Quote:
Originally Posted by 90503
The problem I see with this very long "recommended" miles and intervals is the marketing aspect. I think its worse with these, than with the 3K recommendation.
Take a close look at the first post, which defines "severe". Once a week in stop and go? Idleing? Short trips? Over 90 degrees outside? This is considered "severe"? I don't know about you guys, but a lot of it sounds pretty "normal" to me. If not experiencing any of these "severe" conditions is nescessary for the oil to get its maximum "life", sounds like pie-in-the sky to me.
I think the 3K guys still have it right.
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You left a couple key words out there. Extensive idling. Repeated short trips. There were others in the original post. But are the difference between 'regular use' and 'severe use'. Also, I think you misunderstood what was meant by "If you do drive in any one of these conditions in a typical week, you are driving in severe conditions" They don't mean if you do it once, you are now abusing your engine. They mean that if any of those scenarios represent typical usage for you, then you should change your oil more often.
Letting your car idle for up to a couple minutes at a time is no big problem. But letting it idle for a long time (such as being stuck in traffic for 45 minutes to and from work 5 days a week, or use your car as an on-call taxi) leads to problems.
And with short trips, its not a problem if you do it every now and again. But when the car is only used as a grocery getter, rarely or never getting the chance to properly warm up, don't expect the oil to last as long.
Or with a truck, if you just drive it to and from work -unladen, its fine. But if that commute involves keeping all the tools of your trade in the bed, possibly towing a generator or other work equipment behind it ... you probably should change your oil more often.