It is often said that frequent oil changes make an engine last a lot longer ... and I tend to believe that. The engine might last for 300,000 miles instead of 150,000. But what if it doesn't need to last long?
Consider the following scenario as open-mindedly as possible and tell me what you think.
Someone buys a brand-new Yaris and does 5000 miles per year for ten years and then gets rid of it.
What is the minimum maintenance consistent with reasonable safety?
Well you'll probably want to change it annually as it'll have done loads of short trips & potentially accumulated no end of water & acid. You could do oil analysis to tell but the oil changs isn't expensive enough to warrant it. The servicings a fairly minimal part of your running costs.
There's more to servicing than engine oil changes - which have pretty well zero to do with safety. So here's a two part answer:-
As regards safety, the law seems to think an annual inspection for older cars in the form of an MOT is fine - so a once a year 'full' service where the brakes etc are checked should be OK.
For engine fluid servicing - oil, coolant etc, the maker usually gives an option - a mileage one for cars which do a average mileage and a time one for those which do considerably less. This used to be annually - but some are now every other year. Check with the maker.
However with a brand new car the maker will rightly insist it is serviced according to their requirements for the warranty to be valid.
do nothing, wait for it to break, put on a warning light or fail an MoT or crash. If it doesn't run out of oil then a yaris will probably do 10 years from new without failure of any kind.
If it was mine the min. I would do is yearly oil change and general inspection, plus brake fluid change as specified (probably 3 years)
A friend of mine used to change his cars every 3 years and do no servicing to them whatsoever. They never broke down for reasons associated with this casual attitude and he saved lots of dosh. Mind you, I wouldn't have wanted to be the new owner.
Rob Graham
Cambelt, fanbelt, antifreeze, checking all rubber bushes and gaitors for cracking and perishing with age, oil change every 12 or 18 months.
Low mileage cars actually go onto an abnormal service schedule because mechanical things don't like being stood.
If you intend to keep the car, chane the oil twice a year.
If you want to get rid of it after a couple of years ensure you have dealer service history according to their advice
Also watch out for some makers that talk of a 2 year service (some need a safety check which often has an oil change in it after 12 months)
I'd love to see some proof that this does any good. Plenty of evidence it's a waste of money, though. Especially with decent oils costing over 10 quid a litre.
If we are talking about normal annual mileage then the only car that it is needed for is a ka with a pushrod lump. Otherwise they will rattle after a couple of years regardless of oil quality.
Is there something about that engine which causes oil to deteriorate more quickly than others? Or is it that being an old design only requires a lower spec (and cost) oil? There's certainly a debate to be had about changing oil earlier using a cheaper one than these expensive long life types. But most who are fanatical about early oil changes also seem to use top spec oil...
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