First oil change for new car

Normally at 10000 miles for most cars. If its a performance car then usually at 4-5000 .

But it should tell you in the manual.

Ryan

Aye the manual says at the first service.

However, I always remember people telling me to run the car in for a certain mileage then change the oil as a precaution. Is this still the same with the new generation of alloy engines?

Nope modern engines are stiffer and stronger tan in years gone by.

The oil itself has come along way through the years not just the engines. As far as i know running in motors is a thing of the past as is knocking big ends, worn cams and rings ect...

You wont go far wrong - every 9,000 miles.

regards

I haven't a clue about such things so I would suggest 6,427 miles

Regards

Diccus

A lot of people still like to change their oil every 5k or so.

Whether or not it's strictly necessary who knows, but for how much a filter and some quality Oil costs..

What is probably more important is to have it documented that you have had the car serviced by a reputable facility so that you can maximise your resale price and make a better case to the manufacturer for out of warranty support should you need it.

It'll be in your manual. Well worthwhile checking it out and making sure the right oil is being used.

Mine is being done approx. every 18k just now.

Roy.

I tried booking my car in for a first service at 10,000 miles and the lease company refused. I was told it had a variable service interval, depending on use, and to wait until the service light on the dashboard came on, which could be as much as 20,000 miles.

So far the car has done 16,000 miles and no service light. I'll just wait, it's their car!

Allan

I have always have mine done every 4k, and a new filter every other change (8k).

I am lucky in that my dad is in the motor trade so it costs me under a tenner each change, though its slightly more now I need fully synthetic oil.

If you want to look after your car, it wont do it any harm with regular oil changes.

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by Allan Probin:
So far the car has done 16,000 miles and no service light. I'll just wait, it's their car!

Maybe at 100,000 miles they'll change the bulb as part of the first service.

Hi Allan - How you doin'?

I have a similar situation with my Skoda Octavia. I've covered just over 10,000 miles in 18 months, and am still waiting for the first service warning icon to appear.

John.

I would have thought the first oil change is rather significant. It certainly used to be. [On my 18 year old Volvo the first change is was recomended at 500 miles].

What does the oil look like on the dipstick? If it still looks healthy [not going thick or black] then it may be okay to run to a long service interval, but if you own the car I would be tempted to change it at a minimum of twelve months or perhaps 6,000 miles.

For myself I still follow the advice to change my old 240 oil every 4,000 miles, though this is annually in practice.

It uses no oil so the overal consumption is even then very low with an annual change.

I take it to a garage these days rather DIY it as that way the old oil is recycled, though it definately costs a little more...

Kindest regards from Fredrik

Rasher, I sometimes have a similar thought; what if the light never comes on!

Hi John, I'm very well thanks. We are possibly driving cars with the same engine. Mine's a Passat with the 2.0 litre turbo-diesel. I'm just going to let mine run to 20k and if the light still hasn't come on by then I'll go ahead anyway and try and book it in again. If the lease company still refuse (it's on a full-maintainance lease), well, that's up to them.

Allan

Hi nap-ster,

The first few miles on a new engine is when all the moving parts will seat against each other, which produces some swarf. Personally, on a new or rebuilt engine I'd be doing the first change at 300 miles maximum. Drain the oil into a *clean* container, leave it for an hour or so, and then wearing a latex glove, run your fingers around the bottom and edges of the container to see if you can find any particles. I'd bet there'll be quite a lot.

An early first oil change is cheap insurance.

Best Regards,
Mark Dunn

With my VW Golf they gave the option of a first change after 1,000 miles - if you really wanted to. Alternatively at the first service. I should have thought it depends whether your car uses long lasting oil.

nap-ster,

A lot of new Japanese cars come stocked with engine oil supplemented with special additives to help engine break-in.

It is important that you run this oil a full cycle and not change it too early (at least 5000 miles) to give those additives a chance to work.

Regards,

Haim

Thanks guys.

I think the last post has convinced me to leave it at least 5k.

But then again.........................

"what does the handbook say"??????

eg - WHAT DOES YOUR MANUFACTURER RECOMMEND??

It's not that hard. Don't overcomplicate it.

cheers

Mark Dunn is totally correct.

The first oil change has nothing to do with modern oils, modern engine build techniques or the stupid manual!

It all sounds very old fashioned to me. New engines are not "tight" the way they used to be. Oil changes with pure synthetic oil come every 20,000 miles as recommended by the manufacturer of most modern cars, or sooner if your mileage is mainly urban and involves the engine idling for 30% of the time it is running, i.e: me.

I change the oil every 13,000 miles.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=44

This is from the bloke out of Saturdays Torygraph motoring section.

Funny, when I was living in the States they used to change the oil a lot more regularly now I remember.

Honest John is one of the reasons I buy the Telegraph on Saturdays! I am sure he would recomemnd an early change!

ATB from Fredrik

I'm with count.d and Mark. The manufacturer recommends a reasonable standard of maintainance but if you want to look after your engine in the best possible way then do an early oil/filter change, using the best (but correct spec) oil you can afford.

Did this at 500 miles on my Caterham's brand new Rover K series. Oil was indeed gritty as Mark describes. Next change it was perfect.

Oil=cheap. Engine=pricey.

My car required an initital oil change at between 1,000 and 1,700 give or take miles. To clear out the swarf which will have been collected. Thereafter I have had and will continue to have annual oil changes - a small price to pay to keep an engine in fine order I would have thought.