Low yearly mileage. How often to change oil?

[Russell]

I drive less than 2,000 miles per year on my old 236,000 mile BMW 525i. Usually short trips. Hardly drive it in the winter. I currently change oil once a year with Pennzoil 10w40 HM and new Mahle or Mann filter. I think this is about right. I would not really want to go two years???

 

[147_Grain]

Change it once a year. With the short trips, suggest a 5W-30 weight oil.

 

[gathermewool]

Send out a sample for analysis.

If you're not curious, then I'd keep doing what you're doing. The short trips aren't very good, but you make it seem as if most of the miles are in warmer weather, which mitigates the effect...somewhat.

Also, what's the sump side on this thing? A large sump may allow for a larger reserve for additive depletion, as well as less of a viscosity reduction due to fuel dilution caused by the short trips.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: 147_Grain
Change it once a year. With the short trips, suggest a 5W-30 weight oil.


Car's probably spec'd for an Xw50 or heavy-30. Most 5w30s are going to be too thin.

To the OP: hard to say if you can go two years. How big is the sump in that car? If it's one of the typical 8-10 quart suckers, you might be able to get away with that.

 

[umungus1122]

Take it out on some longer runs to get it fully up to temp for a while and I don't see why you couldn't go 2 years.

 

[gallydif]

Keep doing what you're doing. Once a year is what I like to do as well.

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: 147_Grain
Change it once a year. With the short trips, suggest a 5W-30 weight oil.


Car's probably spec'd for an Xw50 or heavy-30. Most 5w30s are going to be too thin.

To the OP: hard to say if you can go two years. How big is the sump in that car? If it's one of the typical 8-10 quart suckers, you might be able to get away with that.


six quart sump

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: Russell
I drive less than 2,000 miles per year on my old 236,000 mile BMW 525i. Usually short trips. Hardly drive it in the winter. I currently change oil once a year with Pennzoil 10w40 HM and new Mahle or Mann filter. I think this is about right. I would not really want to go two years???


I should add that I change the oil myself so cost is not an issue. I have been known to alternate between Lubro Moly Mos2 of Lubro Moly Motor oil saver at each yearly change. Been doing this for the past three years.

 

[901Memphis]

Mobil 1 0W40 European Formula once every 3 years would be fine if you're using a quality filter

 

[clearanceclarenc]

If your bmw was mine I would do exactly what you are doing now once a year with either of those filters and maybe even switch to Mobil 1 10W40 high mileage. I have a supra that I drive less than a 1000 miles a year and I do once a year changes with Royal Purple HPS or Mobil 1 EP 10W30. I see you're in Lexington, that's cool. I was just up there yesterday. I'm about 65 miles south of there. Nice to see people making cars last.

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: clearanceclarenc
If your bmw was mine I would do exactly what you are doing now once a year with either of those filters and maybe even switch to Mobil 1 10W40 high mileage. I have a supra that I drive less than a 1000 miles a year and I do once a year changes with Royal Purple HPS or Mobil 1 EP 10W30. I see you're in Lexington, that's cool. I was just up there yesterday. I'm about 65 miles south of there. Nice to see people making cars last.

Thank you. I have owned the car for 12 years and put about 150,000 miles on it. I retired and so did the car.

 

[mattwithcats]

Change it every two years.

Use a good filter without paper end caps...

Warm it up fully every month or so,
keep condensation out...

 

[Gasbuggy]

I was under the impression that 1 year changes were required until recently. I'm going to 2nd the two year low mileage interval. 1 year is an old rule of thumb. Pennzoil will keep much longer.



You could always take a sample for analysis and post it for the sake of research.

 

[SR5]

For mineral oil, I would do the oil every year, and the oil & filter every second year.

For a EP or Euro (A3) grade full synthetic I would do the oil & filter every second year.

 

[bigt61]

Every two years is fine.

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: Gasbuggy
I was under the impression that 1 year changes were required until recently. I'm going to 2nd the two year low mileage interval. 1 year is an old rule of thumb. Pennzoil will keep much longer.



You could always take a sample for analysis and post it for the sake of research.
I did the blotter test on the old oil. I was surprised how clean it looked. Perhaps two years would work. However, I think I will continue once a year.

 

[demarpaint]

Run the oil a year, when you change the oil do a UOA. That will tell you how well the oil did during the year and if extending the OCI is a good idea or not.

 

[TFB1]

Assuming the engine is brought to full operating temp once or twice a month, I'd go for at least two years...

 

[BrocLuno]

Originally Posted By: gallydif
Keep doing what you're doing. Once a year is what I like to do as well.


+1

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Russell
I drive less than 2,000 miles per year on my old 236,000 mile BMW 525i. Usually short trips. Hardly drive it in the winter. I currently change oil once a year with Pennzoil 10w40 HM and new Mahle or Mann filter. I think this is about right. I would not really want to go two years???

I do about 2-3K miles a year on my 530i as well. Lot's of short tripping, including during winter. I change it once a year as well. I did go 16 months once (two winters), and did not like the UOA results, so I cut it back to 1 year.

Granted, my winters are harsher/longer than yours, so my car takes longer to warm up and spends more time below optimal temp.