How often do you change your oil?

For the sake of the engine, don't wait that long. :lol:

Saying "VWAG will know what's best for the customer's car" may sound a bit naive, but how can obeying the onboard diagnostics for ze next service be bad for the engine? I'd understand it when people say that the manufacturer's intervals are too short to earn more money from the garages, or to be on the safe side for warranty - but I rarely hear people claim the opposite, that the manufacturer is recommending intervals that are too long and harm the engine.
 
Saying "VWAG will know what's best for the customer's car" may sound a bit naive, but how can obeying the onboard diagnostics for ze next service be bad for the engine? I'd understand it when people say that the manufacturer's intervals are too short to earn more money from the garages, or to be on the safe side for warranty - but I rarely hear people claim the opposite, that the manufacturer is recommending intervals that are too long and harm the engine.

I never trust the service indicator, nor do I suggest anyone else do it. Every week or so, I'll be checking all the vital fluids and topping up if need be. Simply following the service indicator is rather naive and asking for repairs down the road.
 
I have been hearing this loud ticking sound from the engine last couple off months, specialy on cold starts, also one of those little gages that isent the speedo keeps randomly wobbling about, and the last week or so there's a burning smell coming from under the hood and power has gone way down......think it's time to change the oil? :p
 
A simple change of oil won't fix significant loss of power or burnt smells as long as there still is oil in the engine now.
 
I have been hearing this loud ticking sound from the engine last couple off months, specialy on cold starts, also one of those little gages that isent the speedo keeps randomly wobbling about, and the last week or so there's a burning smell coming from under the hood and power has gone way down......think it's time to change the oil? :p
Nah, that's just how the Hemi works, mate. Persevere.
 
I still can't believe it... the short intervals some people do here. lol.. I know people that would have to change it every 2 weeks then... What a big waste of time and money...
 
If you really want to have a VERY serious discussion about motor oils and change intervals, I suggest you go sign up at Bob Is The Oil Guy (http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/cms/). The people who frequent that place are nerds on an entirely new level, and if you come out of there without learning something you really did it wrong!

I really wouldn't. The knowledgeable ones are long gone, and generally you have people with no experience regurgitating ideas and thoughts from the previous person who didn't have any experience, either.

About every 10-12k (miles) here. And I wouldn't necessarily go by your VID/HUD, either. I know on my car it has no idea what the oil is or what it's doing, just a formula based on miles and driving.
 
Every 3k miles or 2 months.
 
I wouldn't necessarily go by your VID/HUD, either. I know on my car it has no idea what the oil is or what it's doing, just a formula based on miles and driving.

"A formula based on miles and driving" (potentially also factoring in temperatures etc) is better than going by the miles and time alone. Obviously you can always chicken out earlier, but I'm pretty sure the manufacturer intervals are considerably shorter than what would be safely possible when inspecting the oil much more closely to see how long it may last.
Of course you should not switch off common sense in favor of the electronics. For example if the oil level is low, top it off - no matter if the computer tells you to or not.
 
For me, 25-30 clams is a small price to pay every 3k miles...
 
Mhh... maybe one of you extremely short interval changing guys can save me a can of your 'old' oil :lol:

Well it might reduce my intervals to 20,000km then but well... I can bare that without it being annoying...
 
"A formula based on miles and driving" (potentially also factoring in temperatures etc) is better than going by the miles and time alone. Obviously you can always chicken out earlier, but I'm pretty sure the manufacturer intervals are considerably shorter than what would be safely possible when inspecting the oil much more closely to see how long it may last.
Of course you should not switch off common sense in favor of the electronics. For example if the oil level is low, top it off - no matter if the computer tells you to or not.

Not really. It's formulated on dino oil, so it telling me I need to change my oil every 7500 or so is rather useless. I just reset it and remember to check it again in about a month.
 
Not really. It's formulated on dino oil, so it telling me I need to change my oil every 7500 or so is rather useless. I just reset it and remember to check it again in about a month.

Your on board computer apparently ignores additional info to factor into the interval, and is not working with the manufacturer-specified oil.
Mine exactly knows what specification of oil is used - VW LongLife 503.01 or whatever it's called. If I were to use a different type of oil I'd have to reprogram it to a fixed 15000km interval instead of the variable 30000km interval.
 
A simple change of oil won't fix significant loss of power or burnt smells as long as there still is oil in the engine now.

I know your German so it comes natural........but please stop taking everything I say so seriously ! :p

oil gets swapped every 8000.......I'm not an idiot.....




*takes his failed attempt at humor and leaves thread*
 
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My Civic received a non synthetic oil change right before I bought it, in November.

6 months and 2500 miles later, I had it changed out for synthetic. The manual specifies oil changes every 6 months or 5000 miles.
With the synthethic, I plan to have it out at either 1 year or 5000 miles (I push my car pretty hard pretty often, so 5000 rather than the 7500 my mechanic recommended).
 
Your on board computer apparently ignores additional info to factor into the interval, and is not working with the manufacturer-specified oil.
Mine exactly knows what specification of oil is used - VW LongLife 503.01 or whatever it's called. If I were to use a different type of oil I'd have to reprogram it to a fixed 15000km interval instead of the variable 30000km interval.

Could you even pour a bit of oil in, just on top of it?

In my old car I checked it every 2 weeks or so, but only had it changed once every 18 months.
Now, the GTI is on longlife. The first change was after 14000 kms, though, since it was standing a while until I bought the car. I'd never even think about anything concerning the Oil if the car isn't telling me. I'm still a year in warranty, so if theres a problem, thx for the new engine, VW ;-)
 
Could you even pour a bit of oil in, just on top of it?

VWAG says I am allowed to top it off with up to half a litre of VW 502 if it is running low and no VW 503 or 504 is available. These are only specifications of course, there is a wide variety of oils that meet the criteria, for instance Castrol Edge 5W-30.

I'd never even think about anything concerning the Oil if the car isn't telling me. I'm still a year in warranty, so if theres a problem, thx for the new engine, VW ;)

This. Following the manufacturer's instructions to the letter (for the Germans: Dienst nach Vorschrift :lmao:) while in warranty is the best thing to do.
 
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