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How often do you change your oil?

  • <6 months

    Votes: 4 9.1%
  • 6 months

    Votes: 2 4.5%
  • 9 months

    Votes: 1 2.3%
  • 12 months

    Votes: 28 63.6%
  • >12 months

    Votes: 9 20.5%

Poll: How often do you change your oil (time-based)?

3K views 21 replies 13 participants last post by  Catsailr27 
#1 ·
I know the oil change interval topic has been discussed at length on this forum and I've read a lot of those threads, but nearly all the threads predominately discuss it in terms of mileage. I'm guessing their are a quite a few of your who drive your Elise less than 3,000 miles a year.
 
#7 ·
Like most people here, I do it myself at home, it cost just over $30. buying and using Mobil One oil and filter, normally from Walmart. I think that it is so inexpensive to do, so why not. It gives me the opportunity to inspect under the engine, check other fluids, give it a good detailing but not really any fancy explanation or scientific reason, just the way I like. The other plus, if I get too busy and can't get it done, I have a good margin of safety without worrying. I am not anal about, just around 6 months give or take a few. Oil has cleaning properties so changing it often should keep everything cleaner plus with the issue of not been able to drain the coolers, now that I think of it, it might be wiser to do it even more frequently. i might change it to 4 months. And by the way, I don't track it but drive it quite often, I don't put a lot of miles but I do drive it, as close to a daily driver as it can reasonably be. My other car is a C7 Corvette, with all the bolt ons.
 
#10 ·
I have sent samples to Blackstone labs after a year of oil use and it always comes back perfect. As a matter of fact they always advice to prolong the oil change since the sample given was in excellent shape. I always drive less than 3000 miles a year. I use Motul 5 W 40 1800 xcess.
 
#16 ·
I've always changed my oil on my (now) daily every 5,000 miles (~4-6 months). Have yet to change the oil on the Elise but the life looks good on the dipstick and still has the stock oil pan. Once the winter comes, ill probably upgrade before storage.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I try to get it every 20,000 miles or so. Yes, 20K miles. 2007 Fed Elise with over 161,000 miles. Longest I went was 27,000 miles. Changing synthetic oil less than that is silly and wasteful. The 3000 - 7500 mile oil change is for conventional oil and a myth that needs to die. I don't baby my car, either. I drive the hell out of it. Still running plastic capped radiator and original clutch too. No major repairs either. Still jumps on the second cam like a champ.
 
#21 ·
Time is certainly a relevant factor. ALL carbon based materials are subject to oxidation and will degrade over time. Synthetic oils are more resistant to oxidation but that resistance has limits. It is a fallacy to think that you can leave an oil exposed to air for years on end and not have it degraded.
 
#22 ·
Every 12 months or four track days. Redline 5-40, Mobil M1-209, Blackstone analysis always good and reflects actual miles when submitted.
 
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