2 year old oil - advice
Discussion
Modern engine oils can easily cope with 2 years and 620 miles.
I expect your oil still looks clean and new on the dipstick.
In fact Mercedes-Benz advise 2 year oil changes on their early 2000 era, low mileage cars, so we presume they understand such matters.
The dashboard indicates 'Service due' and if low mileage (say 6,000) bi-annual becomes the reality.
More recent M-B cars require service every 12 months.
As the older engines are still running happily, perhaps that change to 12 months is not for engineering reasons, but to achieve more workshop cash. You decide.
I’ve heard the opposite.
Apparently oil changes and service intervals are always a balance between warranty claims, longevity and marketing.
Those extended 2 year intervals are driven by marketing, especially for fleet sales.
Engineers and mechanics I watch tend to recommend more frequent changes. Annual 5k miles, especially for turbo charged engines which are hard on oil.
I watched a Nissan GTR factory head recommend 2k oil changes as being optimal for that cars engine. Obviously that would be unpalatable for many people and lose sales.
And obviously, if you have a car on a 3yr lease, why would you bother? Just stick to the manufacturer’s recommendations. But for a keeper?
In terms of the OP’s Q, I’d be happy driving that Aston for a service if its using fully synthetic oil, which I’m guessing it would be for an engine like that.
Apparently oil changes and service intervals are always a balance between warranty claims, longevity and marketing.
Those extended 2 year intervals are driven by marketing, especially for fleet sales.
Engineers and mechanics I watch tend to recommend more frequent changes. Annual 5k miles, especially for turbo charged engines which are hard on oil.
I watched a Nissan GTR factory head recommend 2k oil changes as being optimal for that cars engine. Obviously that would be unpalatable for many people and lose sales.
And obviously, if you have a car on a 3yr lease, why would you bother? Just stick to the manufacturer’s recommendations. But for a keeper?
In terms of the OP’s Q, I’d be happy driving that Aston for a service if its using fully synthetic oil, which I’m guessing it would be for an engine like that.
Edited by wyson on Monday 12th May 16:33
Regarding the discussions about fluid change frequencies and the influencers such as marketing, customer expectations, padding back room profits, etc., the biggest elephant in the room has yet to be mentioned and that is the worlds EPAs which have more immediate influence on the frequency of a petroleum product change in a mass manufacturer's products than any other consideration.
EPAs in various regions want less frequent petroleum change frequencies than the manufacturer probably would like to recommend. There is likely a lot of negotiations that happens where the manufacturer must justify more changes than the EPAs would like.
And, the EPA, and even the manufacturer to a smaller extent, don't care about the longevity of the engine. The manufacturer only needs to make it to the warranty, then the "back room profits" soar way past oil changes, and the EPA doesn't care at all about cost impact on the customer.
EPAs in various regions want less frequent petroleum change frequencies than the manufacturer probably would like to recommend. There is likely a lot of negotiations that happens where the manufacturer must justify more changes than the EPAs would like.
And, the EPA, and even the manufacturer to a smaller extent, don't care about the longevity of the engine. The manufacturer only needs to make it to the warranty, then the "back room profits" soar way past oil changes, and the EPA doesn't care at all about cost impact on the customer.
Edited by skhannes on Monday 12th May 15:22
skhannes said:
Regarding the discussions about fluid change frequencies and the influencers such as marketing, customer expectations, padding back room profits, etc., the biggest elephant in the room has yet to be mentioned and that is the worlds EPAs which have more immediate influence on the frequency of a petroleum product change in a mass manufacturer's products than any other consideration.
EPAs in various regions want less frequent petroleum change frequencies than the manufacturer probably would like to recommend. There is likely a lot of negotiations that happens where the manufacturer must justify more changes than the EPAs would like.
And, the EPA, and even the manufacturer to a smaller extent, don't care about the longevity of the engine. The manufacturer only needs to make it to the warranty, then the "back room profits" soar way past oil changes, and the EPA doesn't care at all about cost impact on the customer.
EPAs in various regions want less frequent petroleum change frequencies than the manufacturer probably would like to recommend. There is likely a lot of negotiations that happens where the manufacturer must justify more changes than the EPAs would like.
And, the EPA, and even the manufacturer to a smaller extent, don't care about the longevity of the engine. The manufacturer only needs to make it to the warranty, then the "back room profits" soar way past oil changes, and the EPA doesn't care at all about cost impact on the customer.
I am sure that I ought to know about the world's EPAs, but unfortunately your post did not make sense to me.
Enduring Power of Attorney, that cannot be right.
Dewi 2 said:
I am sure that I ought to know about the world's EPAs, but unfortunately your post did not make sense to me.
Enduring Power of Attorney, that cannot be right.
While detracting from the OP's plight, (it'll be fine) EPA is an interesting google, my No1 hit is the English Pool Association, then European Psychiatric Association, probably says more about me though....I'm assuming Environmental Protection Agency Enduring Power of Attorney, that cannot be right.
Dewi 2 said:
skhannes said:
Regarding the discussions about fluid change frequencies and the influencers such as marketing, customer expectations, padding back room profits, etc., the biggest elephant in the room has yet to be mentioned and that is the worlds EPAs which have more immediate influence on the frequency of a petroleum product change in a mass manufacturer's products than any other consideration.
EPAs in various regions want less frequent petroleum change frequencies than the manufacturer probably would like to recommend. There is likely a lot of negotiations that happens where the manufacturer must justify more changes than the EPAs would like.
And, the EPA, and even the manufacturer to a smaller extent, don't care about the longevity of the engine. The manufacturer only needs to make it to the warranty, then the "back room profits" soar way past oil changes, and the EPA doesn't care at all about cost impact on the customer.
I am sure that I ought to know about the world's EPAs, but unfortunately your post did not make sense to me. Enduring Power of Attorney, that cannot be right. EPAs in various regions want less frequent petroleum change frequencies than the manufacturer probably would like to recommend. There is likely a lot of negotiations that happens where the manufacturer must justify more changes than the EPAs would like.
And, the EPA, and even the manufacturer to a smaller extent, don't care about the longevity of the engine. The manufacturer only needs to make it to the warranty, then the "back room profits" soar way past oil changes, and the EPA doesn't care at all about cost impact on the customer.
No problem at all. Miles driven (and how hard) is far more important than mere time. It is the thermal cycling and by products of combustion that degrade oil. It's why transmission oil requires far less frequent scheduled change.
The miles you have driven are negligible, the oil will have barely even begun to deteriorate.
The miles you have driven are negligible, the oil will have barely even begun to deteriorate.
Kumayama said:
thanks, apart from the fact that it hasn't been driven that far in the two years, I keep it in a heated garage when the car is not in use
Very good. With that usage profile the engine oil will easily be OK for another two to four years. Probably more. That's the technical reality. Edited by Kumayama on Monday 12th May 19:52
However, there are many paranoid and ill-informed folks, and your car will become a 'service outlier' and thus may be harder to sell, so the simple advice is to get it done in the next 6-12 months for no good reason other than maintaining the value of your asset.
If it's a keeper, relax. The engine oil does not need changing.
Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff