Amsoil
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Vienna, Georgia
Originally Posted by DTS419
I run the regular Mobil 1 Full Synthetic. On the bottle, it says recommended for the change interval specified by the manufacture, and that is 3,000 miles. I don't trust the extended intervals. You can put all the hi-tech $10/quart oil in your engine you want, but you can't convince me that there is a filter on the market that can keep cleaning your oil for that long. From what I gather, all these expensive oil filters do is allow dirty oil to bypass the element once it gets clogged.
Another way of looking at the 3,000 mile interval is this... The argument has been made that because oil technology has come a long way since the old days when 3,000 mile intervals were specified to set the example. So look at it this way: If the oil is better and you still change it 3,000 miles, then you're getting even better protection.
Another way of looking at the 3,000 mile interval is this... The argument has been made that because oil technology has come a long way since the old days when 3,000 mile intervals were specified to set the example. So look at it this way: If the oil is better and you still change it 3,000 miles, then you're getting even better protection.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 198
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From: Arizona
Personally I change mine every 3-5k. But then again I use dino oil.
I know if I did use synthetic I could probably go longer- but if you change the oil often enough I am not convinced synthetics are much 'better' for your engine (unless you are REALLY pushing it routinely, in which case something else such as your tranny will probably die first anyway, or if the engine was designed for it to begin with-- which ours aren't). So for me dino oil is the way to go.
Also on the subject of extended oil changes, it is not just a question of the oil being "clean" it is also a question of the additives (detergents, anti-foaming agents, etc) being depleted. Even if the synthetic base oil doesn't break down like dino oil does, the additives wear out either way so I like to change it pretty often anyway, no matter what oil I used.
I know I'm probably overdoing it, but (dino) oil is relatively cheap-- if I do it myself I can do it for under $20, if I have someone do it it's about $30. Even at 3k and $30 for a change, it works out to 1 penny per mile...I can handle that!
Plus 3-5 months is about the limit of my memory!
EDITS:
as to what they do in Europe, how often do you see "classic" cars there as compared to here? 'nuff said.
and as to the practices of current car manufacturers, the wife's car is an 05 Saturn Ion. It has the oil life monitor and we have the CarCare program where all maintenance is covered. Oil change monitor has yet to come on in that car, but Saturn has changed it every 3k. Considering that paid the maintenance costs up front, if GM wanted to go by the oil life monitor they'd make me wait till it lit up before they'd change it-- but they don't. In fact the dealershp called just the other day because it had been 4 months since last oil change, they wanted to remind me it was due.
I know if I did use synthetic I could probably go longer- but if you change the oil often enough I am not convinced synthetics are much 'better' for your engine (unless you are REALLY pushing it routinely, in which case something else such as your tranny will probably die first anyway, or if the engine was designed for it to begin with-- which ours aren't). So for me dino oil is the way to go.
Also on the subject of extended oil changes, it is not just a question of the oil being "clean" it is also a question of the additives (detergents, anti-foaming agents, etc) being depleted. Even if the synthetic base oil doesn't break down like dino oil does, the additives wear out either way so I like to change it pretty often anyway, no matter what oil I used.
I know I'm probably overdoing it, but (dino) oil is relatively cheap-- if I do it myself I can do it for under $20, if I have someone do it it's about $30. Even at 3k and $30 for a change, it works out to 1 penny per mile...I can handle that!
Plus 3-5 months is about the limit of my memory!
EDITS:
as to what they do in Europe, how often do you see "classic" cars there as compared to here? 'nuff said.
and as to the practices of current car manufacturers, the wife's car is an 05 Saturn Ion. It has the oil life monitor and we have the CarCare program where all maintenance is covered. Oil change monitor has yet to come on in that car, but Saturn has changed it every 3k. Considering that paid the maintenance costs up front, if GM wanted to go by the oil life monitor they'd make me wait till it lit up before they'd change it-- but they don't. In fact the dealershp called just the other day because it had been 4 months since last oil change, they wanted to remind me it was due.
Last edited by Clifford f150; Apr 1, 2006 at 12:39 PM.
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,490
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From: Topeka Kansas
Originally Posted by Clifford f150
Personally I change mine every 3-5k. But then again I use dino oil.
I know if I did use synthetic I could probably go longer- but if you change the oil often enough I am not convinced synthetics are much 'better' for your engine (unless you are REALLY pushing it routinely, in which case something else such as your tranny will probably die first anyway, or if the engine was designed for it to begin with-- which ours aren't). So for me dino oil is the way to go.
Also on the subject of extended oil changes, it is not just a question of the oil being "clean" it is also a question of the additives (detergents, anti-foaming agents, etc) being depleted. Even if the synthetic base oil doesn't break down like dino oil does, the additives wear out either way so I like to change it pretty often anyway, no matter what oil I used.
I know if I did use synthetic I could probably go longer- but if you change the oil often enough I am not convinced synthetics are much 'better' for your engine (unless you are REALLY pushing it routinely, in which case something else such as your tranny will probably die first anyway, or if the engine was designed for it to begin with-- which ours aren't). So for me dino oil is the way to go.
Also on the subject of extended oil changes, it is not just a question of the oil being "clean" it is also a question of the additives (detergents, anti-foaming agents, etc) being depleted. Even if the synthetic base oil doesn't break down like dino oil does, the additives wear out either way so I like to change it pretty often anyway, no matter what oil I used.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,835
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From: Vienna, Georgia
Originally Posted by temp1
I don't reach that 25,000 miles a year but I change it ONCE a year anyway because even though the oil does not break down, the acids from engine combustion are in the oil so I change it once a year to get that nasty stuff out of the oil. Amsoil recommends whichever comes first, mileage or time. For the oil I use its 25,000 miles or ONE year.
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,490
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From: Topeka Kansas
Originally Posted by chester8420
So you're saying that you've changed your oil twice?
My wife however went 30,000 miles on the Ford Escort with the Amsoil before I changed it. I have no idea how she put that many miles on the car in a year.
I just checked the Honda Civic we bought. She has driven it 6000 miles in 3 months. It still has 20% oil life left so I guess Honda runs their oil to 7,500 before a change. At that rate she will put 24,000 on it in a year unless she takes a trip to LasVega or some other places this year.
Last edited by temp1; Apr 1, 2006 at 11:25 PM.