Oil Question

It tells you what oil type is best for your car in the manual. If you have misplaced this, then at this early stage in the car's life, it would be advisable to get another.

Huw

RTFM

Yes I'd recommend a Toyota

-- Malc He seems to have a technology determinant view without realizing that the real digital book is the traditional book.

message

Not quite what I meant :-) Both cars are great and they should come with a book of words containing all important recommendations for care and routine maintenance to maximise safety and longevity with optimum performance. There will be no better advice.

Huw

As others have said, the manual is a good idea. However, is the car still under warranty? If you, you're probably going to have to take it to a Toyota dealer to keep it valid.

Tom.

One of us is very confused :-)

recommend

Actually not. Toyota and Nissan warranties for all three years are factory products not insurance types and as long as maintenance is performed as recommended by a recognised VAT registered garage which stamps the book and uses genuine parts then the warranty will be honoured. One of the many advantages of buying from these two manufacturers. You can take your own oil to a main dealer to be used in your car as long as it meets the specification as laid down by the manufacturer. Brand of oil is not important, the specification is.

Huw

Interesting! I've not come across this level of common sense before. Mind you, all my cars have been old enough that I don't bother with main dealers and go to my trusted independent place anyway.

Tom.

"Tom Saul" wrote >

'Common Sense' are my two middle names :-)

Huw

Read your handbook - there is a chart at the back.

Go for a premium oil that matches the spec - not just the grades, but look carefully at the enginners rating and compare this with what is printed on the information which is probably on the back of the carton of oil - mine for example is ACEA A3/B3 and gives several options on the viscocity e.g. SAE 0w30 etc.

So for my car (Astra) GTX Magnatec 10w40 fits the bill, and on these oils the ACEA specification is printed on the white label on the back of the carton. - as oddly enough does ordinary GTX 15 -50 (or one of them amyway)

If you don't have the handbook - get one from the dealer.!

According to my handbook the ACEA rating indicates the quality of the oil, and the SAE rating is the viscocity - 10w-40 behaves like an oil with a viscicity of 10 when cold, and 40 when hot. If you don't know what viscoscity means, that doesn't really matter as long as the numbers match up!

clean oil 2 a year as a minimum if you want long life and low oil consumption - servicing "requirements" -up to every 2 years or 20,000 miles is based on pence per mile over 60k miles /3years not what's best for the car

I was not aware that Nissan had such a schedule. As far as I know the engine and support systems on Nissan cars do not lend themselves to anything like a 2 year 20k service interval. I am also fairly sure that Nissan do not specify twice yearly oil changes either unless the mileage limit is exceeded. Neither am I aware of any premature engine wear problems on Nissan engines driven sensibly and serviced as per book and using an approved oil specification.

Huw

Could be worse. Allegedly there's someone who was named 'Depressed Cupboard Cheesecake'. I don't care if it's an urban myth or just utter skcollob it's still funny. :-)

Tom.

I'd like to see your evidence that more frequent oil changes will prolong an engine's life - most outlive the car anyway these days unless a cam belt or head gasket fails, and these aren't really oil related.

Interesting point, have any of the manufacturers actually published research ?

I did read recently that bmw dealers in Australia were experiencing higher than average engine failures since the introduction of extended oil change intervals.

Personally I suspect the manufacturer specified intervals may well be determined by economics as well as considerations about engine life. I also suspect that the extended oil intervals work in "ideal" conditions. In fact, for my car, the manufacturer does make some mealy mouthed statement to this effect.

On a related note, why is it that my bike engine ( 4 cyl 600cc 85 bhp ) specifies such short intevals on fully synthetic oil ( 3000 miles ) ?

Steve

In message , sro writes

It revs a lot higher.

I read several international BMW groups, and this hasn't been reported. Trouble with some M3 engines, and of course the Nikasil issue, but nothing down to their longer service intervals. But several of our US cousins who are paranoid about changing oil every weekend have had the oil tested at change time (roughly 15,000 miles) and found it to be in perfect condition.

Think they all say you must do an annual oil change regardless of miles, and BMW's computer shortens the interval on a hard driven car, or one used for short journeys, etc. Think they also mention use in very dusty countries.

I'd say it depends on how stressed the oil is in use, and that it has a smaller amount (relatively) in circulation. But I'm only guessing.

what's best

intervals.

Certainly not a problem if the correct quality parts are used. Inferior oil is not designed for 15000 miles or more.

That may be because your car has ordinary service intervals not the 'intelligent' system of monitoring driving and oil condition used on BMW, Mercedes and some GM cars, which alters the change intervals dynamically.

For all I know it might not have a fine oil filter or it might also only hold a thimble full of oil. The main reason, if it is a sport bike, is that it may have a very high piston speed which shears oil disproportionately. This is distinct from high revs, which is not a problem in itself.

Huw