Recommendation for low annual mileage, short trip car

[Lorenzo]

I have a 1997 Ford Escort with about 70k miles and running well. No oil consumption in the 3k mile OCI. Since changing jobs recently the car now gets less than 500 miles a month, most of it short trips.

Should I base my OCI on miles or time? Common recommendations for oil change seem to be the earlier of 3k miles or 3 months. In 3 months I’d only do 1,500 miles which seems unreasonably short to change the oil.

Also, what oil should I consider? Havoline seems to get a good rep around here. Should I stick with dino or synthetic?

Thanks for your advice

 

[grm386wa]

Personally, Id stick with whatever SM oil is on sale and continue your 3K OCI's and continue monitoring oil level/usage.

 

[mikemc]

At 500 miles per per month, you could do 2 oil changes per year and stick with a 3K interval. Havoline or any good API-SM dino should work fine.

 

[darksparkz]

2 oil changes a year should be okay, just monitor oil level and top it off every once in a while.

I have the same question as well, for a car with low annual mileage, would regular or synthetic oil be better? Considering the oil would mostly sit there fairly often, and I'd still do the 2-3 oil changes a year thing.

 

[Cutehumor]

my dad's 03 sentra went from 30k miles a year all highway to 6-8k miles a year when he moved closer to his job. I went from doing 5k oci all highway to changing every 6 months with syn blend.

 

[427Z06]

IMHO, twice a year with any current inexpensive quality dino of the appropriate grade. Don't forget the filter, and try to get a 30 mile trip in a couple of times each month. Insure the PCV system is up to snuff.

 

[JHZR2]

My mother does 5 block commutes 4x/day, with the only other regular trips being to the supermarket. She takes it on the highway now and again for a 200 mile trip, but with no regularity.

We use M1 5w-30 in ~6 month intervals, and the UOAs come back EXCELLENT - as if it wasnt driven in such terrible circumstances.

JMH

 

[JohnBrowning]

In this situation I would change the oil every 6 months. I would use my favorite dino oil and call it good.

 

[Mr Nice]

My parents have an 01' Civic and and 05' Civic and both drive about 3500 miles a year.

I just change it once a year with the least expensive SL/SM rated oil I can find.

 

[John_E]

I currently have the VW Passat 1.8T on a 6 month / 3k mi = 5k km OCI with Mobil 1 0W-40, because of "severe service" suburban driving. I have a Blackstone kit ready to go for my next oil change and will post the results. As many of you know, the longitudinally mounted Audi 1.8T engine, with its turbo and 4 qt. sump, will rapidly burn any dino oil into coke.

I keep the Dodge 2.4L DOHC on the same regimen, but with 5W-30 Pennz dino, which is fully consistent with the owner's manual (6k mi = 10k km highway / 3k mi = 5k km city).

 

[EricZoom]

My 04' Mazda6 does about 6k miles a year, and i change the oil and filter twice a year with M1 and a K&N filter. Maybe that's overkill, but it works for me.

 

[Lorenzo]

Thanks for the replies. I'll go with 3k miles or 6 months and stick with a dino oil.