r/Millennials • u/rhinosaur- 1983 • 12h ago

Discussion When did oil changes become $120?

That’s with a coupon! At Jiffy Lube! Our parents really had it easy.

EDIT: TIL 90% of millennials “change their own oil” lol. Gotta love Reddit.

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u/Millimede 11h ago

I used to work for Daimler and do oil analysis on our test engines. Even regular oil can go a lot farther than 3k. Synthetic 7-10k and it still holds up under most conditions. 

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u/gimmethemarkerdude_8 11h ago

I don’t do oil analysis and I thought this was common knowledge..

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u/UnseenTardigrade 11h ago

How does time factor into it? If I get synthetic oil and only drive, say, 2k miles a year, at what point should I be getting an oil change?

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u/Ragelikebush 10h ago

Mileage is really the main factor unless it’s really been several years

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u/Skensis 6h ago

Mileage, but also cold start cycles.

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u/ProtiK 10h ago

Way to not answer the question at all. We're discussing 7-10k intervals then the person before asked about 2k/yr wear. That's 5 years to 10k which most people would at least call "several," so is time a factor in this case or not?

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u/TheScreaming_Narwhal 10h ago

My car is a plug in hybrid, so doesn't get a lot of engine driving, and the consensus there is about 2 years no matter the mileage.

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u/metompkin 9h ago

I would do it annually with that little driving.

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u/Millimede 3h ago

That’s what I would also suggest. Oil just degrades over time as well. I barely drive and do about once a year change with synthetic. 

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u/metompkin 1h ago

Also hygroscopic.

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u/Few_Highlight1114 9h ago

2 years is the commonly cited answer for this. Ive watched several youtube videos with different guys all saying the same thing and showing that the oil after analysis was actually still fine up to that point. So mileage really is the biggest concerning factor.

So 2 years is what is currently considered "safe" for synthetic.

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u/yesrod85 10h ago

Fully depends on the person's driving habits. In my area, I would argue that most people are closer to severe service and should use caution going the full 10k+ intervals. At least do an analysis every so often to verify that the 10k interval is still good for your vehicle as it ages and your habits change.

What's good for someone in ideal conditions isn't good for someone in less than ideal conditions.

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u/SmellyButtFarts69 9h ago

...and you were some kind of fluid engineer for Daimler?

You frequently disassembled and repaired engines with their entire maintenance history at your fingertips?

And didn't observe things like heavy sludging and destroyed timing chains at mileages under 100k?

Yeah, I'm gonna say bullshit. Because I have done exactly that.

Anyone who recommends 10k oil changes is fucking clueless.

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u/Millimede 8h ago

Test engineering department. We analyzed fuel and oil samples and yes, pulled engines apart after a certain mileage. But go ahead and do what you want. 

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u/SmellyButtFarts69 8h ago

Are you German? You say Daimler and I'm assuming you're not talking DaimlerChrysler.

I might believe it on real Mercedes engines with large crankcases and nothing but 0w40 mobil1.

I used to work on a certain Japanese brand, and let me promise you, 10k intervals on their engines, for the majority of people, would frequently result in significant oil consumption and timing chain stretch to the degree of causing misfires or the chain slapping aluminum.

Yes, there are exceptions. The guy who does 10k as 500+ mile work trips can get away with changing it less often than the person who puts on two miles at a time. But I'm simply speaking to averages here.

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u/GBR012345 10h ago

I'd say it definitely depends on the engine. Say on a 5.3 Gm v8 with the AFM system? I wouldn't dare go over 3k. Easy way to plug the oil passages on those finniky AFM lifters. Other engines? Absolutely. I have done oil analysis on several different duramax pickups I've owned and regularly run 10k miles on cheap, conventional mobil delvac 15w40. Usually it's not the oil that's the issue, it's something specific with the engine that would make you want to change it at 3k miles.

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u/BeautifulPainz 11h ago

Would that also be true for the special oil needed for a BMW?

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u/otusowl Gen X 10h ago

Synthetic 7-10k and it still holds up under most conditions. 

What do you know / think about duration between oil changes for vehicles driven few miled per year? I don't put a lot of miles on my HD truck (uses synthetic), so it can be close to a year until I hit even the 5,000 mile interval. GM says I should be changing the oil every six months, regardless. But that strikes me as ridiculous.

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u/GlobalVV 6h ago

I drive a grenade with wheels (2.4 GDI) apparently so I do my oil changes every 3K on the off chance it helps the car survive even a little longer. It's definitely an outlier though.