Summer car oil change, once per year, when to do?

[demarpaint]

I have a vehicle that is only used in sunshine during the summer. All other times it is covered and garaged. I plan on only doing one oil change per year. When is the best time to do it?

1. Before the vehicle is stored for the winter.
2. Before the vehicle is taken out for the summer.

Is it smarter to have fresh oil in it while it's stored, or put fresh oil in it once it's ready to be driven again? Or is there really no difference? Going to be using 0W-20 Mobil Extended Performance.

I'd rather store it with fresh clean oil. As you can see opinions vary.

 

[AmBeRnEcTaR]

That's the most common approach at least I'm too am following. With just 3,000 miles per year and given you
drive your car up to full operating temp every time it likely doesn't matter that much though. I'd even consider
going two year OCIs.

This^^^^^^^^^...
My summer car is a 1993 5.0 Mustang LX coupe. Owned it for 16yrs. Mobil 1 10W-30 Full Synth+Mobil 1 EP filter since I've owned it. Currently sitting at 123,000km's. April.1-->Nov.1 it usually sees ~2000km's.

My routine has been to drop the oil and change the filter in the spring when I pull it out of storage, drive it for a season, put it away, and do the same the following year. So, 2yrs and 4000'ish km's on it before I do it again.

No short trips, oil always up to operating temp, fairweather driving only, stored at 8-10C during the winter, 20-30C spring and summer. Runs like a Georgia peach never any problems, drains nice and clean, sees the hot side of the tach often.

I've lurked on here for a while before joining yesterday and appreciate all the info I've gleaned from the experts on this board. I understand most of you can't get behind leaving oil in the crankcase for 2yrs but it's solely my opinion that today's synthetics are up to the task.

I felt guilty the first time I changed it after just one season and 2-3000km's, it looked new so that was the first and only time I did that. Been doing two years between changes ever since and all is well.

Great forums here thanks for all the great info. Was refreshing to find out that what I thought was an over the top obsession towards engine maintenance was a mere drop in the bucket compared to some of you brilliant nerds on here

 

[biggusblockus]

Every other year with a new filter, mostly full synthetic but some Synblends on the older GM stuff.
Been doing it this way on the following vehicles, some for decades.
1965 Corvette 396/425hp
1967 Camaro RS/SS 350/325hp
2011 Corvette Grand Sport
2016 Challenger Hellcat
2001 Jeep Wrangler 4.0
2014 Audi S8
2011 Audi S5
2015 Porsche Macan

 

[wareze]

I have a vehicle that is only used in sunshine during the summer. All other times it is covered and garaged. I plan on only doing one oil change per year. When is the best time to do it?

1. Before the vehicle is stored for the winter.
2. Before the vehicle is taken out for the summer.

Is it smarter to have fresh oil in it while it's stored, or put fresh oil in it once it's ready to be driven again? Or is there really no difference? Going to be using 0W-20 Mobil Extended Performance.

Both

 

[cheesepuffs2]

1. Before storage for the winter.
You don't want acidic oil left for months in the engine.

How will the oil be acidic at presumably very low mileage?

 

[Oillover]

How will the oil be acidic at presumably very low mileage?

Or maybe you didn't run it long enough to burn off any extra fuel that may have ended up in the crankcase? (started to move and immediatly shut off)
Just a possibility.