Stop the old oil change arguments...here's the scoop

Mar 28, 2007 Last reply: 19 years ago 17 Replies
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I am the world's top authority on oil changes. Call me Mr. Motor Oil.



Here's the bottom line on oil changes: The 3,000 mile interval is a myth that the oil companies and oil change places have perpetuated.



It certainly wouldn't HURT to change your oil every 100 miles, but even the most thick-headed can see that this would be overkill.



I change my oil and filter in my Japanese car every 4,000 miles and always have---and this is lots of city driving, and it is STILL overkill. The car has over 180,000 miles on it, has never required anything more than basic maintenance (no engine work) and is still going like new. I've always used Castrol GTX dino, but many quality brands will do.



In my BMW, I change my oil about every 8,500 miles (if I followed the "computer" it would be more like every 12,000 miles or so), and use Mobile 1 Synthetic, which is overkill, but I do it anyway. I just enjoy changing my oil I guess. But, you hard heads, do the environment a favor and stop the unecessary oil changing.


I can, but it sounds like more trouble than it's worth, if it's the factory VW setup... the girlie has a Corrado G60 and I won't try to defend that fragile, finicky POS. I think the whole car was a beta- test for VW; it was never ready for prime time.

Now a 1.8T swap into a roccet - especially a pre-'82 version - that would make my ears wiggle. I met a guy with an old Callaway turbo roccet (I think his was an '82 or '83) and immediately had car envy.

nate

One thing I have to admit VW did right...same motor mount points for all engines. Talk about handing the keys to the candy store to the kids!!! Woooo Hoooo! At least around here, 90% of the people that make a swap also mod the suspension, too.

The Corrado was also a sweet car, but I like your analogy to a Beta-Test. It really could have been something. I live in New England, and I see a LOT of rotten ones. Seems they rusted before their time; unusual for a German car! Usually the steel is so thick and of such a high quality that with regular washings and waxings, the bodies last a LONG time!

Electro-galvanised steel is the key to non-rusting cars.

It's *that* simple.

Graham

Sure, but the paint falls off. And, if you get ONE scratch on it, it rusts.

The REAL solution is stainless steel. Harder to stamp and you can't do deep body curves, but it worked for DeLorean.

--scott

Hmmm....ever seen a painted DeLorean? I saw a red one once...

$10,000 for the paint and prep work to cover the stainless!

I knew a guy that had the Cosworth Twin Cam model. Nice car!

But overall they were pretty bad. Detroit hadn't gotten the hang of an all-aluminum engine, so they started smoking after the second oil change (or so it seemed!).

It's too bad...it was a cool car and could have been an Import Killer if it had been done right.

Ahem... GENERAL MOTORS screwed up. Not "Detroit." The whole "American cars suck" myth comes from the fact that everybody equates GM crap with all American cars.

No, GM, Ford, and Chrysler have all INDEPENDENTLY proven themselves to be the producers of crap.

They've also INDEPENDENTLY proven themselves in complete contempt of their customers.

It's taken 25 years, but they're paying the price for that.

I hope the executives of the last 25 years think their yearly bonuses were worth it, seeing that the fruits of their "labors" have destroyed the largest part of American industry.

people that go by the color of the oil and say their oil looks good after 5000 miles . looks clear so they think that the oil is good for a while longer. the only thing that means is the oil is not cleaning the engine like it should. just like if you are washing your dirty hands and the water and soap look clear . but your hands are still dirty. the soap and water are not doing their job. would much rather see oil that is a little dark after 5000 miles. that means the oil is doing its job. of course oil also has to lubricate

Can't prove that by me. I switched from buying Toyota/Lexus back in 1999 because if a bad dealer. Every one of the domestics I have owned since then have been just as good or better than any of the Toyota/Lexus I ever owned. The only real difference is the Toyota/Lexus costs me a lot more to buy and maintain.

mike

No one believes you. Give it up.

What do you know about new cars, your only buy used cars? I could not care less what your chose to believe, or where you chose to spend your money. What I do know is I have not had a bad car, foreign or domestic, and I've learned I do not need to spend an extra 20% or 30% to buy a Toyota or Lexus to get a good reliable vehicle ;)

mike

As history has revealed, you lack the adequate information before you respond. Although true that I've purchased many used cars. I have bought plenty of brand new cars. Most recently they include my wife's RX330, my GS430, a Sienna, and most recently a Celica.

I assisted friends in buying the ES330, Infiniti G35, a 4Runner, and a Camry.

Be careful when you remove your foot from your mouth.

Why then do you make blanket statements that domestic manufacturers are not making good vehicle today if you have not owned one? I have not owned a foreign or domestic car that was not trouble free. What I do know is the domestics I currently buy cost me a lot less to buy and maintain than Toyotas and Lexus' I formerly owned, but I don't condemn those the chose to buy them .

mike

It is you who always make mendacious blanket statements in this newsgroup the people here find to be rebarbative. Find something I posted giving a generic statement about domestic cars that can't be backed up by research from independent companies.

As far as my information on domestic cars, I get them from their owners. I'm a former racer and lifelong car enthusiast. I go to car shows, car meets, and drag strips where people bring their modified cars to see what they can do. In my own neighborhood, there are Z06's, new Mustangs, Porsches, Aston Martins, AMGs, ad naseum. We continually compare information and drive each others' cars. What better way to find out about cars that from their own owners and examining the vehicles myself? As far as not owning one myself, that's where you're wrong again.

What do your loafers taste like?

I have. They were Toyotas and Hondas.

More misinformation from you as usual. All we have to do is compare prices of your Mustang parts from the dealer versus dealer parts for my 97 Supra. We can even compare maintenance parts for my GS430 compared to the Mustang's. This is something I've already compared first hand. The lady that cuts my hair has one and we talk about it all the time. She has undoubtedly more probity than you do.

Ok. My son changed my ID without my knowledge. The response below is mine.

It is you who always make mendacious blanket statements in this newsgroup the people here find to be rebarbative. Find something I posted giving a generic statement about domestic cars that can't be backed up by research from independent companies.

As far as my information on domestic cars, I get them from their owners. I'm a former racer and lifelong car enthusiast. I go to car shows, car meets, and drag strips where people bring their modified cars to see what they can do. In my own neighborhood, there are Z06's, new Mustangs, Porsches, Aston Martins, AMGs, ad naseum. We continually compare information and drive each others' cars. What better way to find out about cars that from their own owners and examining the vehicles myself? As far as not owning one myself, that's where you're wrong again.

What do your loafers taste like?

I have. They were Toyotas and Hondas.

More misinformation from you as usual. All we have to do is compare prices of your Mustang parts from the dealer versus dealer parts for my 97 Supra. We can even compare maintenance parts for my GS430 compared to the Mustang's. This is something I've already compared first hand. The lady that cuts my hair has one and we talk about it all the time. She has undoubtedly more probity than you do.

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