[cneary812]

I get a publication every week from one of my training sites that lists all the updates for the EPA across the country and this was in this weeks:

The California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) launched 3000milemyth.org, to educate Californians about the need to change their cars' oil based on manufacturers' guidelines. By reducing the amount of used oil generated, motorists can do their part to help keep California green.

“Used motor oil poses a great risk to the environment. With better made cars and the rise of synthetic oils, the 3,000-mile standard is not always recommended,” CIWMB Chair Margo Reid Brown said.

Research shows that the question of when to change a car's engine oil continues to be a consumer mystery. A recent study by the CIWMB found that 73% of California drivers change their oil more frequently than their manufacturer recommends, thereby generating more used oil waste.
According to 2005 data from the CIWMB, it is estimated that California generates approximately 153.5 million gallons of waste oil each year; however, only 91 million gallons (or 59%) of that waste oil is recycled.

Today’s automakers often recommend driving longer distances between oil changes with no harm to the car’s engine. This year, Ford Motor Company announced a recommendation that motorists change the oil every 7,500 miles for 2007 or newer vehicles. In addition, newer cars even have a sensor to alert drivers when to change the oil. Drivers are encouraged to check their vehicle owner’s manual for oil change guidelines. Recommendations vary based on vehicle model, make, year, and normal versus severe driving conditions.

The CIWMB is the state's leading authority on recycling and waste reduction. It promotes reducing waste whenever possible, managing all materials to their highest and best use, and protecting public health and safety and the environment.
The board is one of six boards, departments, and offices within the California Environmental Protection Agency.

 

[BigA]

A lot of manufacturers say 7500 miles in ideal conditions, meaning you don't tow, don't do a lot of stop and go driving or live in a hot or cold climate. If you do any of these things your suppose to follow the severe duty schedule and change every three thousand miles. I change mine every 3k because I do a ton of stop and go driving and I drive the truck pretty hard and oil changes are pretty cheap.

 

[mika777]

I believe that to be true for the most part.I usually go around 5,000 or so, give or take a couple of hundred.Don't know if that would be a good idea in extreme conditions like offroading thou.

 

[cneary812]

A lot of manufacturers say 7500 miles in ideal conditions, meaning you don't tow, don't do a lot of stop and go driving or live in a hot or cold climate. If you do any of these things your suppose to follow the severe duty schedule and change every three thousand miles. I change mine every 3k because I do a ton of stop and go driving and I drive the truck pretty hard and oil changes are pretty cheap.

yes I realize this but I think they are relooking at this thinking.

 

[rod_b]

I usually go 5K also but on sythetic. Should I go longer then?

 

[cneary812]

I usually go 5K also but on sythetic. Should I go longer then?

your call... I went 5k in my maxima with mobil 1 I do the 3750 in my titan with castrol blend. But if California is seriously looking at this then the rest of the country will shortly follow...

sorry jiffy lube :domohit:

 

[Yellomantis]

Back when I had my turbo cars, oil changes were recommended for 2500 miles, are they going to change that too? Turbo's run hella hot and break down the oil crazy fast!

 

[cneary812]

Back when I had my turbo cars, oil changes were recommended for 2500 miles, are they going to change that too? Turbo's run hella hot and break down the oil crazy fast!

once again who knows what they do... what you all do is up to you.

 

[master_1011]

Back when I had my turbo cars, oil changes were recommended for 2500 miles, are they going to change that too? Turbo's run hella hot and break down the oil crazy fast!

My current recommendation for the SRT is 7500 miles. I usually go every 5000 or so.

 

[Yahooligan]

Last oil change I switched to Elf synthetic, my dealer guarantees it's good for 6,000 mile oil change intervals. Probably much longer in my case, but I'll go with 6,000 none the less. As long as it's under warranty I'm going to do what I'm told.

 

[joeinstl]

How many Titan owner's have had engine failure due to stretching out their oil change interval past 3,000 miles? I think the answer is not many. Let's face it guys, the engine is the strong link in our trucks. The rear end or tranny will go before the engine. I use synthetic and change it every 5,000, (now that I'm over 20K miles and pass the break in period). I don't tow or off road.

That being said, I can also totally understand the people who change at 3000 miles, it's worth it to them for peace of mind.

 

[Yellomantis]

My current recommendation for the SRT is 7500 miles. I usually go every 5000 or so.

You gotta see who recommended it, Dodge engineers.....J/K

I would never go that long between oil changes on a turbo app. That's just crazy talk!

Last oil change I switched to Elf synthetic, my dealer guarantees it's good for 6,000 mile oil change intervals. Probably much longer in my case, but I'll go with 6,000 none the less. As long as it's under warranty I'm going to do what I'm told.

But what happens when you are out of warranty? The damage has occurred already. I'm not saying in your specific case, just in general, for those of the general public that do not use synthetic and go 5000+ miles between oil changes....

Back when I had my 99 Solara, I would go up to 10,000 miles on oil changes using Mobil1. But those miles were 100% cruzing highway miles. I traded it in with 100,000 miles on the clicker, and all I ever did was change the oil and routine maintenance. Never had to replace a clutch or brakes.

 

[Yahooligan]

But what happens when you are out of warranty? The damage has occurred already. I'm not saying in your specific case, just in general, for those of the general public that do not use synthetic and go 5000+ miles between oil changes....

Outside of warranty I'll probably still go 6000-7500 miles on synthetic, all depends on my driving routine. Right now I drive into the office (35 miles) once a week, the rest of the time it's a 3-4 mile trip to the store every 2-3 days and then parked in the garage the rest of the time. I've put 18,000 miles on my truck in 14 months and that includes a trip to northern CA plus two trips to AZ.

 

[cneary812]

Outside of warranty I'll probably still go 6000-7500 miles on synthetic, all depends on my driving routine. Right now I drive into the office (35 miles) once a week, the rest of the time it's a 3-4 mile trip to the store every 2-3 days and then parked in the garage the rest of the time. I've put 18,000 miles on my truck in 14 months and that includes a trip to northern CA plus two trips to AZ.

I agree with you I seriously doubt you are hurting anything... well maybe you are just hurting the profits of the oil manufacturer a little.

 

[Juday]

Well, I go about 20,000 miles between oil changes (35,000 Normal Service and 17,500 Severe Service) with AMSOIL Signature Series 0W-30 and EaO13 oil filter. So, I don't think I'll have to worry about this.

 

[Bullwinkle]

But what happens when you are out of warranty? The damage has occurred already. I'm not saying in your specific case, just in general, for those of the general public that do not use synthetic and go 5000+ miles between oil changes....

Back when I had my 99 Solara, I would go up to 10,000 miles on oil changes using Mobil1. But those miles were 100% cruzing highway miles. I traded it in with 100,000 miles on the clicker, and all I ever did was change the oil and routine maintenance. Never had to replace a clutch or brakes.

100k miles is nothing these days.

I have an Uncle who put over 350k miles on 3 different trucks (mostly highway miles), and they were still running decent when they were sold. He had the oil changed about every 7k miles with your basic 10w-30 petroleum.

One of our foremen had a Ford Ranger with over 500k on it. Same oil change schedule, same type of oil used.

My theory is that 45% of a vehicles longevity comes from good maintenance habits, 45% comes from how it's driven, and 10% is just luck.

 

[kman]

I believe Porsche and BMW recomended interval is like about 15K, and some of them run 20w50 almost gear oil. So 7500 to me is still conservative. In the Titan i run 6K using M1.

 

[07cajuntitan]

I believe Porsche and BMW recomended interval is like about 15K, and some of them run 20w50 almost gear oil. So 7500 to me is still conservative. In the Titan i run 6K using M1.

My wife's company car a few years back was 4 cyl. turbo Saab. Very nice little car with plenty of spunk. The mfg. also recommended 15,000 oci with M1 5W-30. Since it was a company car they had a paid-for maintenance schedule so we followed it. She got a new car at 60K and the Saab wasn't burninig a drop of oil when it went bye-bye.

 

[kman]

My wife's company car a few years back was 4 cyl. turbo Saab. Very nice little car with plenty of spunk. The mfg. also recommended 15,000 oci with M1 5W-30. Since it was a company car they had a paid-for maintenance schedule so we followed it. She got a new car at 60K and the Saab wasn't burninig a drop of oil when it went bye-bye.

yep, i think we'll all be fine with our 5-6-7K interval oil changes. Use good oil, and change the filters regularly and we all be happy!

 

[tholmes]

Too many idiots out there don't know how to do basic vehicle maintenance. Wife's 02 Altima has 100k and we do the oil every 4k-5k, runs perfect. I do every 12k-15k in the Titan with Mobil1, and she runs like a bat out of hell.