Oil change after one year? Only done 2000 miles

Notmyrealname

nottingham13 wrote: »

Hi

I have only driven 2000 miles in 12 months (mainly short journeys), do I need to change the oil?

My book says 6000 miles or 12 months, but I have done way fewer.

Thanks

When you do lots of short journeys, that is actually harder on the engine oil than doing journeys where the oil is allowed to get up to temperature so it needs changing more often.

So yes, it needs changing. You can of course choose to ignore this advice and you may or may not have a problem down the line.

Stephen_Leak

Re-read the book. I suspect that it says, "6000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first".

I'm in much the same position myself. Since retiring, my annual mileage has dropped from 15,000 to just under 7,000 miles.

Look on it as an internal service.

PS. However, please do not let National Tyres anywhere near your car.

Strider590

nottingham13 wrote: »

Hi

I have only driven 2000 miles in 12 months (mainly short journeys), do I need to change the oil?

My book says 6000 miles or 12 months, but I have done way fewer.

Thanks

Short journeys = car running with increased fuel (modern equivalent of a choke), this causes fuel to remain in the combustion chamber after switch off, this fuel condenses on and drips down the sides of the pistons (because they won't be up to full working temp), which washes the oil down into the sump. Fuel dilutes oil, oil becomes less effective = increased engine wear.

Otherwise known as "bore wash".

Now if you do 100 miles once a week, not so bad... But if you drive 200yrds to the local shop every single day, your wrecking your car.

Tobster86

Change it, ideally yourself or if necessary a physically abled friend or relative who is happy to reach under it. It is very simple to do.

For what it costs at most garages, you could buy the oil & filter, tools and a haynes manual with the instructions and still have a lot of change left.

Strider590

Tobster86 wrote: »

Change it, ideally yourself or if necessary a physically abled friend or relative who is happy to reach under it. It is very simple to do.

For what it costs at most garages, you could buy the oil & filter, tools and a haynes manual with the instructions and still have a lot of change left.

Basic oil change at a garage, if you supply the parts (£20 oil, £6 oil filter), they'll do the work for £20-£40.

poppasmurf_bewdley

I had mine done only last week at Autoweld in Kidderminster. I supplied the oil and filter (bought from Unipart, half the price of Halfords), and the garage charged me £15 labour.

I've always done my own oil change previously, but advancing years plus a gravel drive means I am happy to pay someone else to do the job now.

Tobster86

Hence my suggestion of an abled friend or relative. Would be a useful experience for a young relative for example who is already facing £1k+pa insurance to get handy with a spanner.

Unless I've somehow misunderstood the name of this forum!

poppasmurf_bewdley

Tobster86 wrote: »

Hence my suggestion of an abled friend or relative. Would be a useful experience for a young relative for example who is already facing £1k+pa insurance to get handy with a spanner.

Unless I've somehow misunderstood the name of this forum!

No, you haven't. In my post I've mentioned getting the oil from Unipart instead of Halfords. Even after paying the £15 garage bill, I'm still a couple of quid up on paying Halford's prices.

I could have asked my son to do the job, as I've shown him in the past how to do it (even given him my oil filter wrench) but I don't fancy a puddle of oil on my nice gravel drive.

Strider590

Should point out I didn't change my own oil last time because I have a SORN'd car in my garage and my car parking spot is on a kind of V shape... Impossible to get a jack under it securely.

Not everyone can do the job themselves purely because of circumstances.

Tobster86

You're actively advising AGAINST someone doing it themself (on the grounds that it causes a puddle of oil).

The procedure in the Haynes manual does tell you to put something underneath the receptacle to prevent that, and wipe around the drain plug. Your sons choice not to do that shouldn't be seen as a reason for other readers not to save themselves another £15+.

Yes, you've raised a valid point of not just going into kwik-fit or similar and paying through the nose, but there's nothing wrong with my point either; the OP hasn't stipulated their physical abilities, I've provided them an option for easily saving another £15+ and potentially educating someone.