Who's using synthetic oil in their vehicles?

[MCChris]

How long are you going between oil changes?

[dgstandard]

Synthetic - GMC Sierra: Motul Euro blend, once a year, drive approx 10,000 kms a year

Dino - Landcruisers: Castrol or Chevron 15w40, twice a year, maybe 5,000 kms betwen the two

[murkat]

Mobil one 5w/30 in the 4 runner, about every 9000 ish

Purolater filter

[Crwth145]

My vehicles never go more than 3k on dino, 4k on blends, and 5k on full synthetics.

I've considered leaving the full synthetics in for 6k and changing the filters @ 3k,

but I stopped using it this spring in favor of 15/40 dino diesel in my 4.0 straight 6.

You can go longer, most do... just use a quality filter, none of that fram cardboard crap!

[kizanski]

Me. The Audi S4 uses eight freaking quarts of it, but they recommend oil changes every 10,000 miles or every year (whichever comes first).

[aknapp]

Me. The Audi S4 uses eight freaking quarts of it, but they recommend oil changes every 10,000 miles or every year (whichever comes first).

Try 11+ quarts in an '89 911! 12k is the factory recommended interval, but with almost 3 gallons(!), there's a lot of volume before it gets close to dirty. Plus, the oil filter is the size of a German beer stein....hmmm....I wonder if that's how Porsche came up with the filter size?

I used to have a Nissan NX2000 (SR20 engine) that got fresh Mobil 1 every 5-6k miles. At 150k, the compression on all 4 cylinders was still within factory spec.

YMMV (literally)...

[Joe G]

Usually Mobil 1 (sometimes other synthetics bought on sale)

Infiniti I30

Lincoln Town Car

Jeep Cherokee Sport

Oil filter gets changed after 9 months (about 3,000 miles)

Complete oil change with filter after around 6,500 miles.

[stobro]

Full synthetic here, and I go by the book- every 10,000 miles in my current BMW and my previous Audi and VW. I've managed to trade in my new or certified used cars often enough that I haven't had to pay for any oil changes since 2005, thanks to the free maintenance warranty coverage. The reality is I'm sure I paid for maintenance up front, hidden in the price of the vehicle. But it still feels nice when the service writer hands you the key and says "No charge".

[gorch]

Mid price synthetics with regular changes every 15k kilometers or 10k miles on the other side of the pond. No preferences on the brand so far. Every 2nd change I replace the filter too.

[kizanski]

The reality is I'm sure I paid for maintenance up front, hidden in the price of the vehicle. But it still feels nice when the service writer hands you the key and says "No charge".

This is a conversation I just had with The Wife.

We both own Audis (her 2005 and my 2004) and they are both no longer under warrantee. I had extended my warrantee, but it's about to expire again.

So, what to do?

The extended warrantee prices went up at least $1000 since the last time I bought it (around $5000 - $6000, depending on the coverage you want) so that's expensive.

Trade in and get a newer model with an existing warrantee? You know that's expensive...

And, like most German-made cars, repairs will put a hurting on your wallet, so, you need a warrantee - period.

So, she threw her hands up at the difficult decision as if there was no way of winning.

The truth is, there isn't.

"If you want to drive an Audi, you're going to pay," I told her. "There's no way around it. Buy the warrantee, make the payments or take it "on the chin" when you need a major repair."

"You can pay me now, or you can pay me later," as the Fram Guy used to say.

Synthetic is the only way to go, though (especially since it's what the manufacturer requires).

It costs a lot more, but it lasts three times as long.

A no-brainer for me.

[cynic]

"If you want to drive an Audi, you're going to pay,"

This is why I chose years ago to just be happy with the penis I have.

The money I've spent on cars...well, it's just gone and wasn't practical by any stretch. I see them now as they are, a seat that takes me from point A to point B. Since there's rarely much distance between those two points, the seat hardly needs to be expensive. If I'm driving a long distance, I rent a better seat.

All my cheap ass cars still get synthetic, and I stick to an overkill scenario of changing it every 5k. Mobil One from Costco is often on sale for $10 off, so I buy several cases at a time which helps keep the cost down.

[kizanski]

"If you want to drive an Audi, you're going to pay,"

This is why I chose years ago to just be happy with the penis I have.

The money I've spent on cars...well, it's just gone and wasn't practical by any stretch. I see them now as they are, a seat that takes me from point A to point B. Since there's rarely much distance between those two points, the seat hardly needs to be expensive. If I'm driving a long distance, I rent a better seat.

I'm more than happy with the penis I have, thank you for asking, only my penis prefers to be propelled in a comfortable conveyance with a lot more horsepower than it needs. This is one of the more simple pleasures that I allow myself in this life. Money isn't everything and I sure don't want to die bored with a lot of money in the bank.

I've never been happy with "transportation." The car I drive every day has to be one that I enjoy. I can't ever think to myself, "I can't wait to get out of this POS car."

I know a lot of people can't identify with that, but everyone has their own personality, and that's part of mine.

[cynic]

I was only referring to my penis My feelings have changed about cars over the years is all I was saying.

To keep this from straying too far off topic, I use synthetic on my penis as well, and change it daily.

[Scottcrud]

Full synth, Castrol or mobile 1, 5 to 7000 miles...

[django49]

"To keep this from straying too far off topic, I use synthetic on my penis as well, and change it daily".

With age, synthetic lubricants become less and less optional.

[Toadroller]

97 Audi A8. 187k miles on the clock. Dino oil every 5 or 6 or 7 k miles. or every 5 or 6 or 7 months. Whatever. It's over engineered, I can't kill it. It's long since paid for, it's long since depreciated.

Cars are fashion statements. An A8 wears like a good suit, even 15 years on it's sharp. And 300hp of quattro still shocks the Mustangs.

[Jimbilly]

On my current old Scirocco I've been using Mobil 1 full synthetic, and I go 4k miles between changes. It has 262k miles on it now. It has the 16v 2.0 and I think it was driven pretty hard before I got it, I probably add 2 quarts between changes, maybe a little less. If I'm driving it harder, I can tell the oil consumption goes up.

I also use Mobil 1 full synthetic on the 944S2 autocross car. I put about 1000 miles a year on that car, and change the oil about every 8 months or so. Most of the Porsche guys use Mobil 1, I think Porsche recommended it for a long time. I'd change it less often, but I worry more about moisture than particulates.

I figure oil is a non-cost if it saves me any motor maintenance in the long run on either car.

[gtone]

Amsoil synthetic in my old 190e, changed every 9K km (6K miles). Yep, know all about dino oil in high mileage vehicles, but my 20 YO Mercedes only has 140Km (80K+ miles), which is quite low for a MB.

[hamerhead]

I was only referring to my penis My feelings have changed about cars over the years is all I was saying.

To keep this from straying too far off topic, I use synthetic on my penis as well, and change it daily.

That was f*ckin' funny right there.

[lincsman]

On my current old Scirocco I've been using Mobil 1 full synthetic, and I go 4k miles between changes. It has 262k miles on it now. It has the 16v 2.0 and I think it was driven pretty hard before I got it, I probably add 2 quarts between changes, maybe a little less. If I'm driving it harder, I can tell the oil consumption goes up.

I also use Mobil 1 full synthetic on the 944S2 autocross car. I put about 1000 miles a year on that car, and change the oil about every 8 months or so. Most of the Porsche guys use Mobil 1, I think Porsche recommended it for a long time. I'd change it less often, but I worry more about moisture than particulates.

I figure oil is a non-cost if it saves me any motor maintenance in the long run on either car.

262,000 miles on the clock fair play thats some Engine, my 407 has only 185,000 miles (but done in 5 years)

[Jimbilly]

My first Scirocco (currently on #3) with a 1.8 8v (same as the first GTI motor) had 342,000 miles on it when it got hit and totalled, I never had the head off that motor and it burned very little oil and didn't smoke. I used Rotella T or similar good quality conventional and changed religously at 3k. I think it would have gone 500k.

[hamerhead]

How do you drive the same car for that long?!? I get the bug for something else after 20,000 or 30,000 miles.

But then, I only put on about 4000 a year.

[kizanski]

How do you drive the same car for that long?!? I get the bug for something else after 20,000 or 30,000 miles.

But then, I only put on about 4000 a year.

Some people get off on squeezing every last drop out of their cars.

I don't understand those people.

[aknapp]

My first Scirocco (currently on #3) with a 1.8 8v (same as the first GTI motor) had 342,000 miles on it when it got hit and totalled, I never had the head off that motor and it burned very little oil and didn't smoke. I used Rotella T or similar good quality conventional and changed religously at 3k. I think it would have gone 500k.

Quite possibly.

Dino oil changed at 3-5k miles or synthetic at 6-12k miles (depending on usage, vehicle, etc.) + filter changes should give long engine life in most cars (Yugo, Chevette, and Citation need not apply).

[gwayne]

Mobil 1 in my 2007 Accord and 2012 Frontier. Change Oil and Filter every 8000 miles.

[edgar_allan_poe]

Mobile 1 or Royal Purple in my first Caddy (125k). In typical Caddy fashion, the engine leaked like a champ but ran strog up until I traded it in on another DTS last month. The new one will get the same treatment and I have heard that they have fixed the leaking problems with the N*. Lets hope.