[zregime]

Finally cracked open the maintenance schedule handbook today and was surprised (even a little suspicious) to see that the oil changes for the '05s are every 5,000 miles? Can one of my AFM buds confirm this? Maybe I've been brainwashed by the JiffyLube ads, but that seemed a long time -- especially given the way I'm sure many of us are workin' out the engines! Thanks in advance for any info...

 

[sonny1213]

Finally cracked open the maintenance schedule handbook today and was surprised (even a little suspicious) to see that the oil changes for the '05s are every 5,000 miles? Can one of my AFM buds confirm this? Maybe I've been brainwashed by the JiffyLube ads, but that seemed a long time -- especially given the way I'm sure many of us are workin' out the engines! Thanks in advance for any info...

I did 1st oil only at 500, then oil and fiter at 1k. I now will go w/ the 3k LOF like I've done on every car I've owned … except the Benz.

 

[theyogawarrior]

Who's changing your oil? You, the dealer, or a jiffy lube type joint.

 

[hogpowr]

Im doing mine at the dealer, every 2500. I usually do the every 3000 thing, but I'm seeing the redline more often than i usually do........lol:strut

 

[STONECOLD]

I believe that the 5000 mile oil change is meant for light duty cars. 3000 is for normal driving. (Lots of stop and go traffic and idling)

The manual for my 95 recommends the same intervals.

 

[Guest]

Most later Ford engines have been recommending 5k between oil changes unless you are heavy duty driver.

I have seen it since at least 1998 with my old F-150 Lariat, which had an extra deep oil pan.

That said, I do mine every 3-4,000 miles.

 

[DaWarrior]

I got the extended warranty on mine which includes the first 5 oil changes free... so I took it in @ close to 3,000 miles. After waiting like 20min they told me with the extended warranty the car had to have atleast 4k miles on it to get that free one but they would gladly still do the oil change if I would pay for it.

I was like Nah, defeats the purpose right lol. Due to work schedule I couldnt get it back in till like 4500 miles and they did the oil change and the 5k checkout, tire rotation, etc.. but I think thats kind of shaddy rule and time wasted on the first trip.

 

[Heatho]

I'll be doing mine every 3 months regardless of miles. For me that'll be somewhere between 3k and 5k.

 

[sonny1213]

I have the local service station do mine, but only 1 guy ever works on my cars. I stay away from the dealer unless it's an absolute necessity.

 

[chuckles]

If you run a good synthetic oil, you can change once every 10-15K and just swap filters every 5K and top off. This is ONLY if you use synthetic designed for longer change intervals, such as Amsoil, or Mobil. If you use conventional oil, 5K oil and filter is fine. The 3K change interval is B/S. Used to be this way when the additive packages in oil were poor. Todays newer oils have much better additive packages and resistance to breaking down. This only applies if you use quality oil. Valvoline, Havaline, Mobil, Castrol, are a few conventional ones. If you don't like the cost of synthetic, you can use a blend.

 

[y22kc]

I change mine every 3k miles with Mobil 1 5w-20 synthetic. I change it myself, so cost is not much to complain about, plus I just like to change oil for some reason

 

[Boglin]

The manual and Ford's website say change the oil every 5000 miles. The dealer however sent me a reminder saying every 3000. I asked them about this and they said it's a warranty thing. Not doing and oil change at least every 5000 will void issues that arise from this neglect.

 

[tricali]

I questioned the dealer once regarding this. They DO say it is every 5K miles. He said that companies Like Jiffy Lube and such have been advertising their 3K mile changes to increase the frequency of oil changes for them ($) and with these modern motors it is not necessary to do it so often. Makes sense to me. If my motor goes bad before the7 years are over, they can give me a new motor, and if it blows after that, I'll have a race prepped block, ported everything, cammed up, bored, stroked, whatever, so I could care less. Ford does their oil changes with partial synthetic... that's my only complaint.

 

[Lizardking]

This is all smoke and mirrors. Change the oil every 5k like Ford says to. Any sooner and you are wasting money.

In 91 I bought a new AWD Aerostar, 12 month, 12k warrenty, and 5k oil changes.

Nowdays its 36/36 warrenty and 5k oil changes, think Ford would recommend 5k if it resulted in increased warrenty claims?

Oil is formulated better, filters are better, engines are built to closer tolerences with better metel. This isnt the 50s anymore, alot has been improved in the last 50 years. When I was a kid it was points, plugs, cap, rotor, and valve adjustment every 12k, with oil changes every 3k. Things have sure changed, now some engines are 100k between tune ups.

Change it at 3k if you must, but your not doing your engine any favors, your just wasting money.

I dont drive my Mustang as much, about 300-500 miles a month, I change the oil at 5k, I just make sure that every time I do drive it I get it up to operating temp for at least 30 minutes.

WM, Jiffy Lube, some dealerships all tout the 3k schedule because most drivers put 15-20k a year on thier cars, thats a difference between doing 7 vs 4 oil changes a year. Multiply that by the thousands of people who use the same business to do thier oil changes. You are taking about alot of money there. It also gets your car into thier shop more often, and usually they try and sell you additional services. I went into Ford to get my first oil change and they wanted to change my oil, rotate tires, and do a coolant system check up for $90. All this for a car with 5k on it. Right.

 

[Red Rain]

well I chenge mine every 100 miles I have a setup on the sidewalk in the south bronx so come on down

 

[pcfrisch]

well I chenge mine every 100 miles I have a setup on the sidewalk in the south bronx so come on down

100 miles :shocked: Are you using the drain in the street :happyhapp

 

[Red Rain]

sure am got me some gal's in bikinis :evillol: to atract the crowds come on down and git ya earl changed :wavey

 

[sonny1213]

Is that the 30 second oil change every 100 miles?

 

[Gig4Fun]

After buying the car, I went to the ford parts counter and got two oil filters and their synth blend 5/20 oil in the red jugs and changed my own at 100 miles and then at 1000 miles and they just did the first one at 5000 miles. I will stay on a 5k interval now.

 

[zregime]

The last time I tried to do an oil change, a gust of wind blew dirty oil all over my hair so that I looked like Iggy Pop.

I too have gotten sour on the dealer route -- maybe it's just this area, I dunno -- they're always tryin' to play ya for more bucks.

Certainly not a consensus on this topic, but I definitely have a better idea who's doin' what...thanks for the comments, folks!

Here's Iggy for ya: