Oil chnage interval check!
 

Just wondering if I could get a show of hands :) How many people actually follow the oil change interval of 8000kms. I have a 01 1.6L and was told by the dealer, that there was no need to change the oil any sooner then 8000kms. Actually, I am running 100% synthetic oil. I am still on my first 8000kms since I stopped the 5000kms change. I used to do the oil and filter every 5000kms and was told its overkill. I don't want to get into a debate on the oil change intervals, I just wanted to see if anybody else is going 8000kms and their thoughts. :)

Oh ya, my manual says oil change intervals of 8000kms. I am not just going blindly into this one! :)

Just for reference - 5000km ~ 3000 miles, and 8000km ~ 5000 miles, right?

Well, I change my oil every 3000 miles. Useless or not, it can't hurt, and is a force of habit. Actually, I got lazy with the last one and went 5000 miles (I rack up miles quickly).

I wouldn't think the manual would state 5000 miles if it was "unsafe" for the engine. I've even heard that you can go 10,000 miles if you drive easy, do mostly highway miles (not stop & go), and in "cleaner" conditions (not a dusty area or places with lots of air pollution) and run full synthetic.

Seeing as how you are using synthetic, you should be just fine with 5000 mile (8000km) changes, IMNEO (In My Non-Expert Opinion).

~HH

i'm doing 8000km intervals.

Glad to hear guys! I hope we can put this issue to rest when we all have 300 000kms with no issues! :)

I've been following the 5000 miles that the manual recommends. I drive a lot of miles (mostly easy ones) a year so it's still getting changed 5 times a year minimum.

Based on all the research I've read, the manual, and my own common sense, I feel that is more then often enough.

(edited typo)

Since I get free oil changes for the first year, I'll be following the 3000 mile interval. FWIW, this is the first time that I've seen a dealer/MFG recommend 5000 mile intervals.

I don't drive my P5 much so I'm getting the oil changed based on time rather than mileage. Nine months, 9900 km, two oil changes. If I did put more miles on the car I would go with the 8000 km interval per the manual. The P5 is my fourth car, each from a different manufacturer, with an oil-change interval of 8000 km (or more, in one case) so I'm quite comfortable with that number.

Newer Corvettes have a 10,000 mile reccomended oil change interval, as well as a few other high-end cars.

It also has a 100,000 mile tune-up schedule, including the coolant! 100,000 miles from antifreeze - jeez....

~HH

BMW and Porsche both recommend 15,000 mile service intervals for oil changes. A lot of BMW owners are suspect because the company pays for the first 36,000 miles of maintenance. Porsche does not. The coolant on new Porsches is also supposed to be lifetime.

I change mine at 7500 mile intervals on both. It is expensive for the Porsche because it uses 10 quarts.

our proteges are our pride and joy why risk going more. Go every 3000 miles. synthetic is the best for the engine.

I go 4000 miles between oil changes. I use Mobil One. I drive it like I stole it on a daily basis (shift @ 6800rpm most times).:D
14000 miles on the odo so far and no problems.

14000 miles wont tell you much. wait til you start getting around 100000 mi. with 14000mi everything should be spankin!

In my last car I got used to changing the oil every 6000 miles. Never seemed to matter. I never had any engine trouble, and my timing belt lasted until 120000 miles. I did have a seal start leaking at 100000 miles, but that wasn't anything major.

Several years ago, Consumer Report did a study on engine oils. They studied NYC taxi cabs. They set up oil change intervals from 3000 miles to 10000 miles. After so many miles (can't remember the exact milage, sorry) they took the engines apart a measured the pistons and such, and concluded that there was no difference in the oil change interval or even types of (major) oils. They did recomend staying away from "cheap" oil.

With that said, I still prefer to change the oil every 6000 miles. I drive a lot of highway miles and changing the oil every 3000 miles would mean I change it every other month. Waste of money, waste of oil - IMHO. A good filter means more then the oil.

I change my own oil every 3000 miles w/ 10W30 Mobil 1 Synthetic. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

i just go and get my stuff done whenever mazda tells me to. that way i got everything on record should i ever sell my 5.