When should i do an oil change?

[tonystewart]

Originally Posted by CMOS

Engine NEEDS oil change after first 3,500. On the positive, we don't need an oil change light, you will hear it locking up.

That's funny!

[Boost_Junkie]

Just did my first one @ 1009 on the clock. Oil was clean, but wanted to throw in the Amsoil signature 0w-20.

[bluesubie]

Originally Posted by Boost_Junkie

Just did my first one @ 1009 on the clock. Oil was clean, but wanted to throw in the Amsoil signature 0w-20.

I would have kept the factory fill in longer. More moly, zinc, and phosphorus than the ASM.

-Dennis

[Ratmogers]

Did mine at 540 miles out of force of habit. - K&N 1004, Valvoline full synthetic 0-20W

[tibsy92]

I change mine every 5000km..don't know how many miles that equates to..
Just a habit I have, previous car ran smoother and performed better on it I found especially in the heat was smoother

[Nevermore]

I just got my lease FR-S less than 3 weeks ago and I'm already over 800 miles. The lady I spoke with concerning maintenance of the lease said the oil they use is good for 10k miles, but the lease will cover every oil change every 5k miles. I see a lot of people talking about the the break-in oil change at 1k. I'm pretty sure the dealership wouldn't cover it if I asked, but I have a friend that I'm betting would be happy to do it if I asked.

My question is, should I go ahead and have my friend do a 1k oil change, or just wait for the first 5k oil change covered by the lease?

[YourFearlessLeader]

I would just get it done every 5k miles. Do you plan to buy the car after the lease is up?

[Nevermore]

Originally Posted by YourFearlessLeader

I would just get it done every 5k miles. Do you plan to buy the car after the lease is up?

I'm still up in the air about it, to be honest. I'm keeping an eye on the car market to see if I might want something else. It just really depends on where I'm at financially and what cars are available. If nothing changes, I most likely will keep it.

[rojpetric]

Start by checking the manufacturer's recommendations for your car. The automaker that has manufactured your car has done extensive testing on your car's engine in the lab as well as in extreme real-world driving to determine its performance in many aspects.

[ducatichick]

Dealer told me the BRZ comes from the factory with synthetic motor oil in it. Makes me wonder then, why is there a 1,000 mi break in period? Synthetic really shouldn't be used (old ROT) until at least 3,000 miles for car engines.

In any case, despite the dealer trying to tell me I'm a silly girl, I plan on doing the first oil change no later than 2,000 miles.

After seeing the picture of the magnet though (page 1 of this thread), I must change the oil RIGHT NOW!!!

EDIT - anyone else been told that the car comes with synthetic oil from the factory?

[Marrk]

@ducatichick:


"the BRZ comes from the factory with synthetic motor oil in it" ---> This makes no sense to me. Porsche Carrera GTs used to come from the factory with Mobile 1 in them, but they were Porsche Carrera GTs and very likely broken in at the factory.

"Dealer told me" ---> Statements that begin this way always make me skeptical simply because I have never met a dealer who knew much of anything.

If I were in your shoes, I would do as you are doing.

Good luck.

[ducatichick]

When I was a mechanic at a Subaru dealer in the late 80's all their new cars arrived with low fluid levels - "dealer told me" this was so Subaru could unload some of their oil/antifreeze/etc costs onto the dealers. It was part of the PDIs to top off all the fluids, including adding one qt oil to a 4 qt system.

The new Mercedes Benz cars come from the factory with synthetic oil (I work at Daimler) so that leaves me to believe that at least someone else does it (but maybe only Germans!). MB is the same, first oil change is at 7500 mi - or maybe it's 10k.

If the Subaru comes from the factory with synthetic, my first oil change will include synthetic oil. Otherwise I'd use old-fashioned oil until 3k or more miles. Either way, my BRZ's oil is getting changed at about 1,000 miles (ie: NOW!)

[Alienate]

Originally Posted by ducatichick

When I was a mechanic at a Subaru dealer in the late 80's all their new cars arrived with low fluid levels - "dealer told me" this was so Subaru could unload some of their oil/antifreeze/etc costs onto the dealers. It was part of the PDIs to top off all the fluids, including adding one qt oil to a 4 qt system.

The new Mercedes Benz cars come from the factory with synthetic oil (I work at Daimler) so that leaves me to believe that at least someone else does it (but maybe only Germans!). MB is the same, first oil change is at 7500 mi - or maybe it's 10k.

If the Subaru comes from the factory with synthetic, my first oil change will include synthetic oil. Otherwise I'd use old-fashioned oil until 3k or more miles. Either way, my BRZ's oil is getting changed at about 1,000 miles (ie: NOW!)

Two things. I was the one who posted the magnet pic. That was at 500 miles. I put in 5w-20 full syn ( as opposed to 0w-20 syn which is the ONLY recommended oil), and the very next day my CEL/Idle issue happened and my frs was in the shop for 22 days while they figured out what to do. they finally just did a ECU reflash and all has been well for almost 1500 miles now.
So... If you use old fashioned oil.. it will be thicker, and I can almost guarantee you will set off the CEL/Idle issue.

Keep us posted!

[ducatichick]

Originally Posted by Alienate

Two things. I was the one who posted the magnet pic. That was at 500 miles. I put in 5w-20 full syn ( as opposed to 0w-20 syn which is the ONLY recommended oil), and the very next day my CEL/Idle issue happened and my frs was in the shop for 22 days while they figured out what to do. they finally just did a ECU reflash and all has been well for almost 1500 miles now.
So... If you use old fashioned oil.. it will be thicker, and I can almost guarantee you will set off the CEL/Idle issue.

Keep us posted!

YIKES! I'll be sure to use the correct weight!

About 20 years ago I worked in a chemistry lab. I took 2 new oil samples, standard and synthetic, and measured them on a viscometer (sorry can't recall the values). Then I did the same thing with used oil. The used synthetic had the same (or close to it) viscosity as new, whereas the standard oil had become much thinner. I was sold on synthetic at that point and have never looked back.