Just how far can a Mazda 3 go without a service, 73,000km

[Olbucko]

I think that the owners of modern turbocharged diesels will be in for a very expensive shock if they don't service their cars on time. A diesel that only does short trips and never heats up properly contaminates it's oil very quickly with soot and should have it's oil changed every 5000km before it starts to thicken and block the filter and small oil galleries. If the same car was only used for long trips the oil would probably be good for 20,000 km. Also the particulate filter will never get hot enough to clean itself when only used for short runs causing it to block up and more horrendous expence.

In my own case I am happy to change the oil in my Territory every 15K as recomended by Ford, but I use synthetic oil and drive 45K per year so the oil change comes round every 4 months. I have followed the same routine in my Subaru which has now done 380,000 Kms and the engine still runs like new.

Keep em hot and filled with the best oil that you can afford and they will run for ever. (almost)

[Paxton]

I didn't think of this when I first posted in this thread, but my X5 is coming up on its second year without a service. I've taken it to BMW twice in the last two years, only to get home, and get a phone call telling me that my car is ready. Both times, I've left without charge, because apparently, the car isn't ready for a service yet.

There are no set intervals - the engine can tell the quality of the oil in them from a sensor in the engine, and until it degrades sufficiently, BMW will not change it. That being said, the oil is still golden. I'd love to know exactly what they use.

[Supercharged]

Originally Posted by Paxton

I didn't think of this when I first posted in this thread, but my X5 is coming up on its second year without a service. I've taken it to BMW twice in the last two years, only to get home, and get a phone call telling me that my car is ready. Both times, I've left without charge, because apparently, the car isn't ready for a service yet.

There are no set intervals - the engine can tell the quality of the oil in them from a sensor in the engine, and until it degrades sufficiently, BMW will not change it. That being said, the oil is still golden. I'd love to know exactly what they use.

Makes you wonder why you would change the oil so often in an LPG only vehicle as the oil is so clean.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by Paxton

I didn't think of this when I first posted in this thread, but my X5 is coming up on its second year without a service. I've taken it to BMW twice in the last two years, only to get home, and get a phone call telling me that my car is ready. Both times, I've left without charge, because apparently, the car isn't ready for a service yet.

There are no set intervals - the engine can tell the quality of the oil in them from a sensor in the engine, and until it degrades sufficiently, BMW will not change it. That being said, the oil is still golden. I'd love to know exactly what they use.

Could be Liqui Moly - very good oil. I run it in the ute and am very happy with it.

[SSD-85]

I shouldve taken some photos of my missuses old Barina. Looked more like molasses than oil.

[coasty]

I serviced a customers Rav4 with 65,000ks on it. The only reason she came in was because the oil light was on. We asked when it's last service was and we were greeted with a dumb/stunned mullet look. It had never been done and she knew nothing about servicing. It was a thick molasses blob and nothing else.

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by Dave3911

In fairness, for a company, yes it certainly can be an excuse. If by not having the car out earning the company money is going to cost more then the cost would be of a rebuilt/new engine - then if I was in charge, I'd skip a few services too. A car for a company (especially a large one) can easily be treated as something that is easier (and more cost efficient) to run into the ground, rather than pay to maintain.

Completely incorrect. Taxis are serviced every 28 days, 2hrs off the road for a service at a scheduled quiet time is far, far less inconvenient than a breakdown 50k from base.

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Could be Liqui Moly - very good oil. I run it in the ute and am very happy with it.

I'd like to think it is anything else, but the Oil Cap has Castrol on it. If Castrol, most likely this:

CASTROL SLX PROFESSIONAL LONGTEC BMW LL01
Castrol SLX Professional Longtec BMW LL01 is an advanced synthetic SAE 5W-30 high performance motor oil. It combines outstanding low temperature fluidity and high load protection. Castrol SLX Professional Longtec BMW LL01 has been specifically formulated to meet the latest requirements of European OEMs for passenger car and light commercial petrol and diesel engines, including BMWs Longlife Oil specification.
Service Refill Capacity: 8.0* Litres.
See note 713 below.
713 If unavailable, refer to Dealer. May use CASTROL EDGE SPORT 0W-40 for top up only.

Liquimoly has my interest, however. It's a shame they don't make one suitable for the E Series engine. I'm looking for something that will be better with its old engine.

[Dave3911]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

Completely incorrect. Taxis are serviced every 28 days, 2hrs off the road for a service at a scheduled quiet time is far, far less inconvenient than a breakdown 50k from base.

Who mentioned Taxi's? I wasn't talking about hire vehicles where the vehicle is the business.

[old_mate]

we had our old company triton do 110 000k's between services. The thing was very ticky, rattled like nothing else but seemed to still run ok. Guy who drove it used to top the oil up every few months, but had the opinion it was 'just a work car' and organising it to go to the mechanics was a 'pain in the rear'.

[wsuser]

my old man has a 2000 Hyundai excel never serviced...... it has over 250000kms on it and it runs like a beast

[whynot]

Not sure were the $500 for a Mazda 3 service has come from ... it normally only costs me $250 for a standard service on the wife's 3. Yes, I can change the oil and filter easily enough. But, for resale, it helps having dealer stamps in the service book. If one is tight for cash, then there are plenty of cheaper places that can change oil.

Besides, most of the cost for a service does come from the labor component. A tech costs around $80/h with all the overheads.

[mrbaxr6t]

oh geeze and I felt bad killing a 250 xflow in an old XF ute, I pulled it to bits and discovered it had shredded the rear main seal blasted all the oil out at highway speed then needless to say 700,000 kms plus and no oil it didnt last very long before parts decided to eject through the sump. the engine was shot to hell this I knew but it ran with me constantly maintaining it. It only had to last another 4 weeks before the newly rebuilt motor replaced it, but it decided to let go. But this defies belief and logic its like buying yourself a drink on a melting hot day and tipping it out then complaining because you don't have a drink.....

I have a mental picture of this person going off tap cause her new car is stuffed and how the cars' a POS....

[demood]

Originally Posted by Supercharged

Makes you wonder why you would change the oil so often in an LPG only vehicle as the oil is so clean.

Because the oil turns acidic from burning LPG after a while, despite still looking clean.
There's more to oil than just removing carbon from the engine.

[falconnut]

Read the whole thread and i cant wait to get my car serviced.

I dont know where anything is on these AU's as i used to do everything on my old Cressidas.

Parts are cheap though (Yay bursons) and i suppose a workshop manual is worth it.

at 150000k (143k now) ill do it.

Its funny this thread reminds me of old bikes/cars/tractors i could not kill.

A old fiat tractor's dipstick would pour out oil and i wedged it in with a stick :p

84 XR200R's gaskits where shot (ALL OF THEM) and it would use about 5l everytime i rode it.

83 XLX250, has run a whole day with little to no oil in the engine (The infamous invisible mysterious Honda Oil leak) and i didnt even know until i checked the dipstick.

3x 1983/4 cressida's just wont die, all 3 of them have run with no coolant in the engines, blown head gaskit and or dead sparkplugs,leads injectors,dead battery. I have much respect for the 5ME, but it doesnt stop it from being a slow unreliable piece of **** :P

1972 Yamaha Chappy, litterally was pouring oil out the sparkplug, started/ran perfectly until everything started leaking, now its in permanent pieces.

All these old bombs had 300000k+ on them, impossible to totally kill yet where unreliable, old leaky pains in the ***.

[sudszy]

Originally Posted by demood

Because the oil turns acidic from burning LPG after a while, despite still looking clean.
There's more to oil than just removing carbon from the engine.

Goes against the grain, but me thinks its just an excuse to sell lpg specific oil at inflated prices.
Suggest those that run lpg do a basic pH test on your oil and you'll come to the same conclusion

[drew`SEVNT5]

Originally Posted by pcman

a boss i used to work for told me the trucks only needed servicing every 50000km
was a little hino fc driven around melbourne never switched off cause it was refridgerated so 8-12 hours running daily

it got to 35000 before i finally convinced him it HAD to be serviced

scariest part in his previous job he looked after the maintnence of light planes

Trucks can go 30-40-50-60-70-80,000kms between oil changes, depending on the truck make and the oil used.

[f1tzy]

Originally Posted by vibe_xr6

Its a bit of topic, but this makes me wonder how evinrude's etec last's 3 years before scheduled servicing and maintenance. ( No scheduled maintenance apart from once every 3 year service )

They are a direct injection 2 stroke so there is not engine oil to change anyway only the oil in the transmission

[pcman]

Originally Posted by drew`SEVNT5

Trucks can go 30-40-50-60-70-80,000kms between oil changes, depending on the truck make and the oil used.

a semi doing highway runs yes but a little around melbourne truck i dont think so

[demood]

Originally Posted by sudszy

Goes against the grain, but me thinks its just an excuse to sell lpg specific oil at inflated prices.
Suggest those that run lpg do a basic pH test on your oil and you'll come to the same conclusion

I agree on the inflated LPG oil prices, but using regular engine oil at the correct intervals is still a good thing.

[drew`SEVNT5]

Originally Posted by pcman

a semi doing highway runs yes but a little around melbourne truck i dont think so

How little are you talking? 11,990kg GVM European trucks are nearly all 40k+

Anything smaller than that is just a big ute.

[XR_6falcon]

We had a 2008 turbo diesel pajero in today that reminded me of this thread. Its a company car and had come in for front and rear brakes. Out of habit i looked at the service sticker and it had 60,000 for its next service, but had 85,000 on the odo. On inspecting the service book it had only been serviced once in its life at 48k. Managed to sell her a service while we were doing brakes explaining how over due it was. Some people have no clue