Ok, I just got into it with a friend of mine. She says if the manual says get an oil change once a yr or every 10k then DONT do it sooner unless HARD, DIRTY city driving. Im just wondering, what does everyone think.

 

oh man...

 

Not sure what it says exactly, but you'll never hurt anything by changing it sooner......

 

Not again ... if you do a search, you will find many, many answers to this question but the short answer is ...

Some ppl follow the book
Some ppl get it changed early

Its your call and your money

 

HOW do you NOT drive a Mini hard?

Every 3000 for me, based on real experience.

 

No doubt! If you don't drive it hard, it don't even go!

 

If your using the synthetic oil, like Mobil 1, your throwing your money away. Do a search and you will find someone who sent their oil here ... http://youroil.net/ and it was perfectly fine.

The days of 3K oil changes are long gone.

Of course, your free to spend whatever but I really wouldn't believe Jiffy Lube Marketing or any of that old hype.

 

The manual specifies to change it PER THE SERVICE INDICATOR or EVERY 2 YEARS, whichever comes first. Just as long as you don't exceed these intervals, you are fine.

 

Actually every year ... MINI will give you a free oil change if you haven't hit the 10000 mile mark before a year. I know because I had it done. Check the maintenaince manual, not the user manual.

 

I don't use synthetic, and why would you assume I would get my advice from an oil change service?

I drive hard. Very hard. I campaigned my MGB for several years in autocross, using Castrol 20/50, changing it every 3000. At a little over 100,000 miles, I rebuilt the engine, and found I did not have to do any machine work at all. Just seals, gaskets, bearings and rings. The crank, camshaft, pins, etc were in pristine condition.

You want to use synthetic, fine. Nothing wrong with it. But for competition drivers, the days of the 3000 mile oil change are very much still here. It's cheaper then a new engine, and believe me, that's not throwing money away.

 

Yes, the free oil changes are 1 year or per the indicator (which ever comes first). Why would two manuals specify two different times?

 

I wasn't. that was generic. If the manual says to use synthetic, I dont understand why you would not since its supposed to give better protection? That has to void the warranty

 

Where's that pop-corn icon when you need it? This is going to be good... Of course, it's also incredibly repetitive, as *all* these arguments have been thrashed about so many times you'd think we'd all just give up and pour another one!
Still, I like what Gromit says: because of one observation with a MGB, we can all subscribe to a general law concerning the ability of frequent changes in non-synthetic oil to preserve the engine for 100,000 miles.
And since when was changing the oil a large or onerous expense, compared to putting gas in a car and insuring it? My car costs me approximately $250 per month just to drive to work, in a state where auto insurance is mandatory, 91 octane gas is $3.30 a gallon and a parking space is $600 a year. Geez, thankfully oil and filters are really cheap in comparison.

Perspective, it in I keep. (Yoda quote)

 

Looking for this?

The fact is that more and more cars are going to longer and longer oil changes because of synthetics. If you want a shock, look at the recommended oil changes for 2006 P cars. 20K miles. I would have to believe Porsche knows what they are doing.

If you want to buy non-synthetic, I would imagine it voids the warranty. However, the simple answer is to just send an oil sample away for analysis and see what the report says. An objective answer is far better than a lot of opinions.

 

I change Wanda's every 5,000-7,500 miles, and have since she was born.

 

like I said..."oh man....."

 

What's it matter? Costs like $35 for the synthetic Oil and Filter......not much to cry over since you only change it 2-3 times a year even if you don't obey by the 10K rule.

 

I go per the service indicator, oil companies get enough of my money. 20K for P cars, I wish that was us...although I hear the next gen MINIs will also be 20K intervals....don't quote me on that tho

 

Sorry I shouldve searched first,, and THANX. Will search first next time.

 

http://www.porsche.com/international...anceintervals/

Cool little read.

 

And another...

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/..._in_a_BMW.aspx

 

Being a cooper owner, I cant agree more