Cape Cod

I have gone to the dealer every six months for an oil change. Started this when the car was new, and have had all the fluids switched out every few years also. Last time I got the car back they told me they had put in synthetic oil, and that I wouldn't need another oil change for a year. I drive less than 5,000 a year as this is a weekend car, and I avoid wet winter roads, but do drive in winter when it's dry. I don't baby it, and bring it to redline pretty much every time I do drive it. Questions. Once a year oil change? Seems harsh. My first experience with synthetic oil also. I don't know if I could top the oil off with regular if it gets low. Would the two be compatible? Once using synthetic, do I need to continue with it or could I go back to my old habit of regular oil and change it every six months. She's now ten years old and in perfect condition with what I have been doing. Just uneasy about the year long thing. Thanks to anyone that has knowledge about this and will share.

Jet sitter

My car is also a garage queen in the Winter month's. I just switched to Castrol GTX Edge this Spring. I also used to change the oil twice/year, but now I'm just going to change it every Spring. I checked with Castrol and asked them what filter I should use with synthetic oil and they told me either to use the OEM filter or a WIX filter. As far as going back to petroleum based oil, I believe that once you go to synthetic you'll probably want to remain with synthetic. My car is an '03 with 44K miles. I'd keep an eye on the dipstick, but personally I have never had my oil level lower.

Kyras

I am going a year on my NSX, too. I use synthetic and don't put many miles on it.

Legal Bill

First of all, glad to see you are still around. I have not heard from you in a while.

I do exactly what the service folks are recommending to you. I change my oil in the fall and run it for a year, about 4,000 miles in my case, but sometimes more. I use synthetic (Mobil 1) and always have since the first oil change. Just buy a couple of quarts of whatever they use and have it on the shelf at home. I find I use about a half a quart per year. You can always go back to dino oil if you find you do not like synthetic, but synthetic oil tends to offer better protection for the engine.

With all that said, if it makes you feel uneasy, continue changing it twice a year. Nothing wrong with that, other than it is not really necessary. If you are going to change it twice a year, then yes, change back to dino oil. Of course, someone might come along here and suggest you stick with synthetic and change it twice a year to increase engine life. That propbably is not worth the money you will be spending on two synthetic oil changes per year, but people can talk themselves into anything.

Jet sitter

I'm going to take a SOAP sample this Fall to see if there are any concern's with breakdown's. I drove over 3K miles this year on a trip to South Dakota, mostly at 80+ MPH. So if thing's look good after that trip, I will feel very comfortable with the one X/year oil change. I will post up with the results.

trapper

For years-even though I was using Mobil 1 and an oil analysis by Blackstone for the "S" indicated that I could go a lot longer-I changed oil twice a year. Since moving to Massachusetts and because I'm getting lazy and cheap I have started doing it once a year for all our cars. The "S" gets done in the fall when I put the winter set of tires on.

Vanishing Point

+1 on Blackstone lab's if you are concerned or just curious about your cars oil analysis.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

S1997

I'm sure the Mobil 1 synthetic is great for the S, but I use Amsoil synthetic 5/40 European spec -- order it by the case direct. Amsoil specifies a change of this oil after 7500 miles, but I change the oil in the S based on the type of driving I am doing. I always change the oil before and after tracking it, and otherwise I try to stick to the Honda oil life indications on my odometer. I never go beyond 5000 miles, though. I never have to add oil, and my engine stays clean. I also use Amsoil filters.

dlq04

I changed oil (Mobil 1) several times a year when I tracked it, and since I did it myself it wasn't costly. I fully support once a year with synthetic for more normal driving. On my dino (non-synthectic) oil vehicles I like changing them every 3,000 miles - it's old school but it's 'cheap' insurance.

I had the oil just changed yesterday on my Audi (8 qts synthetic) after 10,000 miles. 10k is the manufacturer's recommended schedule and it has 38,000 trouble free miles on it. Bottom line, synthetic oil is great stuff in most people's book.

Either approach - twice a year with dino or once with synthetic - would be a good program to follow.

NNY S2k

Mine gets changed every spring after it's winter nap....Appx 3-4k miles/yr, Mobile 1.
Levi