Low Mileage Oil Change vs Time

[fbergski]

Last week I had to travel to the midwest to attend my wife's fathers funeral. During the visit my wife said the her mom's car needed an oil change since it's been over six months since the last. She only has 4500 miles on her car that she bought new last year. Her dad took advantage of a free dealership oil change six months prior.

I put in Pennzoil Platinum using a Fram Tough Guard filter, Mitsubishi specs 0w-20 so that's what went back in.

With her dad gone there will be nobody around to monitor maintenance on her vehicle, so I gladly changed her oil. The question is she'll only put on about 4500 miles a year so would once a year oil changes be fine for her? The car is a 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with the 2.0L MIVEC. Car is always garaged but driven on short trips only and be subject to temperature extremes.

Thanks

 

[pbm]

I'd say PP/ Fram TG is plenty good for 5K/ 1year. Just tell her to watch the level.

 

[OneEyeJack]

Once a year would work just fine. Make sure you check the owner's manual, too. Other stuff should be checked as well like tire pressure, coolant etc.

 

[Eddie]

I think the time requirement on oil/filter changes will go the way of the 3K oil changes. i.e. not a requirement or extend it to a one year and not the 3 or 5 month, ridiculous, time now. Ed

 

[bbhero]

+1 well stated here. That's the amount of miles my lady's grandmother put on her car. That's why a 98 Camry had only 67,000 miles on it 17 yrs later

really a great car. With very low miles and new timing belt put on at 63,000. And perfectly maintained otherwise too.

 

[gabriel9766]

1 year will be good on th combo.

 

[Nick1994]

Yup once a year sounds good. If you aren't there in a year just have her take it in to the dealer.

 

[gabriel9766]

Originally Posted By: gabriel9766
1 year will be good on tht combo.

 

[hpb]

I've had 3 different Mitsubishis over the last 10 years, service intervals for all of them was 12 months or 15,000km (9,300 miles), so your plan sounds good.

 

[Joe90_guy]

My wife has a ten year old Toyota Aygo. Great little car! Last year she did 467 miles in it! The year before was a bit higher but not by much.
On my advice, the car hasn't had an oil change in three years now. The oil will be perfectly fine.
However I have noticed that the tyres, while not worn are showing signs of perishing and that slowly but surely the paintwork is being covered in green mould! I suspect the car at some stage is going to simply give up the will to live, but the oil will still be okay...

 

[raytseng]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Yup once a year sounds good. If you aren't there in a year just have her take it in to the dealer.


well, the whole point here is that there's plenty of life left in the oil. By using a premium oil one is no longer a slave to the OCI, for neither miles nor time.

There's no need to suddenly treat 365days as a cinderalla alarm clock for the same reason as 5k miles.

If you do the OCI at 9months one cycle, and then 15months the next cycle, it's still all good. Just say, every July +/- 3 months and call it a day.

 

[raytseng]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Yup once a year sounds good. If you aren't there in a year just have her take it in to the dealer.


well, the whole point here is that there's plenty of life left in the oil. By using a premium oil one is no longer a slave to the OCI, for neither miles nor time. You are optimizing for your convenience, not to squeeze the last dollar out of your oil.

There's no need to suddenly treat 365days as a cinderalla alarm clock for the same reason as 5k miles.

If you do the OCI at 9months one cycle, and then 15months the next cycle, it's still all good. Just set a holiday or birthday, like every July +/- 3 months and call it a day.

If you get off schedule, and waste a month of oillife here and there, what's the endgame? Perhaps over a decade maybe you've "saved" $30... Not worth the inconvenience.

 

[Turk]

Good replies & you have a great combo oil & filter.

Just remember to check the oil on occasion.....

 

[virginoil]

Oil life monitor ?

 

[fbergski]

I don't think my mother-in-law knows how to check the oil. I'll have to tell my wife to have her youngest brother check in a few months.

Thanks for the replies.