Mark_

Just wondering how often people change the oil on their daily drivers.

On my Turbo's I've always stuck to changing every 6k, but I'm just wondering if that's way to soon on my daily 2008 Focus 1.6 petrol.

The car does 450-550miles a week which is pretty much all motorway and dual carriageway, I just don't want to be changing oil to prematurely.

Do you stick to an annual/12k change as per the service guide or sooner?

Interested in all opinions.

Caddyshack

I don't think it can hurt but modern oils are very good.

luke19790_3

Every 20k in my golf, but I do 35-40 k a year.

I just stick what it says in the manual

Ridgey

iTrader: (5)

Every 10k, using Ford fully syn Formula F in my ST.

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

I have my car serviced every 12500 to keep the history up, but also do an oil and filter change half way through.

Long service intervals are there to sell lots of cars, 20k intervals are no good for any engine in the long term.

burnzy

Yea 20k is way too long Imo

Something quite heavily modded with a small sump (>5 litres) I'll do 5k oil changes like my Passat that I took too stage 2.

Something A bit more standard I'll do 10k or 12 months using longlife oil.

I guess it all depends on what you want out the car, manufacturers don't care what happens after 100k so try and push the servicing as far as they can whilst still making the car reliable.

Look at Audi and BMW for instance with their sealed for life (100k) gearboxes, the likes of ZF and even some of the smaller manufacturers state a service every 40k to keep things sweet.

I picked my Mondeo up after it had not had a service for nigh on 20k and it sounded like a bag of shit.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

It defo wont hurt to change the oil frequently.

Colin_P

I've always changed my oil every 5,000 miles.

It is the single most important thing you can do to your car, especially if it is a turbo diesel which most daily's will be. I look at this way; the oil may still be in specification but it will have a lot of scratchy soot suspended in it. I'd rather dump the oil with the soot rather than have it scratching away at the engine internals.

Bailes1992

I'm glad it's not just me that changes oil more frequently than the book recommends.

My Focus has a 1.5TDCi engine which is based on the Ford/PSA DV6 engine. Superb engine really. It has a very wide power band, it is very smooth and very good on fuel. However they are renown for sludging up, sooting up and destroying turbos as a result.
All you have to do is google 'DV6 Turbo Failure' to see what I mean.
The engine has a ridiculously small 3.8 litre sump with an inherent design flaw which means you cannot get all of the oil out as the sump plug is higher than the bottom of the sump.
Add onto that an EGR which fills the oil full of abrasive material and a DPF which likes to dilute the oil somewhat and I still to 6k/6month intervals with genuine Ford filters only and good quality 913-D oil.
I also run the car on Shell V-Power Nitro Diesel simply because it's a GTL fuel synthesized from natural gas so it burns much cleaner than ordinary diesel.
As soon as it's out of warranty I will look into removal of the DPF and EGR (for reasons other than above) and I will start using a 0w30 oil for better cold start protection.
The car will have to do 200k+ with me so I might as well look after it.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Using other engines in fords give them a bad name.

For vehicle manufacturers it must be easier to use someone elses engine than it is to design there own.

A lot of vehicle manufacturers use peugeot engines. There even in the (extra large small) Minis.

luke19790_3

Ford normally build them even if it's a Peugeot engine

smiley

Just done my ford engined v50 d 2.0 at 130k sadly got the early warning of fileings in the fuel filter my mechs just been on a fuels course and what he's learnt is all major fuel companies due to gov not dropping tax have basically just about stripped all the good adatives from your std diesel lubricants ect so has advised me from now on to use v power due to more additives I've had a tdci focus same engine that did way more befor showing the same signs just thought I'd share that although people probably know my current v50 is getting chopped in on another low mile v50 d I will be using v power in that and oil change every 10k

slammedorion

Every 4-6 months
My oil is never dirty on a change, it's cheaper to change the oil regular than it is to change engines, turbos etc

Bailes1992

Also a Peugeot engine. Your Volvo 2.0D is a derivative of the PSA DW10 engine.

Why don't you look more towards the later D3/D4 units. They are Volvos own 2.0 litre 5 cylinder units and they make a superb noise.

Mark_

Excellent stuff, I'll carry on with my 6k changes then.

Whats peoples thoughts on the Euro Car Parts Triple QX Fully Synthetic oil?
I've heard a rumor its made by Shell.

I normally use Mobil Super 3000, There's only Ł6 difference in price.
It's an old motor now, But I'd like to get a few more years out of it.

Just curios to hear how well the Triple QX stuff performs, It's only a Focus 1.6 petrol, Nothing that gets thrashed about.

Mark_

Just read online that the Triple QX oil has been approved by Ford and meets their requirements and doesn't affect the warranty.

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

I bought a few tubs of triple QX when it was on a daft price at euro car parts, it was fine.

Colin_P

I use the triple qx from ECP and have done for years.

JasonPD

Every year or as per service schedule for me but none of my vehicles have do more then 5k per year anyway

Mark_

5k per year would be great, I'm doing 2k a month at the moment.

j6kyt

I do my focus rs once a year which is about 8000 miles and I do the transit every 10000 miles and the cosworth every 3000 miles