes, so...

In Canada it's still 6 months or 8000 kms, I stick with that, and it's typically the months that govern. First weekend in April and October, I crawl under the car.

 

Once a year with synthetic oil and a premium filter. I ignore the mileage and have gone 20,000+ miles in 12 months because used oil analysis indicated the oil was still fine.