Your motor oil matters. Video.

[BMWTurboDzl]

Do you have the source for this data?
I'm just curious as to what was the basis for this info? such as what makes/model years these reports were based on.

I will agree that vehicle lifespan has increased, but we may be observing the decline of these averages based on thinner oils and extended OCI's.

Average Age of Automobiles and Trucks in Operation in the United States | Bureau of Transportation Statistics

KEY: RV = recreational vehicle; U = data are not available. a The 1969, 1977, 1983, and 1990 surveys do not include a separate category for sports utility vehicles (SUV), while the 1995, 2001, 2009 and 2017 surveys do. In 1990, most SUVs were classified as automobiles.

www.bts.gov

 

[ATex7239]

I think the decline is the cost of maintenance these days. Most people poorly maintain their vehicles and drive like race car drivers.

I think you’re right. The other day I was getting my oil changed and my buddy called me. When I told him what I was doing he said, “yeah, I need to do that too. The light has been on for a while.”

I think most people prefer to push out the maintenance, wait for the gaslight to refuel and drive it like a banshee.

 

[Big_B]

Additives increase wear?

Sorry. Aftermarket oil additives like slick 50 etc...

 

[Zee09]

I think you’re right. The other day I was getting my oil changed and my buddy called me. When I told him what I was doing he said, “yeah, I need to do that too. The light has been on for a while.”

I think most people prefer to push out the maintenance, wait for the gaslight to refuel and drive it like a banshee.

Just now my cousin said the same thing that her oil change light has been on and she needs an appointment

 

[odie]

Sorry. Aftermarket oil additives like slick 50 etc...

Used SLICK 50 for engine and tranny of a used ( 99,000 mis. ) '86 Chevrolet NOVA ( Corolla 1.6 Ltr. ) 4 door liftback with a 4 speed auto ( or 3 ? ) . Would use it with oil and A.T.F. every 30 > 34,000 miles . Went for 260,00+ miles of harsh conditions . Favorite car of 40+ years of driving .

 

[Oillover]

Average Age of Automobiles and Trucks in Operation in the United States | Bureau of Transportation Statistics

KEY: RV = recreational vehicle; U = data are not available. a The 1969, 1977, 1983, and 1990 surveys do not include a separate category for sports utility vehicles (SUV), while the 1995, 2001, 2009 and 2017 surveys do. In 1990, most SUVs were classified as automobiles.

www.bts.gov

Perfect! now I can stop wasting money on oil changes!


Joking aside, my vehicles are 8, 14 and 36 years old with no rust/fluid leaks etc. and are substantially older than most samples represented on that spreadsheet.
Heck, anything nearing 10 years old on that site is considered an ancient relic!

While this site is useful, it doesn't necessarily mean they are more durable nor does it address the reason why people are keeping their vehicles on the road, longer. As mentioned many times on this site, the mere cost of new vehicles has many shying away from new vehicle purchases.

 

[walterjay]

I took some flack for me changing oil early on engines. I am vindicated!

 

[burbguy82]

I think the decline is the cost of maintenance these days. Most people poorly maintain their vehicles and drive like race car drivers.

I agree. Perhaps for lack of knowledge, or the younger generations look at cars as disposable.... "lifetime atf" and the like.

 

[Patman]

I agree. Perhaps for lack of knowledge, or the younger generations look at cars as disposable.... "lifetime atf" and the like.

The younger generation doesn't seem to be into cars as much as we were. That's why it makes me happy that my 22 year old son is just like me, he lives and breathes cars! He still has the 2002 WRX that he bought when he was 16, and unlike a lot of younger people he loves to drive a car with a manual transmission! Even his second car is a fun car, a 98 Honda Civic hatchback (also manual trans) He does all of his own oil changes on his cars and even a lot of the modifications and repairs too. Even his career is cars, he's a detailer, he's very good at paint correction and will likely open up his own high end detailing shop one day.

 

[Foxtrot08]

I agree. Perhaps for lack of knowledge, or the younger generations look at cars as disposable.... "lifetime atf" and the like.

Lifetime ATF is an interesting topic to me in terms of vehicles / vehicle maintenance.

Up coming story is about heavy duty (class 7 & 8) trucks.

I was at a conference for heavy duty trucking and got to talk to a Volvo transmission engineer at length about their new transmission. (Again in class 7 & 8 trucks) Which they advertised “life time ATF” in it. Didn’t require anything.

While, he admitted that the ATF does have a set life span. The problem is not the ATF wearing out. The clutch materials inside of the transmission, are currently the limiting factor for them before the ATF degrades or oxidizes too much.


My counter to that was two parts. First off, the transmission is not a sealed system. So you have a breather and thus, the ability to get contamination into it.

Second, the application - an OTR class 8 truck is going to do significantly less shifting, thus have longer clutch life, than a vocational application class 8, that never leaves 75 air miles from home base. So how do you justify both?

Post that conversation, they later reconsidered the lifetime fill of the product. And put service intervals out.


I think, automotive OEM’s are in similar boats. I’m not going to say their engineers are bad or wrong. I’m just going to say that, they put out marketing bulletins like “lifetime” fill or, oil change intervals, under ideal circumstances with, the absolute minimum specs. So if you do something different, your mileage may literally vary. Reality is not autocad all the time. Or even track testing.

 

[burbguy82]

Lifetime ATF is an interesting topic to me in terms of vehicles / vehicle maintenance.

Up coming story is about heavy duty (class 7 & 8) trucks.

I was at a conference for heavy duty trucking and got to talk to a Volvo transmission engineer at length about their new transmission. (Again in class 7 & 8 trucks) Which they advertised “life time ATF” in it. Didn’t require anything.

While, he admitted that the ATF does have a set life span. The problem is not the ATF wearing out. The clutch materials inside of the transmission, are currently the limiting factor for them before the ATF degrades or oxidizes too much.


My counter to that was two parts. First off, the transmission is not a sealed system. So you have a breather and thus, the ability to get contamination into it.

Second, the application - an OTR class 8 truck is going to do significantly less shifting, thus have longer clutch life, than a vocational application class 8, that never leaves 75 air miles from home base. So how do you justify both?

Post that conversation, they later reconsidered the lifetime fill of the product. And put service intervals out.


I think, automotive OEM’s are in similar boats. I’m not going to say their engineers are bad or wrong. I’m just going to say that, they put out marketing bulletins like “lifetime” fill or, oil change intervals, under ideal circumstances with, the absolute minimum specs. So if you do something different, your mileage may literally vary. Reality is not autocad all the time. Or even track testing.

Words are important. People are always anxious to expand their meaning, especially the American advertiser.

Some things will never change, service intervals, in my opinion should be one of them.

 

[Pablo]

Words are important. People are always anxious to expand their meaning, especially the American advertiser.

Some things will never change, service intervals, in my opinion should be one of them.

They are. I kinda stopped hating on oil videos. I just sit back and enjoy the entertainment.

Service intervals should never change? What??

 

[burbguy82]

Service intervals should never change? What??

So, what I mean by that is, as an example, in a GM truck, from which most of my experience is based:

Years ago, in service manuals, the interval for an automatic transmission was 30k miles. It was that way for 30 years+-. then, in 2000, with the gmt600 vans and gmt800 trucks, from 2000-07, service intervals went from 30-100k. Now understand, Dex6 ("the superior fluid") did not become in full use and spec until 2006. But somehow, the service interval, and towing capacity all upon a sudden increase dramatically. "Coincidentally", the service interval coincided with the warranty, and a reduced cost of ownership. All tactics being used by companies to sell cars.

Were the transmission different? Not really. The 4l80e had been in use reliably for over a decade, and with only minor changes to where the cooler lines attached, the same transmission. But with more horsepower in the GMT800 in contrast to the GMT400, the service intervals increased? Makes no sense, from a service\mechanical standpoint.

Point being, a lie told long enough becomes the truth. Funny these days, manufactures have gone back to shorter service intervals, but at the same time, removed the AT dipstick. Coincidence? No. All geared to suck the money out of your pockets.

Catch what I am saying now?

Again, I am no expert. Not a scientist, but was a pretty good observer.

 

[Pablo]

So, what I mean by that is, as an example, in a GM truck, from which most of my experience is based:

Years ago, in service manuals, the interval for an automatic transmission was 30k miles. It was that way for 30 years+-. then, in 2000, with the gmt600 vans and gmt800 trucks, from 2000-07, service intervals went from 30-100k. Now understand, Dex6 ("the superior fluid") did not become in full use and spec until 2006. But somehow, the service interval, and towing capacity all upon a sudden increase dramatically. "Coincidentally", the service interval coincided with the warranty, and a reduced cost of ownership. All tactics being used by companies to sell cars.

Were the transmission different? Not really. The 4l80e had been in use reliably for over a decade, and with only minor changes to where the cooler lines attached, the same transmission. But with more horsepower in the GMT800 in contrast to the GMT400, the service intervals increased? Makes no sense, from a service\mechanical standpoint.

Point being, a lie told long enough becomes the truth. Funny these days, manufactures have gone back to shorter service intervals, but at the same time, removed the AT dipstick. Coincidence? No. All geared to suck the money out of your pockets.

Catch what I am saying now?

Again, I am no expert. Not a scientist, but was a pretty good observer.

I catch what you are saying but superior fluids can extend OCI's - that said, just extending without knowledge - agree makes zero sense.

 

[burbguy82]

I catch what you are saying but superior fluids can extend OCI's - that said, just extending without knowledge - agree makes zero sense.

Oh, I agree, no question on that, superior fluid can and are used in "extended" intervals. But "lifetime", no. Let me clarify, "lifetime" in my understanding means "the life of the unit". Sure, if the unit dies at 100k, it sure lasted a lifetime.

In the example I gave, there was no change in fluids, which is why I brought up Dex6 in the ending years of the gmt600 & 800.

I have no doubt that 95% of vehicles out there can survive 100k without a filter change in the ATF, is is a good practice? Not in my opinion, or to your point, without knowledge.

 

[Zee09]

Here's another video with Lake in it. It's a bit irritating just in the beginning but this is interesting and a good watch for diesel owners and Euro car owners who baby their rides.
It does settle in eventually.

I liked it because it brought back the good days at gun and trade shows. I used to frequent them to sell my wares years ago and you would also get into great technical discussions.

 

[nascarnation]

Do you have the source for this data?
I'm just curious as to what was the basis for this info? such as what makes/model years these reports were based on.

I will agree that vehicle lifespan has increased, but we may be observing the decline of these averages based on thinner oils and extended OCI's.

Average US vehicle age hits record 12.6 years as high prices force people to keep them longer

Cars, trucks and SUVs in the U.S. keep getting older. A study published Wednesday says U.S. vehicles hit a record average age of 12.6 years in 2024 as people hang on to their rides largely because new ones cost so much.

apnews.com

Now show me the source which says the numbers are starting to decline, thanks.

 

[4WD]

Words are important. People are always anxious to expand their meaning, especially the American advertiser.

Some things will never change, service intervals, in my opinion should be one of them.

Maybe they mean lifetime of the transmission which will fail past 60k in part because the ATF was depleted

 

[burbguy82]

Maybe they mean lifetime of the transmission which will fail past 60k in part because the ATF was depleted

In my uneducated opinion, this sound right.

 

[4WD]

In my uneducated opinion, this sound right.

Hey, that would qualify as “lifetime fill”