Super Low Mileage Cars, How Often Should Oil Be Changed?
 

My mother-in-law purchased a new car in May, started driving it in July, now has 960 miles on it. The first oil change is scheduled to happen at 5,000 miles. At her rate of driving that will likely be 2-1/2 years.

Most owners manuals read miles/months "which ever come first", hers does not. What is the best thing to do. I was planning to have it changed yearly but a mechanic I ran into said that it is not necessary, just wait for the miles.

What say ye or the oil guy? My thoughts is not to have an old oil filter in the motor deteriorating.

It will never hurt to change the oil more often than needed but will always hurt to change it less often than needed. If the car is being driven I would change it every 12 to 18 months. Its not like the cost is that great.

Really depends on what kind of driving you're doing (when you do drive).

If your trips consist of taking it out on the hwy and getting the engine up to operating temp for longer than 10 minutes or so, then you can go longer between oil changes.

But if it's mostly short trips to the corner mkt two blocks away, then yeah, go by the monthly recommendation.

The car has only been on the freeway 3 times, the times that I have taken it to detail it. All short trips around town, less than 10 miles each.

I think I'm going to do it yearly as I initially planned. I really was shocked when that mechanic said stick with the mileage even if it takes 3 years.

Our last brand new car, a 2005 Daihatsu Sirion 1.3 had a service schedule of 15,000km's or 12 months, whichever occurred first.
I queried that as I was surprised mainly because I was stupidly thinking back to the old days where new cars were always 'run in' and the oil and filter changed after 1500 miles.
Sometimes even the heads had to be re-torqued also.
All in the past now and new engines are pre run on test bed before installing at the factories.

You always want to listen to what the owners manual says. The reason being if something happens to the engine and you wait for the mileage and go 3 years before changing the oil you can possibly void the new car warranty and be left to pay for the problem yourself.

That's what I try to do and encourage others to do the same.

I certainly did not leave it till 15,000km's.
We had the car dealer serviced at the 12 months date. She only had about 7 or 8,000km's on the clock at that stage.
That ensured the warranty did not become void besides I personally think 15,000 is too long a stretch anyway.

Oil Changes
 

The Trusted Volvo mechanic i know who you can trust which is rare said 80% of the volvo's they fix have not been oil changed regularly and the motor's are filthy inside.
He said if you want to do one thing to make it last longer change the oil and filter regularly don't skimp on that and they will serve you well.
Our s40 has over 300,000 on it and all sorts of little things have been fixed but the motor and auto are untouched,it uses about a litre and half between oil changes,no problem.
The other thing to not let go is the timing belt and do the water pump at the same time about 120,000 intervals but it will go to about 150,000 if you are short of money but it is risky,if the timing belt breaks it will be costly.

oil
 

Mechanics adage..."cheapest engine-rebuild is changing your oil regularly"
I come from a family with race car drivers and remember this from way back.

If it's under warranty I would go by the book but to be honest if it's driven that little I myself would change it once a year with full synthetic oil JMO