Ultimate "el cheapo" oil change, LOL

[gfh77665]

2001 Grand Marquis, 178K miles, driven on interstate 80 miles/day. Don't really give a flip about this car, so I want to do the bare minimum to keep it functional.

So, having "almost free" Mobil and PYB oils at hand, I do 5000 mile changes on my nice Honda Odyssey, while the OLM usually indicates 40% or 50% life remaining. Thinking that this used oil could almost go another 5000 miles (if I wanted to push it), I drain and use 4 quarts of it, then add two new quarts to make the 6 quarts total needed for the Marquis oil changes. I think the 2 new quarts boosts the TBN and additives enough to get by.

I use a cheap but decent quality filter like NAPA Silver or FL820s for 10K intervals. My cost per change is less than $5. The Marquis seems to be surviving...so far...LOL.

 

[dishdude]

Since you don't give a flip about it, it'll run forever!

 

[Black_Thunder]

why not just buy the cheapest oil you find like supertech etc?


just saying.

 

[Farmer]

Originally Posted By: Black_Thunder
why not just buy the cheapest oil you find like supertech etc?


just saying.


Especially if ST Syn is only $12 right now...

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: Black_Thunder
why not just buy the cheapest oil you find like supertech etc?


I did. got over 200 quarts for $1 each. Mobil and PYB.

 

[dlundblad]

If you have $1 oil, I'd use that.

 

[doublebase]

Haha! This cracks me up! Throw oil that has 5,000 miles on it into another car and add two quarts of fresh oil to boost the TBN. That's pretty good, hey why not? You don't care about the car, so why not see if it keeps it going for another 100k doing highway commuting miles. I bet it will.

I've seen so many YouTube videos with people going thousands upon thousands of miles by just topping up. One guy with an Audi A4 has 450,000 miles and hasn't changed the oil in three years...just tops up...he says it burns oil enough oil that it gets replenished every 5 months anyway. These things are real, and they are certainly out there.

 

[Kira]

That Audi fellow shows you what you can accomplish with some real basic math and by paying a little attention. Most people have neither.

Of course that doesn't apply to us BITOGers.

 

[NateDN10]

Seems like a good plan to me!

 

[eljefino]

Someone on here posted results from a lincoln town car 4.6 with 20-something thousand miles on the same oil, and the oil was hanging in there, barely.

 

[AZjeff]

So a running car that does an 80 mile commute isn't worth $4 more per oil change and you've already spent the $4? Redefining the word "cheap". One less Starbucks..

 

[Excel]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Since you don't give a flip about it, it'll run forever!


I have seen cars go 60K between oil changes and run fine.dood just keeps topping it off
because it was a lease and he didnt give a [censored]

 

[gathermewool]

Sounds like a waste of time. Run the Oddysey's maintenance minder to its full interval.

 

[beanoil]

Up until late last year, I was doing less than 4 dollar changes with virgin Havoline HM from a .33 sale long ago and a 1.99 EcoGuard from Rural King. And there was that .99 a gallon straight 30 weight Delo that I'm still using in OPE. I've got one Havoline synthetic (SL rated) oil change left, but that one is going to break the bank at 7.00. 5x 1.00 for the oil, and the EcoGuard.
I bet your Marq runs a long time, and is likely receiving better oil than some folks with smokers running the mini shopping carts full of Dollar General oil.
In today's dollars, what would be the cheapest change one could do?

 

[Donald]

I would use new $1.00 oil and extend the OCI a bit until you get the "cheap oil change feeling" then do an oil change

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Sounds like a waste of time. Run the Oddysey's maintenance minder to its full interval.


I hear ya. I definitely would, if I was using synthetics. I just don't want to go almost 10K on conventionals. even though the Honda is almost 100% highway useage. By doing 5K changes, I replace the quality filter (NAPA Gold, etc.) every other change, at 10K.

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: AZjeff
So a running car that does an 80 mile commute isn't worth $4 more per oil change and you've already spent the $4? Redefining the word "cheap". One less Starbucks..


And PROUD of it! LOL

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: doublebase
Haha! This cracks me up! Throw oil that has 5,000 miles on it into another car and add two quarts of fresh oil to boost the TBN. That's pretty good, hey why not? You don't care about the car, so why not see if it keeps it going for another 100k doing highway commuting miles. I bet it will.


I bet so too!

 

[OilyWaterMIXER]

I applaud your recycling efforts.

Your car will likely be fine.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Can you change oil (filter+5 quarts) for less than ten dollars?