Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
What I'm saying is that engines last longer and longer despite even longer
oil change intervals. Ie, the makers know what they're talking about.
Both oils and engine manufacturing techniques - and or materials - are
improving all the time, so there really is no need to change oil more
frequently than the maker's recommendation.

So use the maker's recommended oil and service intervals, and don't thrash
the engine until the oil is hot, and the engine will outlive the rest of
the car, in most cases.

Unfortunately, this is not the experience of the fleet users. They are
whingeing regularly about having to fit new engines at 40K miles when
extended oil changes are used. There is a tendency for the fleet driver
to never look under the bonnet, so the fact that the oil has disappeared
through the tailpipe doesn't register, with unfortunate consequences.
God help you if you buy one of these in the second hand market! The main
reason for extended oil change intervals is to reduce the servicing
costs as a marketing bull point. Jerry and the Americans are correct,
change the oil very regularly, and you get good engine life with almost
any engine oil under normal driving conditions. I've seen much greater
than 100K miles on a Ford Popular 1200cc van used in London, the oil
was sae10 and changed every 1K miles. Normal engine life with 6K mile
oil changes was about 50K IIRC. Before the point is made that it's a low
performance engine, I would add that I've also experienced 150k miles
on a 2.7L Honda engine run on bog standard reclaimed 20/50 but changed
every 5K miles.

Regards
Capitol