Oil change: How often is too often?

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brickisred

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Hi guys,
I'm looking at purchasing a used Tacoma 4cyl with 17k miles on it. From what I can tell from the Carfax, it was maintained regularly by the original dealer.

But I've noticed that a few oil change intervals on this truck were done at 3 months and around 1000 miles or less. In fact, this truck paid a visit to the service department about every 3 months since it was new, sometimes for tire rotations, or "manufacturers recommended maintenance". (Not sure what manufacturer recommends maintenance every three months)

Of course my paranoia set in and I'm wondering what is the deal with this truck and/or owner to have the oil changed so frequently. Would it hurt anything to change oil/filter this often on a relatively new automobile?

Truck is clean, engine sounds good from what I can tell. Has kind of loud injector or valve noise, but I believe that is the nature of Toyota 4 cylinders.
 
Don't have to do service so often - warranty calls for oil changes every 5k miles, OR six months, whichever comes FIRST.

Use this as your guide.
 
That`s what I do on my car,every 3 months. My car sees nothing but shorts trips every day. I`d be VERY impressed if I was buying a used car and saw the owner was that compulsive about maintaining it.
 
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some people simply follow the 3 month/ 3k miles - whichever comes first instructions. they used to tell people that oil would oxidize. regardless, I'd rather have that than the people who drive only 3k miles a year (short trips) and only change it 1x
 
Manufacture's OCI is 5k/6mo but most dealer's OCI is 3k/3mo, that how they make good profit from not so savvy customers, and many drivers believe that dealers know best about their cars.

My neighbor believe that Honda dealer knows her 2005 Pilot better than anybody, such that they replaced OEM Goodyear Integrity with Goodyear Integrity at Honda dealer for almost $800, I told them thet could get better tire for about 30-40% less, but they want Honda OEM tires only. Every other maintenances and services were done at the Honda dealer.
 
I used to work with a girl who was upset that we replaced her headlight with a non-Ford bulb. her trunk light also burned out a couple weeks thereafter - and in her mind it was somehow related to us replacing the headlight.
Facts are debatable; perceptions are not.
 
Many of the dealers I've gone to (I was young and foolish) always put stickers saying to come back after 3 months/3000 miles. The ones I've gone to have all said something along the lines of "due to the local environment, we recommend 3 months/3000 miles".

Of course, the same thing is said in hot, dusty, arid Arizona as it is in the temperate, often-damp San Francsico Bay Area. Go figure.

That said, it sounds like the guy was doing what he was told, and I doubt that there's any maintenance-related issues.
 
Thanks guys, as usual I always find an "issue" with a car I'm buying. Probably nothing to worry about. I just never heard of the 3 month thing and wouldn't do it myself. Can't imagine changing out oil after only 700 miles! This truck was probably just used on short trips and was only driven an average of 6935 miles a year. At 17k, the motor probably isn't even broken in yet.
 
My service log book for my truck is about an 1.5 inches thick already and it only has 48k miles on it. Nothing wrong with excessive maintenance except it costs a little money.

It sounds to me alot of times this guy took his vehicle in for something, he told them to just go ahead and change the oil with it. Also sounds like my old shop teacher that had an Isuzu truck that he had 1k mile dino oil changes since new. When I last saw it, he had over 200k miles on it.
 
Originally Posted By: bigmike
My service log book for my truck is about an 1.5 inches thick already and it only has 48k miles on it. Nothing wrong with excessive maintenance except it costs a little money.

It sounds to me alot of times this guy took his vehicle in for something, he told them to just go ahead and change the oil with it. Also sounds like my old shop teacher that had an Isuzu truck that he had 1k mile dino oil changes since new. When I last saw it, he had over 200k miles on it.


I'm old school, but have changed a few of my old habits after joining here. One thing I will say, if I was looking at used cars, and stumbled upon two cars in indentical condition/miles/price, and use. The car with the better log book would win. If both cars were driven 10,000 miles/year, one guy did yearly OCI's with the best oil/filter possible, and the other did 6 month OCI's with a good oil and filter he'd be getting my money. Most car buffs I know would agree with me, all things being equal. I'd rather buy from someone who over did things. JMO
 
Some people are just anal about things, my dad would change oil in May and have changed again before going to the beach on July 4th holiday vacation!An ounce of prevention prevents a pound of cure, or so i've heard!
 
I'll offer a little anecdotal evidence... my dad used to always lease cars up until he actually bought his first used car, the 2008 PT Cruiser he has now. His last car, a 2006 Saturn Ion that he leased new, he always had the oil changed every 3,000 miles regardless. He completely ignored the OLM and drove it very easy, almost all highway. What a waste of money! I told him many times that it's just a lease, go by the OLM and save yourself a lot of money. Wouldn't listen.
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Some people are stubborn with their overmaintenance even if they don't plan on keeping the car, it seems.
 
It`s good new`s for the guy/gal that bought the car!
grin2.gif
I never seem to be that fortunate when i get a used vehicle. According to the Lexus service records,the original owner constantly went over the 5k oil changes.(on conventional oil the dealer uses) So I `m using the PP,and at only 1300 miles into the oil, the stick shows the oil is pretty dirty already.
 
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Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
I'll offer a little anecdotal evidence... my dad used to always lease cars up until he actually bought his first used car, the 2008 PT Cruiser he has now. His last car, a 2006 Saturn Ion that he leased new, he always had the oil changed every 3,000 miles regardless. He completely ignored the OLM and drove it very easy, almost all highway. What a waste of money! I told him many times that it's just a lease, go by the OLM and save yourself a lot of money. Wouldn't listen.
21.gif
Some people are stubborn with their overmaintenance even if they don't plan on keeping the car, it seems.


My Mom has been leasing for the last few cars and I maintain her stuff as if she planned on keeping it. Which usually means over maintained.

Maybe Karma will repay me someday.....
 
Definitely better to over maintain than under maintain.
According to Jiffy Lube, the average customer does a 9k OCI (most likely with dino) no matter what the conditions are and that's just ridiculous.
 
Originally Posted By: semaj281
Definitely better to over maintain than under maintain.


So you don't think there would be any ill effects on the oil pump or bearings by draining oil out of the engine so frequently?

My wife has an old Ford Explorer which takes me less than 15 minutes from drain to fill on an oil change. But on every occasion, I can hear the oil pickup run dry for just a second or so after adding oil back and starting up.
 
My grandfather is the same way, he wont go one mile over 3k without changing the oil. Hes the one that showed me how to maintain my car and he used nothing but fram filters. I change the oil in his Silverado now and he questions my use of the OLM on my vehicles and is reluctant since I don't put frams in his truck. The book calls for the OLM to hit 0%, in my cars I let it go to 20 usually but no longer than 1 year. I change it in his truck at 50-60 percent because he want it that way.

I guess it does not hurt the car, it is a waste, but look at the period that these people are from. Back in the day 3k was the norm. Also, 3k is a good point for the average driver that sees many short trips and doesnt even check thier fluids.

But the ideal for most cars is 4-5k.
 
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