oil change fall or spring?

[Krieg]

Spring! But, do whatever makes you happy.....Vehicles are tools that serve us.

 

[ka9mnx]

I do mine every 5k miles and ignore the calendar. Mixed driving.

 

[MontanaHandyman]

Both for my vehicles

 

[LDM]

Spring. Getting ready to an oil change on my truck (once a year) and my Camaros (once every 2 years, they barely get 1K miles every year). And maybe my brothers truck if it needs it. I also do a quick check of everything and see if there are any other maintenance items that need done while up for the oil change on the vehicles.

 

[Randy_R]

Both. My Mazda only goes 4-5000 miles per year and they mostly short trips to the store. Less than 3 miles. Saturn goes about 7000 per year. I do it myself and it’s cheap. Pontiac gets changed every year in the fall.

 

[CharBaby]

For myself it is both. 2X/ year.

 

[Shel_B]

April and October here.

 

[wxtech]

both my cars get oil changed every may & november, give or take a weekend or so. tires on both get rotated every november also.

 

[madeej11]

I don't have any preference for spring or fall or even bi-annual, annual or semi-annual oci.

As to mileage, I've seen 5,000 mi oci where a premium extended drain synthetic is used up and 15,000 mi oci where a cheap blend wasn't. To many variables for blanket statements.

That's like another blanket.

 

[madeej11]

April and October here.

What mileage do you do with the Camry that you need to change twice per year?

 

[Shel_B]

What mileage do you do with the Camry that you need to change twice per year?

It's not about miles driven, it's about the type of driving that's done: mostly very short trips where the engine doesn't get warm. In certain situations, the water doesn't even come up to normal temp as shown on the gauge.

But, since you asked, the last change went 3,763 miles, and this upcoming change will be a bit less than 3,000 miles.

 

[wxtech]

It's not about miles driven, it's about the type of driving that's done: mostly very short trips where the engine doesn't get warm. In certain situations, the water doesn't even come up to normal temp as shown on the gauge.

But, since you asked, the last change went 3,763 miles, and this upcoming change will be a bit less than 3,000 miles.

same here. i do mostly short trips 5 days a week. i rarely get over 5k miles per year. yet i still change every 6 months. the last oil change on my wifes elantra had 2800 miles on it. one coming up in may will have a little less.

 

[Shel_B]

same here. i do mostly short trips 5 days a week. i rarely get over 5k miles per year. yet i still change every 6 months. the last oil change on my wifes elantra had 2800 miles on it. one coming up in may will have a little less.

There are those that will say such OCIs are a waste of money, and it may be in some cases, but unless you're doing an oil analysis, you can't be certain. From what I read here, an analysis can cost more than the oil, so from a strictly financial perspective, it may be more economical to just change the oil and maintain a good night's sleep.

 

[ssspencerjr]

I change oil 4 times a year

 

[Shel_B]

I change oil 4 times a year

Why?

 

[ssspencerjr]

Why?

20k miles a year, 5k mile OCI

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I do annuals in the spring. My thinking behind that is the winter is harder on oil around here than than the summer.

So would you not want the highest TBN to cross winter with? Or high TBN in the Spring and it wont deplete across summer and be "good enough" for winter?

I am in this boat with my Ford DI. But the DI is telling me to change the oil 3x a year! Maybe after the engine is worn in it will settle down.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

20k miles a year, 5k mile OCI

You could do 7500 most easily with LESS engine wear. At least on the UOA report
Did 9000 mile OCI with the wife's car that runs 23K a year and the engine ran better than any I was doing 6K OCI.
Ran better than new when we traded it with 93K miles and she should NOT have traded it.

And the thought that "5000 miles is easy to remember" is ..... let's just say, irrelevant

 

[Patman]

Split the difference and change it in the middle of summer

 

[Duffyjr]

So would you not want the highest TBN to cross winter with? Or high TBN in the Spring and it wont deplete across summer and be "good enough" for winter?

I am in this boat with my Ford DI. But the DI is telling me to change the oil 3x a year! Maybe after the engine is worn in it will settle down.

In my case don't think I put enough miles on to be worried about TBN, both engines are easy on oil. While they are both short tripped my Lucerne only sees about 2800 miles a year and the Sierra about 1500. I would also add in my case it probably wouldn't matter when I changed it.