# Fully Synthetic Oil Users (Mobil 1)



## shayner (Mar 14, 2006)

How often do you change your oil?


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## azrocketman (Oct 5, 2005)

shayner said:


> How often do you change your oil?


I use Mobil 1 in my 1995 Ford Windstar. The van gets about 6000 miles a year, probably 80-90% on long freeway trips. I change the oil once a year. 

I use "dino" oil (Previously Valvoline, now Chevron) on my Frontier which is my everyday driver. I change its oil every 4000 to 5000 miles. I think it's more important to define your oil change intervals based on the probable contamination of the oil from combustion byproducts (which is a result of how the vehicle is used, e.g. short trips). I would probably do the same change intervals even with Mobil 1 (which would be cost prohibitive).

The other factor would be sustained high temperature use, say towing in August in Arizona. Here, the synthetic is superior to "dino" oils for resisting breakdown. I'd still change the oil at relatively frequent intervals (maybe 7500 miles) if this was my case.

Steve


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## msubullyfan (Jul 24, 2005)

Every 5,000 miles - 10W30 (I live in the South). I know the factory manual says 3,750, but the chance of an oil-related failure during the warranty period is almost nothing. I figure in the real world, Mobil 1 @ 5k changes protects better than dino oil every 3.75k.

As soon as the warranty expires, I'll probably switch to the Mobil 1 Extended Performance and change it every 10-15k.


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## jerryp58 (Jan 6, 2005)

shayner said:


> How often do you change your oil?


My Frontier doesn't really see harsh conditions and it's run on the highway about two thirds of the time, so I've chosen to go between the 3750 and 7500 schedules and change it & the filter every 5000 miles.


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

i run redline oil, change at 7000 with a filter change at 3500


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## Mylt1 (May 10, 2006)

mobil 1 extended preformance will get changed and sent out to be tested at 8k. if it comes back clean it will go 10k on the next one.


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## Markcuda (Apr 24, 2006)

I use the Mobil 1 extended preformance and still change at 5,000 miles


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## donahue57 (Nov 29, 2005)

2000-3000 tops. I don't use syth. for extended changes I use it for its better protection.


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## Mylt1 (May 10, 2006)

donahue57 said:


> 2000-3000 tops. I don't use syth. for extended changes I use it for its better protection.


then your waisting your money. if your gonna switch at 2-3k normal oil would do just as well.


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## Centurion (Sep 5, 2002)

Mobil1 Extended Performance, every 5K.


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## NPath (Dec 12, 2004)

I was just at a website (below), and it said changing synthetic oil once a year. Is synthetic really that good?! 

I've always used conventional oil, but if most major brands suggest that, I just may switch. 

Before You Buy Any Synthetic Oil...You Need to Know all the facts! Source of the World's Best Synthetic Lubricants


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## Mylt1 (May 10, 2006)

NPath said:


> I was just at a website (below), and it said changing synthetic oil once a year. Is synthetic really that good?!
> 
> I've always used conventional oil, but if most major brands suggest that, I just may switch.
> 
> Before You Buy Any Synthetic Oil...You Need to Know all the facts! Source of the World's Best Synthetic Lubricants


from what i hear from friends over seas they only change there oil every 10-12k miles or once a year. which 10-12k a year is average. they dont drive like we do. most of europes public transit systems are nice enough and planed out well enough that most people use it.


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

NPath said:


> I was just at a website (below), and it said changing synthetic oil once a year. Is synthetic really that good?!
> 
> I've always used conventional oil, but if most major brands suggest that, I just may switch.
> 
> Before You Buy Any Synthetic Oil...You Need to Know all the facts! Source of the World's Best Synthetic Lubricants


amsoil is a good oil, but that website is their regular MLM crap... I ran amsoil for years but switched to redline for the moly, base stocks, and other crap that just causes fights on forums


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## shayner (Mar 14, 2006)

Mylt1 said:


> mobil 1 extended preformance will get changed and sent out to be tested at 8k. if it comes back clean it will go 10k on the next one.


where do you send it to get it tested? How much does the test cost?


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## Mylt1 (May 10, 2006)

shayner said:


> where do you send it to get it tested? How much does the test cost?


NAPA. you buy a bottle with a smaller bottle inside and a shipping lable. you fill the small bottle with oil and cap it off then put that inside the bigger bottle and put the shipping lable on it and hit the post office. the price of the kit is what it cost for the test. then a few weeks later you get a letter with everthing they found and and explanation of it. they also keep it for future refferance and compare it to the next sample you send in.


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## pdxfj (Apr 7, 2006)

shayner said:


> where do you send it to get it tested? How much does the test cost?


Blackstone Laboratories

I have one of their kits that I was going to use on my old truck, but traded it in before I had a chance.

Kit is free, just pay for the test. I've known quite a few people to use Blackstone, and all have been very happy with their service.


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## Danmuzicman (Mar 15, 2006)

yeah for my next two oil changes i am going to try the mobile extended 5000 mile one with only filter changes, i drive alot of miles


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## omegatotal (Oct 1, 2004)

i use mobil1 extended performance on my '04 frontier and a KN filter, first 2 changes after switching to syn were at 3k this one is already to 7k, and it's starting to sound like i need to change the oil, im gonna see about getting one of those kits and sending it off to be tested when i change it

question related to oil, does anyone here use and oil cooler or remote oil filter kit ?


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## donahue57 (Nov 29, 2005)

I may or may not be wasting my money, that is a matter of opinion. If in 4-5 years I was selling my truck and had every recept from every oil change would you have any doubts on buying my truck? Since I bought the truck with 6 miles on it I have changed the oil at 500, 1000, 2000, then every 3000 miles. I have also rotated the tires every oil change and cleaned my K&N. At 10,000 I changed all the gear lube in the drive train to redline. I might be insane, but ask how my truck is in 100-150,000 miles.


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## msubullyfan (Jul 24, 2005)

omegatotal said:


> it's starting to sound like i need to change the oil



Huh? you can HEAR that your truck needs an oil change?


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## dvdswanson (Nov 6, 2005)

cant you? its just like when shoes need to be polished, they say "kiwi, kiwi"


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## azrocketman (Oct 5, 2005)

donahue57 said:


> I might be insane, but ask how my truck is in 100-150,000 miles.


I'll ask but I suspect that the truck will not be significantly better than mine that gets dino oil changes every 4 to 5k miles and tire rotations every 30k whether it needs them or not. Then ask me how much time and money I spent on the truck to make it to 150k miles and compare it to your totals. Ask me if the maintenance difference will make your truck worth more than mine at 150k miles. I suspect that any difference will not compensate for the cost.

Steve


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## donahue57 (Nov 29, 2005)

worth more, probably not. run better with fewer parts replaced...I'd bet my ass on it. Cost more to maintain, yes mine will. However, I love spending wrench time on my vehicles. I change the oil in the rest of my vehicles more often. My 94 Eagle Talon scca car every 1500 miles w/ Royal Purple, My 93 Mustang Gt every 2000 w/ Mobile 1, My 96 Ninja zx9R every 1500 w/ Mobile 1 MXT4. I don't care about the cost and I have never had a failure that was lubrication related. I respect your opinion but I'll stick with my ideas.


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## Mylt1 (May 10, 2006)

general maintinance doesnt effect the price of a used car. i can lie and get recepts form any number of auto parts stores. so in 100k-150k your truck will be worth the same as mine no matter what parts you or i have replaced. as far as not caring about price, glad you are that well off. for the rest of us thats why we follow the oil makers recomendation. 8k is a safety and if its clean i will go 10k. i do not trust it to 15k but im sure someone that drives like a saine person could easily get 15k out of it. i am a little hard on my cars.


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## jerryp58 (Jan 6, 2005)

Mylt1 said:


> general maintinance doesnt effect the price of a used car. i can lie and get recepts form any number of auto parts stores. so in 100k-150k your truck will be worth the same as mine no matter what parts you or i have replaced.


What if a person couldn't lie about maintenance? Would 2K versus 8K oil changes make a difference in value then? Even though I don't think there'd be that much difference in the engine's wear, I know it would to me. Of course people do lie all of the time, but the person who buys a car from *donahue57 *will be luckier and possibly better off.


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## azrocketman (Oct 5, 2005)

jerryp58 said:


> What if a person couldn't lie about maintenance? Would 2K versus 8K oil changes make a difference in value then? Even though I don't think there'd be that much difference in the engine's wear, I know it would to me. Of course people do lie all of the time, but the person who buys a car from *donahue57 *will be luckier and possibly better off.


Oil changes are only a small part of the vehicle maintenance story. My '79 Olds Custom Cruiser got pensioned off at 335k miles. That vehicle got its dose of dino oil every 4 to 5k miles. The heads had never been off the engine but oil consumption was still around a quart every 1000 miles (on an American V8 that's not known for great oil control). In that time though, the timing chain broke at 288k miles (actually the nylon gear wore out), a front spring broke, a suspension bracket broke, transmission input splines stripped at 315k, etc. My point is that milage causes wear and and fatigue on components far removed from the engine. 

Oil changes are not the limiting factor in a vehicle's life (by the way, when has anyone ever seen a lubrication induced failure that was caused by oil change intervals). It's the integrity of the build and margins in the design. If donahue57 enjoys the maintenance then all the more power to him. In the big picture, his vehicles at high mileage will not be worth any more than any other properly maintained vehicle.


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## Madmaxfl (Oct 22, 2005)

Right on rocketman. I will date myself by saying I have been driving and working on cars since the early 70's. I have never seen an oil related failure. I remember a 1964 Oldsmobile a firend of my dad brough over so I could tune it up. the valve covers leaked so i pulled them to replace the gaskets. the sludge build up was so bad it looked like the covers were still on after I took them off. I replaced the gaskets and put the covers back on. That engine still ran great and did not make any unusual noise. I can't remmember how many miles were on it. 
Most people do not keep up with the little things that break on their cars and after a few years it is a beater and they get rid of it. Most of the cars you see in the junk yards either had a timeing belt break or were automatics and the tranny went out. 
Yes I use Mobile 1 in my 300z, dodge caravan and may go to it in my daughters 96 Sentra with 37,000 miles. My sons 90 HB with 200,000 miles we use max life. I use Mobile 1 because I can afford it. Dino oil changed ever 3000 miles will work well. 
I never have ben a fan of Quaker State as it contains , or used to, too much parifin that builds up in the engine. 

My 2 cents worth.


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## mudyfronty05 (Jul 14, 2006)

ok, oil change just came due switched to mobil 1 and i will never go back. the truck runs smoother and i am not sure becuse the factory temp gauge is not numbered but it looks like it is running cooler....very satisfied


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