this might be a noob question but im not really sure.. its been 3 months since i got my last oil change but i have only put like 900 miles on it should i still change the oil thanks? i have 40000 miles on it if that helps any

 

No need

 

i change mine every 3k miles

 

I go by the 3000 miles OR 3 months rule, whichever occurs first. That's because, like you, I accumulate miles slowly. In addition, mine are mostly city and at least half of those are spirited driving.

With the way the VQ tends to burn oil, I find sticking to frequent changes is a small cost for some added protection.

 

I'd be interested if anyone has facts to disagree, but the idea that the oil's protective qualities breaks down in as little as 3 months seems ridiculous. The oil itself is refined and packaged months prior to your usage.

Its most likely a sales tactic to get you back in to the shop or buying more oil on a faster frequency.

 

Every 3000.!!
My first was at 1200

 

fo shoo.

 

I agree. By the time 3000-4000 miles roll by, I'm about 1qt low. So might as well change it

 

Those who sell oil and oil filters or those who provide the service for changing oil and filter will tell you to change it every 3K miles. That shouldn't surprise anyone. My brother has a 997 turbo which stickered for over $140K and the oil change interval is 2 years or 20K miles whichever comes first. My brother intends to have the oil changed every year or every 10K miles whichever comes first. To change synthetic oil every 3K miles or 3 months is a complete waste of money.

 

bmw's tell you when you need to change the oil. you can get 10k easy. i dont knwo about our cars though. why take the chance. i change it every 3k, but haven't switched to synthetic yet.

 

BMWs also feature 8-10 qt capacities and use Mobil 1 as factory fill. Not a good comparison.

Although I agree most oils can go well over 3,000 miles, it's IMPOSSIBLE to really determine how long without getting the oil analyzed by Blackstone Labs or similar. And no, color won't cut it.

 

Not needed these days. Oils today are a lot better now. A lot of cars nowadays come with oil life monitors that monitor driving conditions. The owner manuals for these cars state that if the oil life monitor doesn't inform you to change it after 12 months, then to change it annually. I follow the 3000 miles or 12 month rule.

 

I'm in a similar situation to you with my other car......I let it go to 4 or 5 months since the miles are low, but be careful not to go too long....since acids build up in old oil and can cause engine damage.....

C.

 

For those of u that use synt, when did u start? Is 10k a good mark to switch from conventional to synth?

 

Some say to wait 5 or 10k miles to allow proper break-in, some do it right away.
I did mine first change (1500miles).
C.