Oil change question

[TK76]

Infiniti recommends an oil change every 3750 miles or 3 months for my driving conditions. I drive hardly 500 miles a month, so does it make sense to change oil every 3 months or should I go more with the mileage or somewhere in between?

 

[StuLax18]

I've always gone by mileage, and usually go over the time also.

 

[jbaker1121]

on news cars your supposed to change the oil more frequently anyway

 

[TK76]

So every 3 months even though it would be below 1500 miles??

 

[ThE Fx 45 BeAsT]

Its not oil that takes the abuse its really the filter but if you are running synthethic you should be good so you can go by mileage now if you are still in your engine break in then more frequent oil changes is best

 

[ghettojiggalo]

i think its ok to go longer than 3 months if you're using synthetic, don't new BMWs go 10/15k miles on their free schedule maintence? they're def. using quality synthetic oil/filters tho...if you use dino oil then i'd change more frequently, check your dipstick to see how dark the oil is.

 

[MTN FX]

I change at 5,000mi with synthetic and add a bottle of fuel system cleaner to a full tank of fuel then too.

 

[StuLax18]

i think its ok to go longer than 3 months if you're using synthetic, don't new BMWs go 10/15k miles on their free schedule maintence? they're def. using quality synthetic oil/filters tho...if you use dino oil then i'd change more frequently, check your dipstick to see how dark the oil is.

I use M1 synthetic and even after 3k miles the oil is really dark.

 

[tchuck]

i think its ok to go longer than 3 months if you're using synthetic, don't new BMWs go 10/15k miles on their free schedule maintence? they're def. using quality synthetic oil/filters tho...if you use dino oil then i'd change more frequently, check your dipstick to see how dark the oil is.

The recommendation from the factory for my '05 A4 is 10K miles. I asked a tech once what the deal is (under warranty, Audi will only pay for SCHEDULED oil changes...) and he said something about a huge oil capacity relative to the 1.8L motor. Regardless, I just can't bring myself to wait that long. Doesn't feel right.
Both the A4 and the FX get changes at 4K on the dot. The FX oil has never been alarmingly dark and I drive rather aggressively.

 

[TK76]

So tchuck u sayin time doesn't matter it's just the mileage.

 

[tchuck]

I'm no oil expert, but in my experience mileage has a way bigger impact than time.

 

[cambo]

most german cars (I know at least VW/Audi and MB, not sure about BMW) have 10 quart oil pans. Every Jap/American car I've run into has 5 qt. oil pans. So double the oil capacity, double the life?

As far as oil change duration goes, I go 3-4k with dino or 7.5k-8k with synthetic.


If you really want to do things right, you'd take a sample of your used oil and send it to a lab for analysis. They'll tell you every metal/mineral in the oil, life left, life percentage, etc.

 

[TK76]

Mileage > Time makes more sense to me. I guess for the first two years I'll stick to changing the oil every 3 months and then go as per mileage..