|
Just returned from a 12 day ski/road trip with my US chums where we covered almost 3k miles in 6 days driving. He changed the oil in his Toyota Tundra truck before we left, and the day after returning took it for another lube change! I casually mentioned about the distances some company vehicles cover between oil changes on long life oil and he was incredulous. The truck, a 10yo model with 'only' the 4.7 V8 lump purred along quite happily at 80 for mile after mile. Hate the think what the mpg was, but 80 dollars filled it to the brim.
|
|
3000 mile oil changes sound a little excessive! I change the oil and filter in my Saab every 6000 however it's driven, although it's rated at 18,000 - it still purrs at 208,000 :-) I reckon it's the secret to a long and happy life for an engine.
|
|
Odd coves, the yanks, what?
|
|
Think its a US marketing scam to keep all the kwik fit type outfits in business. I would have thought that modern oils in lazy autos doing relaxed highway motoring would last better than in European driving
|
|
The yanks have grown up with idea of frequent "lube jobs" and there is a whole network and industry built up behind it.
|
|
......and disc skimming, too!
|
>Think its a US marketing scam to keep all the kwik fit type outfits in business.
The service regime for my Z28 recommends oil changes at 6000 miles for regular use or 3000 miles for heavy duty use which they class as taxi, police, towing or hot dusty climates.
There was a Jiffy Lube in Mrs K's favourite shopping mall so she could drop it off, do her shopping and then collect it after an oil and filter change. They even checked other fluid levels, tyre pressures etc.
Fresh oil, filter and a quick once-over every 3000 miles for less than $30 was a no-brainer. You can't get 5 quarts of semi-synth in the UK for $30, never mind the filter and someone else getting their hands dirty.
|
>> Think its a US marketing scam to keep all the kwik fit type outfits in
>> business.
It's a bit more than that: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3,000_mile_myth . Note the links about Ford moving from 5000 to 7500 intervals and that was only in 2007/8, and BMW changing to 10,000 miles from 2014.
On "prestige" cars in the US, 4yrs/50K miles of servicing is often "free" - I know Merc had to offer a mid-interval oil change such was the outcry about running to the sort of intervals that are common here.
Last edited by: Bill Payer on Tue 18 Mar 14 at 21:01
|
My Xantia ran to 150k on oil changes at 12.5k (or annually) and Berlingo now at 140k on 10k interval.
If pinhole in 'lingo oil cooler is down to lack of maintenance I'd blame my failure to ensure regular coolant changes rather than anything on the oil side of the heat exchanger.
|
|
Oil is that cheap in the US that oil changes of this frequency have become the norm - and not just for Toyotas.
|
My Pontiac was probably the same as Kevin's Chevrolet, unsurprisingly.
Oil change every 3k-8k and a "service" every 100k. But an oil change is so quick, cheap and painless in the US that its no big deal. The one I use/used in San Mateo could change the oil faster than I could drink a beer. And many is the time that I tried.
|
|
Zero is right, it's tradition in the US to keep those big loose motors going with frequent oil changes. It's also tradition. or used to be when most US cars were still big or biggish, to use cheap 30 grade mineral oil. Multigrade hardly existed there outside enthusiast circles in those days. The cars consumed a bit of oil when driven far and fast. So, often was best.
|
It's a bit like the right to bear arms. They have a Wild-West mentality, and subconsciously are still driving on dirt roads in clouds of dust.
The same as we all live in thatched cottages with white paling fences and hollyhocks.
Don't spoil their dream.
|
>> subconsciously are still driving on dirt roads in clouds of dust.
'Subconsciously'? It's a very big place and there must still be millions of miles of dirt roads. That's why the cars always used to be big and softly suspended, and why SUVs and big pickups are favoured by many.
A properly located (not just bolted to two long leaf springs with weedy little dampers) beam back axle is a good idea for a snorting monster V8 doomed to be driven on such roads. Longer lasting by far and not necessarily skittish in any serious way. Modern multi-link IRS on the other hand is a bad idea because it will be fragile and become clattery when worn... Yup, Dodge Charger or one o' they Fords every time.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Wed 19 Mar 14 at 14:09
|
>> use/used in San Mateo could change the oil faster than I could drink a beer.
>> And many is the time that I tried.
Wimp.
|
I change my injun oil about every 3000 smiles, I does it twice a year - don't do a great mileage pa.
I use Shell Helix HX7 = £20 for 5ltrs.
|
Americans tend to use non synthetic oils...
Rather unsophisticated : like the cars they sell to the indigenous gullible population. After all, who but the Yanks would sell a muscle car in 2014 with solid rear axle? And who else would buy it?
But for 2015 MY it moves into the late 20th century..tinyurl.com/ksewk6s
Last edited by: madf on Wed 19 Mar 14 at 10:26
|
>> who but the Yanks would sell a muscle car in 2014 with solid rear axle? And who else would buy it?
Me.
I've had a few cars in the US, as opposed to SUVs or Pickups of which I've had more, and I have always enjoyed them.
Ok, they're not really great for bombing around B roads, but then the US doesn't have that many, and I don't like bombing around them anymore anyway.
As a personal preference, I'd rather be in one of them than some amazingly hi-tech and advanced, yet small, Japanese car.
|
>Americans tend to use non synthetic oils...
The small-block V8 in my Chevy came from the factory filled with Dino oil to aid bedding in of the components, but it was changed for semi-synth at the first service. That was in 96.
>Rather unsophisticated : like the cars they sell to the indigenous gullible population.
Mmmm? Is buying more expensive oil than that specified by the manufacturer "unsophisticated" or gullible?
|
IIRC, the 2-million mile Volvo P1800 enjoyed 3000-mile oil changes. Some connection, perhaps..?
Hang on - he seems to have got to 3 million now. Can't keep up!
www.autoblog.com/2013/09/18/irv-gordons-volvo-p1800-has-hit-3-million-miles/
FWIW, I've long thought that frequent oil changes were good preventative medicine for engines. Mind you, I did used to read Road & Track as a teenager...
Last edited by: J Bonington Jagworth on Sat 22 Mar 14 at 15:12
|
|
I think in certain neighbourhoods of USA, men tend to tinker in their large garages more than here and so things like frequent oil changes are ingrained in their culture, even if some now use jiffylube, wally's world, Dr wassocks oil emporium etc..
|
|
I saw my friends invoice for the oil & filter change on his 4.7 V8 Tundra. £20.40 equivalent! Accepted not a top quality oil, but hardly worth getting your hands dirty for.
|
When I enquired of a US guy " how often do you change the brake fluid?" I was given a blank stare.
A business for the future ?
|
|
Yes that's been on here before. I think some testing was done on 10 year old cars fit for scrap in the US. No real difference in brake fluid if never changed. I think NC provided the link.
|
|
I had a similar issue in my chev Z34 and had to frequently change the oil by 3K or within. At that time I didn't take it as a big issue but later on I realized it was really drinking very badly. I remember taking the ride to the nearby workshop or service center (www.serviceplus416.com) and they used to give me discount on almost every oil change.
|
Well, at least this advertiser has slightly more brains and subtlety than the normal triers, I suppose credit is due for that.
His geography is caca though.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Fri 4 Apr 14 at 12:38
|
|
Better be good discount to warrant me shipping my 'ride' across the Pond.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Fri 4 Apr 14 at 14:16
|
Toyota - Frequent oil changes - Mike H
