very low mileage -is annual service still needed?

[bazza 3,629]

so both my NC and the wifes Renault 1600 car have done very low miles over the past year.

In the past the deal was you needed an annual oil change to avoid the water build up in the motor oil - but I wonder if that's still valid with the newer semi or full synthetic oils?

Appreciate your advice- Mr or Miss Oil expert!

[nabrU 2,294]

It is called 'annual' for a reason, Bazza.

I haven't done 8k last year but my AT still went for service.

[embee 7,288]

Depends whether you want to maintain a service record.

 

If you only do reasonable distances so the engine is running hot most of the time, then technically you almost certainly don't need to change the oil just because of reaching 12 months. If you do lots of short runs and low speeds so it doesn't get a chance to get really hot then it will probably be more desirable to change it. The oil really needs to get to typically 80C to keep free of condensation.

Modern oils with good additive packs can combat the effects of moisture/contaminants reasonably well (do a google search for "total base number" TBN for some light reading).

Up to you really, they probably won't really suffer if you don't, is the cost prohibitive?

[wjvh 999]

Personally I work on miles, not months, therefore I’d say no. This does mean that if you're doing high miles then you do extra services. Probably gonna be more important to keep tyres inflated, avoid flat spots on tyres, make sure brakes are ok, battery topped up, chain OK ; those things gonna be more important than oil changes when you’re not doing many miles. Perhaps check brake fluid though.

[listener 11,184]

The old maintenance schedules used to have a dual target; every 4000 miles or every 6 months.

 

My NC's schedule simply says every 8000 miles.

Although it states that most items should be inspected every year, oil is to be replaced every year.

 

I was recently in to my local dealer to check this, since I've only done just over 6000 miles.

Result = in for a service in just over 3 weeks.

[Tex 36,817]

I like to do an annual oil change (although I don’t think it’s always strictly necessary - see Murray’s reply above). The cost is pretty small and it gives me a chance to get it up on the bench and give a good look over. 
 

With regards to your wife’s motor, why don’t you just ask your dealer for a ‘lubrication’ service? 

[stephenmcg 869]

Some Renault cars have a service every 2 years.

i took my wife’s last Clio in for service and was told it did not need one till next year

smcg

[poldark 1,512]

53 minutes ago, stephenmcg said:

Some Renault cars have a service every 2 years.

i took my wife’s last Clio in for service and was told it did not need one till next year

smcg

 

Didn't know that, very interesting, might possibly be aligning with the CT (French equivalent to MOT) which is due every two years?  🇫🇷

[alhendo1 3,045]

My old Skoda Octavia diesel had "long life" oil in it... A sensor told you when to change it... As I was doing mainly motorway miles I got around 18k between changes but the oil was manky looking so I just went back to every 12k/yearly...I bought the VAG specific/equivalent long life oil from Halfrauds far cheaper and just asked my independent garage to put it in.... As far as I'm aware the cars still going.... I think these 2 year intervals were brought in to suit fleets and hire companies to push service intervals further apart... My personal opinion is if it's easy to change the oil I'd do it annually.. If mileage is low you don't need to do the filter... Oil is cheap enough. 

 

[DMB 1,341]

Alan - You raise an interesting question.  Do manufacturers specify increasingly longer service intervals to lure buyers with the prospect of lower maintenance costs but in the knowledge that the cars will be clapped out earlier and will consume more spare parts during their lifetimes on account of inadequate servicing?

[embee 7,288]

For as long as I've been in the industry vehicle and engine manufacturers have been under pressure to extend service intervals. Obviously fleet operators want minimum costs, but also private owners always wanted less hassle, and that was both from more reliable vehicles and also longer service intervals. The resource costs have also been influential, one of the reasons why some manufacturers of engines have insisted on using replaceable cartridge type oil filters (for example the Germans) where you just change the actual filter medium, no metal can wrapped round it. "Spin on" filters are still the most popular because of convenience of installation for the manufacturer.

Regulations in certain parts of the world (USA/California for example) have required more reliable long term performance (especially in-use emissions compliance) and there have been minimum service life specs for certain items (spark plugs etc), so the need to maintain operating performance of engines over longer service intervals has been a key aspect.

A minor aspect has also always been that the less you can let folk mess around with a vehicle, the less likely they are to screw things up, quite literally "if it ain't broke ….".

In very simple terms, the better performing you can make an oil, the longer it will last. Engine mechanical development has consistently been aimed at reducing the deterioration of oils through contamination and avoidance of excessive wear (of both the oil and the hardware). All sorts of material developments like surface coatings (e.g. DLC) and ceramics have enabled components to experience minimal wear while making them smaller and lighter for example.

Modern oils are more heat stable and resist shear better, plus the better additive packs to prevent oxidation etc.

[alhendo1 3,045]

On 20/03/2020 at 09:26, DMB said:

Alan - You raise an interesting question.  Do manufacturers specify increasingly longer service intervals to lure buyers with the prospect of lower maintenance costs but in the knowledge that the cars will be clapped out earlier and will consume more spare parts during their lifetimes on account of inadequate servicing?

It's a hard one to call...my Skoda was an 06 plate so these extended oil changes have been going on long before the PCP phenomenon became popular...it's purely my opinion that this kind of oil change...ie the car telling you when it needs changes was aimed at high mileage fleet drivers....cars operating at motorway speeds are more efficient and the oil will be effective for longer....it was just when I saw the state of the oil and decided I'd be keeping the car long term that I went back to annual 12k changes....I didn't fancy the same oil filter being on for 18k miles...didn't make sense to me.....