How often do you change your oil?

[foskco87]

What rig do you drive and how many miles do you add between oil changes? Does anyone know what Toyota recommends for oil changes on the 3.0? I usually change mine every 3000 miles, or whenever the oil starts to look grimey.

 

[the_dingman]

3000 Miles or 3 months... Usually finding more at 3 months... I've only put on 4k in about a year and a half...

 

[Johannes]

Before and after every long trip, before and after a heavy session offroad, anytime you get into the sand or saltwater, every 3,000 miles, anytime you work on the engine internals, after it's been sitting for longer than 6 months.

 

[ovrrdrive]

I change everytime the last 4 digits of the odo are 3333, 6666, or 9999. That way it's routine and I don't have to write down the mileage of when I changed it last.

 

[fourwd1]

Every 3000-3500 mi.

 

[Alabama4Runner]

All, and I mean all, European cars run on full synthetic from the factory and specify an oil change every 12k to 15k miles equivalent (yes miles, not kilometers) or 2 years. My 100 series Lancruiser, twin turbo diesel has a lower specification: 10k miles or 2 years (I live in England which still uses miles).

I drive my vehicles very little in the US and I have switched everything to full synthetic (Mobil 1, Redline and/or Amsoil). I change it every 2 years and I would change every 7 or 8k but I don't manage to put that much on in 2 years.

Most new cars in the US specify at least 5000 miles on dyno oil, more on synthetic. I simply don't understand the 3000 mile, Jiffy-lube propaganda.

 

[foskco87]

Im sure you could go plenty longer than 3000miles for an oil change. I dont think its really a matter of how long the oil is good for rather than how long it takes for your engine to fill the oil full of crap. I usually change mine every 3000 miles because thats when the oil starts to look grimey and dark. Plus, leaving your oil unchanged for too long is really not good on the engine (its like the blood of the engine) and changing it more than necessary is not going to harm the engine so that is my reasoning. I have heard that toyota engines can go very long without an oil change so I just wanted to make sure I wasnt the only sucker changing every 3000 miles but it seems like most yota lovers do so Im gonna keep with it.