when to change oil

[Ojos_raros]

2007 2.5i Outback with 85,000. Ive been changing the oil every 7,500 following the owners manual and online recommendations. My mechanic say now that the car is older, I should start changing the oil every 3,000. Subaru doesn't mention this at all. Is changing at 3,000 really necessary?

[number 41]

No. Not necessary...but---

1. Was this the mechanics opinion, or did he pull a valve cover off, look inside, and see that the engine was not "clean."
2. Do you ever turn the engine off when not warmed up, i.e. not driven 6 miles in summer temps or 10 miles in winter temps?
3. Do you tow?

If you have cold shutoffs or tow subaru defines this as severe service requiring oil changes every 3750 miles.

The question your mechanic has brought up, though, is marketed by oil companies as "it's time to change to a high mileage oil, Valvoline MaxLife being one of the most popular. Since you've been doing regular oil changes your engine may not be dirty but your seals, cam seals, valve cover seals, oil pan seals, rear main, etc. etc. may be getting older and more brittle and could use the extra seal conditioners of the high mileage oil, which also has extra detergents. So you could switch to a high mileage oil and stay at oil change mileage.

But it's all opinion if no one has looked inside. Oil useage is a real crapshoot. But you're right. Owner's manual does not reflect any concern over the issue.

[Ojos_raros]

no cold shut offs & no towing plus I live in So Cal.

The mechanic recommended switching over to synthetic to avoid changing oil every 3,000. Does Subaru recommend switching to synthetic?

[AWDFTW]

No reason to do anything different than you have.

Subaru "recommends" synthetic for "optimum performance and protection" but I would still run it to 7500 miles.

I change conventional at 5k, but that is only because I do most of my own servicing and it is easier for me to keep track of.

[TooSlick]

If you're driving on the beach regularly (your picture?), I'd make sure your air filter is properly seated and all the connections in the intake are nice and tight. I'd also recommend an oil analysis to check on silicon levels. You may be better off doing changes more frequently due to operating conditions.

TS

[lavarock]

Do an oil sample at 7000 miles and base your decision on that. I would also ask the mechanic for more details why he has suggested the earlier oil change.

[4wheeldog]

Originally Posted by lavarock

Do an oil sample at 7000 miles and base your decision on that. I would also ask the mechanic for more details why he has suggested the earlier oil change.

This is the real answer. I am not big on oil analysis, only because it costs more than just changing the oil. But a single, properly timed, sampling can give you the information you need to make a rational decision. Oil is a religion for most folks.......Not a lot of definitive info makes for beliefs instead of rational decisions........Your mechanic is not immune to this. he may be basing his recommendation on cars he has seen deteriorate, or he may have a new boat that he needs to make payments on. Good luck.