How often to change oil in a car?
Oct 31st 2014, 4:21 am
#46
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Re: How often to change oil in a car?
Coming in late to this one, so sorry if it's all been said before.
I've pulled this from Mazda's website. Granted it's for the 2014/2015 car, but I cannot see why it would not be the same for yours.
It does indeed say 8,000kms or 4 months, whichever arrives sooner.
One thing worth remembering is Canada is usually seen / classed under the "harsh environment" listing, and I think that applies country wide, rather than to specific provinces, though it could be different for different car makes. This means that you can find different schedules mentioned.
I have to say I find Mazda's schedule a little odd. My local Kia dealer is listing it as 6k and 6 months, which seems sensible, and I'm fairly sure my Hyundai was on the same schedule too. In fact, my car has a schedule indicator in it, tells me how many days and KM's it is until the next service, which is a "dumb" display, as in, it's not basing it on info from the ECU, it's purely a time and distance countdown. If the car tells me when to do it, that's when I'll do it.
As others have said, following the schedule for a new car is something you do want to do until the warranty ends, simply as the dealer could refuse any warranty claims if a problem were to arise and you did not follow the schedule.
I've pulled this from Mazda's website. Granted it's for the 2014/2015 car, but I cannot see why it would not be the same for yours.
It does indeed say 8,000kms or 4 months, whichever arrives sooner.
One thing worth remembering is Canada is usually seen / classed under the "harsh environment" listing, and I think that applies country wide, rather than to specific provinces, though it could be different for different car makes. This means that you can find different schedules mentioned.
I have to say I find Mazda's schedule a little odd. My local Kia dealer is listing it as 6k and 6 months, which seems sensible, and I'm fairly sure my Hyundai was on the same schedule too. In fact, my car has a schedule indicator in it, tells me how many days and KM's it is until the next service, which is a "dumb" display, as in, it's not basing it on info from the ECU, it's purely a time and distance countdown. If the car tells me when to do it, that's when I'll do it.
As others have said, following the schedule for a new car is something you do want to do until the warranty ends, simply as the dealer could refuse any warranty claims if a problem were to arise and you did not follow the schedule.
Seems whoever wrote the website info and whoever wrote the actual handbook didn't check with another...lol
I found a sticker in the glove compartment hard place to even see, but it lists the oil changes Budget was doing, and they were doing it every 10,000km. (Its from an ex-rental fleet)
Nov 7th 2014, 12:18 pm
#47
Tea Drinker
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 5,387
Re: How often to change oil in a car?
I do mine once a year or 15,000 miles but I use a very specific oil and filter.
Synthetic Oil | Mobil 1� Extended Performance
Synthetic Oil | Mobil 1� Extended Performance
Nov 7th 2014, 1:11 pm
#48
Dichotomus tinker
Joined: Aug 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,685
Re: How often to change oil in a car?
I do mine once a year or 15,000 miles but I use a very specific oil and filter.
Synthetic Oil | Mobil 1� Extended Performance
Synthetic Oil | Mobil 1� Extended Performance
Others have commented that 10,000km for an oil change that it may be OK to change only the filter, then oil & filter possibly once per year?
Of course the type of vehicle usage (in town or all highway) would make a big difference on the oil as well as the performance
Be interested to learn more on this oil filter change routine
Nov 7th 2014, 10:27 pm
#49
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Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: How often to change oil in a car?
does this work (or is it recommended) on vehicles 10 years or older with over 150,000km that have always used conventional oil & filter & is it worth the switch.
Others have commented that 10,000km for an oil change that it may be OK to change only the filter, then oil & filter possibly once per year?
Of course the type of vehicle usage (in town or all highway) would make a big difference on the oil as well as the performance
Be interested to learn more on this oil filter change routine
Others have commented that 10,000km for an oil change that it may be OK to change only the filter, then oil & filter possibly once per year?
Of course the type of vehicle usage (in town or all highway) would make a big difference on the oil as well as the performance
Be interested to learn more on this oil filter change routine
Ive averaged 15k between oil changes and 30k on filters. My daily drive is mostly country roads, with a bit of stop/go in town. I believe they use Synthetic, but I doubt its anything special. The OEM filters they use I read somewhere are generally made by Fram, and are nothing special.
IMO any oil change service period less than 12k km exists to give the dealers something to make money on. Now that everyone knows what the cars cost there is no profit in selling them, so dealers make money from selling financing, optioning up new vehicles, and mark up on maintenance.
Last edited by iaink; Nov 7th 2014 at 10:33 pm.
Nov 8th 2014, 12:27 am
#50
Muskoka, Ontario
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,045
Re: How often to change oil in a car?
So I went to book my car in to get the snow tyres on...looks like I will have left it a little late too- and mentioned the oil warning coming on....turns out it's a recall fault and now I get a free oil change too. Sorted 
Nov 8th 2014, 12:39 am
#51
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 317
Re: How often to change oil in a car?
I had my little ford fiesta for over 5 years in the UK and never changed the oil once 
It did eventually develop a misfire but a top up with Tesco finest oil had it running for another 2 years after that 
Garages here are awful in my experience, can't fault find and will try upsell anything. I had a problem with my brakes, and I've never been back to a shop since then when they tried to sell me a full set of rear brakes without even taking the drum off too check. Then there was the time I went to crappytire for a free oil change. They tried to tell me I needed new tierods for $$$, to which I laughed in their face since I had only changed them 2 weeks earlier.
Dealers now there in a whole different league of ripoff
It did eventually develop a misfire but a top up with Tesco finest oil had it running for another 2 years after that Garages here are awful in my experience, can't fault find and will try upsell anything. I had a problem with my brakes, and I've never been back to a shop since then when they tried to sell me a full set of rear brakes without even taking the drum off too check. Then there was the time I went to crappytire for a free oil change. They tried to tell me I needed new tierods for $$$, to which I laughed in their face since I had only changed them 2 weeks earlier.
Dealers now there in a whole different league of ripoff
Nov 8th 2014, 10:01 pm
#52
Tea Drinker
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 5,387
Re: How often to change oil in a car?
does this work (or is it recommended) on vehicles 10 years or older with over 150,000km that have always used conventional oil & filter & is it worth the switch.
Others have commented that 10,000km for an oil change that it may be OK to change only the filter, then oil & filter possibly once per year?
Of course the type of vehicle usage (in town or all highway) would make a big difference on the oil as well as the performance
Be interested to learn more on this oil filter change routine
Others have commented that 10,000km for an oil change that it may be OK to change only the filter, then oil & filter possibly once per year?
Of course the type of vehicle usage (in town or all highway) would make a big difference on the oil as well as the performance
Be interested to learn more on this oil filter change routine
Nov 8th 2014, 10:28 pm
#53
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: How often to change oil in a car?
I do mine once a year or 15,000 miles but I use a very specific oil and filter.
Synthetic Oil | Mobil 1� Extended Performance
Synthetic Oil | Mobil 1� Extended Performance
Mobil 1™ EP 5W-30 | Car Engine Oils & Products | Mobil™ Canada
Mazda say's to use 0W-20. If the car wasn't under warranty I would try the Mobil out and see how it works, but I am not sure the warranty would still be valid if I went that long between changes.
I am sure there is something in the fine print that says you have to follow the manufacturer's advice.
Maybe once it's out of warranty, I will give it a go.
Right it's got Castrol synthetic, whatever Mazda is using, the packaging and name the dealers used is different then what the retail site shows, so not sure what Castrol product it is.
The paperwork just says Mazda certified Castrol Synthetic.
Nov 8th 2014, 10:38 pm
#54
Tea Drinker
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 5,387
Re: How often to change oil in a car?
The US website shows that oil available int he type Mazda say's to use, but the Canadian website doesn't.
Mobil 1™ EP 5W-30 | Car Engine Oils & Products | Mobil™ Canada
Mazda say's to use 0W-20. If the car wasn't under warranty I would try the Mobil out and see how it works, but I am not sure the warranty would still be valid if I went that long between changes.
I am sure there is something in the fine print that says you have to follow the manufacturer's advice.
Maybe once it's out of warranty, I will give it a go.
Right it's got Castrol synthetic, whatever Mazda is using, the packaging and name the dealers used is different then what the retail site shows, so not sure what Castrol product it is.
The paperwork just says Mazda certified Castrol Synthetic.
Mobil 1™ EP 5W-30 | Car Engine Oils & Products | Mobil™ Canada
Mazda say's to use 0W-20. If the car wasn't under warranty I would try the Mobil out and see how it works, but I am not sure the warranty would still be valid if I went that long between changes.
I am sure there is something in the fine print that says you have to follow the manufacturer's advice.
Maybe once it's out of warranty, I will give it a go.
Right it's got Castrol synthetic, whatever Mazda is using, the packaging and name the dealers used is different then what the retail site shows, so not sure what Castrol product it is.
The paperwork just says Mazda certified Castrol Synthetic.
Mazda asks for 7,500km or 4 months which is a complete joke.
Nov 8th 2014, 10:38 pm
#55
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: How often to change oil in a car?
The US website shows that oil available int he type Mazda say's to use, but the Canadian website doesn't.
Mobil 1™ EP 5W-30 | Car Engine Oils & Products | Mobil™ Canada
Mazda say's to use 0W-20. If the car wasn't under warranty I would try the Mobil out and see how it works, but I am not sure the warranty would still be valid if I went that long between changes.
I am sure there is something in the fine print that says you have to follow the manufacturer's advice.
Maybe once it's out of warranty, I will give it a go.
Right it's got Castrol synthetic, whatever Mazda is using, the packaging and name the dealers used is different then what the retail site shows, so not sure what Castrol product it is.
The paperwork just says Mazda certified Castrol Synthetic.
Mobil 1™ EP 5W-30 | Car Engine Oils & Products | Mobil™ Canada
Mazda say's to use 0W-20. If the car wasn't under warranty I would try the Mobil out and see how it works, but I am not sure the warranty would still be valid if I went that long between changes.
I am sure there is something in the fine print that says you have to follow the manufacturer's advice.
Maybe once it's out of warranty, I will give it a go.
Right it's got Castrol synthetic, whatever Mazda is using, the packaging and name the dealers used is different then what the retail site shows, so not sure what Castrol product it is.
The paperwork just says Mazda certified Castrol Synthetic.
Nov 8th 2014, 10:42 pm
#56
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Joined: Oct 2010
Location: A Briton, married to a Canadian, now in Fredericton.
Posts: 4,854
Re: How often to change oil in a car?
Jsmth....why don't you change the oil yourself? It is easy. Even 'I ' have done it on several cars. The first time I did it, I was a kid and broke with a library book....I really felt great when I'd done it! Now with U Tube, you can't really go wrong, you need a big flat pan to collect the old oil, but it's 'very' doable. I just looked up your car, and there are loads of links to it, and they all say how easy it is.
Nov 8th 2014, 11:05 pm
#57
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Re: How often to change oil in a car?
Jsmth....why don't you change the oil yourself? It is easy. Even 'I ' have done it on several cars. The first time I did it, I was a kid and broke with a library book....I really felt great when I'd done it! Now with U Tube, you can't really go wrong, you need a big flat pan to collect the old oil, but it's 'very' doable. I just looked up your car, and there are loads of links to it, and they all say how easy it is.
Joys of renting.
Due to medical needs in Vancouver, a car is essential component to our lives and I want to keep this one running tip top.
Personally I'd rather not have a car, but no other option when you have to make trips into Vancouver on a semi-regular basis.
Nov 8th 2014, 11:43 pm
#58
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Location: A Briton, married to a Canadian, now in Fredericton.
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Re: How often to change oil in a car?
Oh what a bore Jsmth, I am sorry. I too have often been in the case where it's been vital for me to have a functioning car in areas of no public transport, hence why I became quite handy at the rudiments of car maintenance.
Nov 9th 2014, 4:03 pm
#59
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Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 241
Re: How often to change oil in a car?
Back in the day when i was a boy racer with my mates in NZ. We would do basic services on our cars. For oil change we would do it every 10,000kms or 6 months (i think it was) which ever came sooner. We would also change the oil filter at the same time. Pretty easy to do yourself. Im sure these days with youtube you could even do it yourself.
Last edited by MrHyperPants; Nov 9th 2014 at 4:07 pm.
Nov 9th 2014, 5:06 pm
#60
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Re: How often to change oil in a car?
Back in the day when i was a boy racer with my mates in NZ. We would do basic services on our cars. For oil change we would do it every 10,000kms or 6 months (i think it was) which ever came sooner. We would also change the oil filter at the same time. Pretty easy to do yourself. Im sure these days with youtube you could even do it yourself.