I want to change my oil once per year - synthetic?

[strader]

I just bought a Nissan Frontier XE 4 cylinder and I would like to be able to change the oil once per year and do all the other routine maintenance at the same time. I live 1 mile from where I work and I ride a bike, so I have basically a zero mile daily commute. Of course this also means the truck will sit for days without being started. The truck is going to be used mainly for errands around town and hauling dirt bikes and mountain bikes. I expect annual mileage to fall in the 5k-7k range.
For a 1 year and 7k mile OCI would I be okay using dino oil? I was planning to just buy whatever Synthetic happens to be on sale locally (mobil, valvoline, castrol, rp, etc). Would synthetic be my best bet, or will it even make a difference?

 

[Doc8404]

I THINK you'd be OK using dino....but without a Used Oil Analysis (UOA, see other threads, it has its own category) I'd shoot for synthetic....that's what I'm doing in my F150, about 5k a year on synthetic, and i put her up in december and get her out in April....change before I put her up.

Advance Auto Parts has the BOGO on Penzoil and QPower 4x4...can't go wrong with that price for either one!

 

[98LSC32V]

Amsoil

 

[Greggy_D]

There's no way in heck I'd use dino for 1 year and 7k with those short trip conditions. Think about using 6 month OCI's using dino or 1 year/7k with a syn.

 

[ConfederateTyrant]

If you are going to use conventional, go with 6 month oil changes. If you want to just do one oil change per year, then go with a quality synthetic.

 

[strader]

Thanks guys. I will go with a synthetic. I change the oil cnce per year on my BMW with synthetic (BMW actually prescribes once/year or when the service indicator comes on) and it's UOA's have turned out fine. It's really convenient to be able to do all maintenance on all my cars at the same time.

 

[ctrcbob]

Back around 1984, I had a boss (Chemical Engineer) who drove a Honda Civic Wagon. (Remember them, they were very narrow and could only fit two in front and two in back, very tight). He always used to use M1 (this was back when M1 was a great PAO, advertised the oil in a frying pan not boiling off, etc.). My boss would always change his oil (M1) once a year, every spring. He would change the filter every 7-8000 miles and top off what he lost from the filter. He used to drive between 21000 and 25000 miles a year. Never had any oil problems with that Civic Wagon. Don't think I would do that with todays M1. (Yesterdays M1 better than todays M1????)

 

[wgtoys]

1 year, 7k mile oil changes should be fine with any modern name brand synthetic oil. If you were to believe Mobil's advertising then even their Mobil 7500 blend product should get you there. Are you going to be able to park indoors? It does a vehicle a lot of good to be protected from the elements even when it is just sitting. If the Frontier is brand new I would do a couple of short interval initial dino oil changes to get most of the early wear metals out of there. Once at 500 miles and once again at 1,500 miles before going on to the annual routine.

 

[Brett Miller]

I'll second Amsoil- you want the ASL 5w30.

 

[mazduh30]

I use Amsoil, changing it once a year. Also use the Eoa filter.

 

[strader]

Yeah, the truck will be garaged as soon as I sell my other car. I also do my best to consolidate errand trips to keep the engine warm.

 

[MaximaGuy]

Stop being lazy and do oil changes atleast 2 times a year!!

 

[OldTireMan]

I have a 1997 Jeep GC with 115-k, that I drive 4k to 5k per year. I use an HDEO (Rotella 10w30). My current OCI will be 1 year

I will have a OA in August to test out my plan. It will take me about 20 years to get to 200-k, I doubt that the rest of the Jeep will last that long.

I have come a long way in a short period of time. It was not that long ago that I was a firm 2-k OCI guy

Maybe I have swung to far to the dark side

BTW I have changed my 1994 454 motorhome from a 1 year Synthetic OCI to a 1 year DINO (same HDEO). No OA until next March.

 

[PT1]

I third amsoil & make certain you get the amsoil oil filter as well. amsoil is the only oil I would trust for a year (with the exception of marine oils) If you don't want to do amsoil do pennzoil marine.

 

[oilboy123]

MaximaGuy why do you think someone would be lazy just because they don't want to change their oil 2x a year?
I guess it could be said that you have nothing better to do because you change your oil too often?

I would do the Amsoil. The King of Long Drain.

He mentioned convenience so he could do other maintenance as well. It's less waste oil in the environment as well.

Dude cut him some slack. You are being kind of presumptuous.

 

[NismoMax80]

i'm gonna do the same with my 04 Maxima. since I moved it is mostly garaged and I walk everywhere. Most miles are 1 hour hwy to visit back home. Of course occassional spirited driving, some redlining, but majority coasting 2-2.5k rpm.

I just hit 30k on Castrol GTX and stock filter oci 3750. (Before most miles were
I'm thinking every 7500 on M1 and stock filter. I may make it a year.

 

[Steve S]

Quote:

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Back around 1984, I had a boss (Chemical Engineer) who drove a Honda Civic Wagon. (Remember them, they were very narrow and could only fit two in front and two in back, very tight). He always used to use M1 (this was back when M1 was a great PAO, advertised the oil in a frying pan not boiling off, etc.). My boss would always change his oil (M1) once a year, every spring. He would change the filter every 7-8000 miles and top off what he lost from the filter. He used to drive between 21000 and 25000 miles a year. Never had any oil problems with that Civic Wagon. Don't think I would do that with todays M1. (Yesterdays M1 better than todays M1????)

---

What makes M 1 a lesser oil?

 

[addyguy]

I don't think you can compare M1 and a Honda Civic from 20+ years ago to todays M1 and cars.....technically, older cars should have been harder on oils, but to do 21,000 - 25,000 miles a year, you have to be doing a lot of highway driving, so that use was prolly as easy on the oil as todays more effecient cars are....

 

[warchildindy]

I run the same mileage per year, 5000 to 7000 miles, 10 to 12 month oci. I consider my driving severe, so I like the synthetic.

I have used Amsoil (group III and IV) and group III Mobil-1 synthetic with great results. I am now using the German Castrol 0w-30 in almost everything I own.

The only exception, being the motorcycle. I have used the Amsoil and Mobil-one syntheic V-Twin 20w-50 oils, both group IV, with good results. Same driving (severe), 2500 to 3000 mile, (1) year oci.

Try to use a good oil filter, there are several out there. I have used Amsoil, Mobil-One, and K&N with no problems. I currently use Purolator, which I will change out at six months intervals, with a top off. You can't beat the performance for the price.

I like what I hear about the Penzoil Platinum synthetic also. No experience yet with it, though.

Good luck with your choice.