OT-Length Of Time For First Oil Change in New Vehicle

F-350 · Feb 7, 2011

In Oct 2010 the wife got a new little SUV with a 4 cylinder
engine.Upon reading the owners manual there are no
recommended oil change intervals.Its up to the computer to tell you
when the time is right.

At 4000 miles its saying the oil still has 66% of its life left yet.That
just doesnt seem right to me.I cant believe that the first oil should
go 12,000 miles.I"m ready to get it changed.

What do all of you think?

Vito · Feb 7, 2011

Can't hurt to change it.

Vito

PeteTheRookie · Feb 7, 2011

I have lots of 4 banger experience. My 1st car in '79 was a '74 Celica. Driving a 2000 Camry 2sfe right now.

For me even with the fine tolerances of a modern engine, the 1st oil change is at 1k. New engines shed metal no matter how well they are designed/made. Then again at 3K.
Once you break it in, 3-5K on dino, 5-7 on synthetic.
I used to get my oil analyzed back when $$$ was freely flowing. Was amazed how well the 5/w20 in the Mazda 3i was at 5K. At 7K it was still OK as most of my driving was 98% hwy.
The analysis clearly showed when the break in was complete and after several test, I was able to settle on 5-6K intervals.

Pete

Gun guru · Feb 7, 2011

Change it now.
All new cars should be less then 3k miles. Then every 5k after that, then synthetic should be 10K or so. Those oil life monitors are neat but I still dont like a sensor reading the color of the oil and telling me when to change it.

Flurette Farm · Feb 7, 2011

Why don't you ask the dealer where you purchased it. Then you don't have warranty problems...

Sam#3 · Feb 7, 2011

I bought a new Mazda B2000 in 1983 with a service interval was 7.5k. Once out of warranty the interval was slipped to 8k-10k and drove hard. I sold the truck with 262k in 2006 with no oil consumption. I saw it, still running, just a month or back.
I just acquired a 2010 Ford Ranger, which also has a 7.5k interval. It is supposed to be my last vehicle... we'll see.

LenND · Feb 7, 2011

The book on my 2006 Buick says to change oil when computer says to. Under right conditions the book says could be one year. I change it around three or four thou. Don't trust puters that much.

Ray · Feb 7, 2011

3 thousand miles,maybe 20 years ago.I don't think there's any under 7500 anymore.That 3000 was made up to sell oil by the oil companies and quick lube places.The oil in my 2010 chevey gets changes around 9500 and still looks like new.

JBMac · Feb 7, 2011

I agree with an early 1st time change. In the old days, I guess the thought would be to get any manufaturing / break-in particles out. I'm pretty sure with today's factories there are no left-over metal shavings floating around in a new engine. I'll say this: I have followed the computer on my 2007 Duramax. If I'm towing alot, it tells you to change it more often, if it is all highway miles, I've seen it go 10-14k on an oil change. Almost 170k on it it's getting the best mileage ever. I know of people getting oil analysis to double check and the computer is accurate. It tracks fuel consumption, engine temperature, load (via transmission), etc. I'm sold, and it saves money.

John

MarkB_MI · Feb 7, 2011

My wife's Trailblazer routinely goes 14K between oil changes. I have a friend who's a GM Powertrain engineer, he says you want to be a bit conservative on oil changes if you do a lot of trailer towing, because the computer doesn't necessarily recognize when you're pulling a heavy load. But other than, he says follow the oil change indicator.

I run Mobil One exclusively in my newer vehicles. I figure if I only change the oil every 10-15K I can afford to use the good stuff.

Mike M · Feb 7, 2011

What model is it ?

Honda and Nissan recommend 1st change at like 3,500 and 3,750 to assure break in. Honda oil life shows 50% on my car and I change it then as it has around 5,000-6,000 miles on it. Moms CRV was really crazy. It showed better oil life at these miles. But it held more oil too. I would just hate to go out to 10,000 or more ! like it looks as the computer would say. I'm still old school thinking of 3000 miles. My truck gets it around this many and it seems to need it too.

BCnT · Feb 7, 2011

my Toyota Tacoma reccomended 7500 miles between changes...dealer said first change was free...i figured it had synthetic in it...just bulk 5w30 out of a drum...i switched to Castrol Syntec 10-w30 and been running 5000 miles between changes.
pulled valve cover last year for a look see and it still looks good n clean inside.

F-350 · Feb 7, 2011

Chevy Equinox LT-1 and its our first new vehicle in quite awhile...
Believe it or not the little thing wants to get up and run and its hard to keep it under 80 mph in level country.... It gets nearly 30 mpg on trips....So far I cant knock it.

barn E · Feb 7, 2011

First oil change is important. Think of all the garbage from machining. Mercedes used to change oil something like 20 times before engine left factory I was told. I would probably go 500 or 1000 for the first(save oil for tractor top off) Dave

Anonymous-0 · Feb 8, 2011

They printed owners and service schedules for a reason. Go by them and you can't go wrong as far as warrenty. whodathunk spark plugs would go 100k miles??? Change it when you want tho.

Dean · Feb 8, 2011

I always change the engine oil the first time in a new vehicle at about 1000 miles. Thereafter, it varies as per usage but I never let any go much over 3 months regardless of mileage. I have never gone less than about 60% of the computers calculation.

If I used synthetic oil, I would likely extend the intervals but not beyond the recommended service intervals.

Dean

John M · Feb 8, 2011

LAdy comes in to a VERY reputable Chevrolet dealer here. Says that her car jas recently started smoking, and thought "something was wrong". This car had around 70000 miles on it, and was suppose to be covered by GMs 100000 mile warranty. She had been going by the computer as to when to change the oil, and GM DENIED her warranty claim. After takin GM, not the dealer, to court, she won. I dont care what the manual says, Im changing my oil at least every 5000 miles.

Bill(Wis) · Feb 8, 2011

BMW has been doing the computer directed/recommended oil change thing for years. My son was told not to expect the oil service reminder to come on until after 15000 miles. It came on at 17000. He now has over 250000 miles on the car and has performed all oil changes whenever the computer said to do it, usually up around 15-18000. To satisfy warranty requirements, the oil must be on BMW's oil list (Mobil I is OK) and you must use the BMW oil filter. BMW will do this for free through the warranty period which is 60000 miles. My new Tundra recommends oil and filter changes at 5000 miles using conventional oil and 10000 using synthetic oil although those intervals are cut in half when in "severe service" Toyota performs this free of charge for the first 25000. US Army determined many years ago that they were changing engine oil far too frequently. Although they now use spectrum analysis to determine engine oil change intervals.

gene bender · Feb 8, 2011

What do i think. First i would go to the dealer rather than ask advise from people i have never seen or dont know.

buickanddeere · Feb 8, 2011

1st oil and filter change should be as soon as the vehicle gets home. Gets the dirt and chips from machining and assembly out of the crankcase.
Replace with what ever the oil factory used.

buickanddeere · Feb 8, 2011

If shorter change intervals is better. Change the oil every 500 miles. The engine should last forever.

Detmurds · Feb 8, 2011

If always paying someone to change the oil for them, 3K is not a bad time to change since many of these places do a quick vehicle check from bumper to bumper (other fluids, air pressure, signals, lights, differential, and air filter). Most people who pay someone to change the oil do little more than put gas in it, wash it, and rarely ever opening the hood! At the same time I would say it is important to stay in keeping with what will not void your vehicle's warranty.

730d se · Feb 8, 2011

It is a new car, the dealer should see it for the first few times, just in case there are recalls, updates, etc.
Next, the oil change people came up with the 3,000 mile thing to increase their cycles and profits. (imagine that)
Seldom should we trust the fox to tell us how to protect our chickens, but dang if we don't do that a lot.
Oil changes depend on some factors, the type of engine (gas, diesel), the driving patterns, environment, etc.
For instance, if you drive short distances, the engine does not get to operating temp to evaporate moisture. You need more frequent changes. If you drive long distances and do not pull loads or drive at high speeds, you can go 5,000 or a little more between changes and still be fine.
Use a good grade of oil and filter.

Jason the Red · Feb 8, 2011

Reading the owner's manual should be step one.

Computer automated oil change lights are also typically generated according to RPMs, not mileage. The more RPMs you turn, theoretically, the harder the engine is being worked, so in turn the oil is changed more frequently.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 8, 2011

Friend had a similar problem with a newer, expensive Cadillac. Engine problem light came on but it continued to run OK. Took it to the dealer and the timing chain/belt had too much wear and which caused timing errors and the light. He always changed the oil at 80% but dealer said dirty oil was the cause and he had seen it before. Obviously GM needs to reset the sensors.

F-350 · Feb 8, 2011

The dealer says to go by the computer. In other new vehicles that weve had I always changed the 1st oil at 1000 miles.

OT-Length Of Time For First Oil Change in New Vehicle

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