Ok my mom has a 99 cougar that dad bought her mother's day of 99. The car has never been on a wet road in its life. she drives it once a week 8 miles. The car has 7,200 miles on it. I keep telling her to change the oil atleast once a year but being hard headed she goes by the mileage. so basically the car has had 2 oil changes in 12 years. Is this bad for the car or does it matter? i looked at all of her oil changes and it has MC 5w20 in it since the factory.

 

ok mom needs to get out more often than the weekly round trip to church lol. other than that im not too sure about the age deal king. with only driving the 8 miles my best answer that i can give you is that the engine is not running long enough to build up enough heat to burn off any initial contaminates and water condensation in the oil which does accelerate the degredation of it.

 

I just go by mileage. I didnt even change the oil in my Mustang last year.

 

I have a Ford product of limited production. The model is not important. The current oil that is in it is 6 years old and is Chevron Supreme 5w-30. Once a year I pull the oil out and check it by running spectroscopy and particle count. It goes back in the car. It does not have any sludge or varnish in the engine that I can see with a valve cover off. The key to my oil not having any issues is when I drive it, I will put something like 50 miles on it. My annual mileage on the car is less than 400 miles. Because of the short trips your car is seeing, the oil needs to be changed at least once a year to unload the moisture in it. OR, maybe YOU need to take the car for a run every other month to cook the moisture and contaminates out of it. Otherwise mom is going to sludge the engine because of the ethanol in the gas brings moisture to the combustion chamber. The moisture is not generally an issue on an engine that is run at temp for 20 minutes. Hers is not seeing that in 8 miles.

 

I have two vehicles that get driven less than 500 miles per year. However, the trips I do take with them are generally in the 25-50 mile range, so the engine gets hot enough to "cook out" any moisture in the oil. I change the oil in these vehicles once a year whether it needs it or not, and would suggest the same regimen with your mom's Mercury.....

 

With that kind of mileage and short trips, I would definitely change the oil at least annually. Contaminants such as moisture never get burned off and will eventually (if not already) cause damage to bearings and other parts. Also just before changing I would definitely take it on the road and drive for 50 miles or so, to make sure all the crude is going to be drained out with the oil and there is no moisture remaining.

 

I'd change it at least once a year, why not, not like it's expensive and hard to do. I'd be more concerned with old gas, carbon buildup in the intake, etc. The car doesn't even get hot enough to burn anything off. I hate eplaining what NEEDS to be done on a car to women, long weird explanations and scenarios is what I get in return (long story).

 

I would proably add that the battery could do with a good charge, lots of short trips will take its toll on the battery after all the battery has the biggest load when the car is started. If it never goes on a decent journey its not going to get a good charge put back into it. A simple solution would be for u to use the car for a decent journey from time to time & perhaps get the oil changed as a 'thank u" for using the car.

 

Your right on the battery, the original motorcraft lasted 10 years then we put a everstart walmart battery in 2009 and it went dead just a month or two. Took it to another place and got the best exide battery we could get for it. The guy told her to take it to him about every 6 months and he will put the charger on it and maybe that away it will last 3 or 4 years.

As far as me using the car, thats not going to happen. She wont let anyone in it or drive it. My dad hasnt even seen it in 10 years . When she does get the oil changed she stands next to the guys for the whole oil change and makes sure they dont put any finger prints on the paint and puts a paper floor mat and plastic seat cover on it .

 

Sounds like you need to set your mom up with some of the guys who hang out in the "Detailing" section of this forum......

 

Its a '99 Cougar. Why the hell doesnt she just drive the damn thing?

 

She has a 93 explorer that she drives. Bet you wont find another 99 cougar in this great of shape and miles

 

Probably not, but I don't see any of those era Cougars on the road period...

The car must have some serious sentimental value to your mom? I'd be concerned about the coolant as well..... If it's got any 'iron' in the block, it's gotta be all rust by now...

Mitch

 

you should sell me the car, i need a nice DD


oh and its "driven" not "drove"