If you asked HJ, then he'd tell you, quite clearly, NO.

A car needs an oil change every year, or every 10k miles, whichever comes first. Skimping on oil changes might look like saving money, but it's a fool's game.

Thanks for replies. I accept that from the answers given that it is a sensible regime to have oil changed every 10,000 miles/12 months, which we shall do.

The quantity charged for, 9ltrs, was for the oil only and not any labour charges, as these were charged sepaerately in the invoice, so can only assume that it was a delliberate ploy to overcharge my wife, especially as she took the car in to the garage and again collected it herself. Sorry to be sexist, but can only come to that conclussion.

I would think that the simplest answer to this is to follow the manufacturer's recommendation with the proviso that the oil should always be changed after a year.

Why, please explain.

What do the oil manufacturers have to gain by selling us long life oil that does not work like the spec sheets say it will. They would be leaving themselves open to being taken to court if it could be proved the oils would not work as specified.

No doubt there are some cars on extended oil change intervals that have had engine problems, no idea if they are connected. No doubt there are also some cars that have standard service intervals that have engine problems.

But the important fact is very few cars have such issues and I would expect that the majority that do have been using an incorrect oil. I take my hat off the the chap who posted above saying they had a multitude of different oils in the garage, he should educate one of our local Kia dealers who only used Ford oil which is the wrong stuff especially if you have a DPF.

I admit that when I get a new car I have the oil changed after a few months. Its an old habit and probably unnessary now but even though I am happy leaving Long Life oil in 2 years I am not happy leaving the first fill oil in for 2 years.

My wife runs cars with very low annual mileages in a manner designed to test them to destruction..

After we destroyed an (original) Mini engine through oil changes every two years and 4,000 miles we changed to a regime of once a year for oil and filter changes. Her Peugeot 106 diesel had an engine which ran perfectly after 17 years and 55,000 miles under that regime. I shudder to think what it would have been like if it had had changes every 10,000 miles...

People who drive high mileages tend to stress engines and oil less due to the engine and oil being hot most of the running time. People like my wife who drive around town rarely see 40mph so oil degradation can be a real problem.

Nowadays, cars which do huge mileages in short years are not uncommon. The cars that really should be admired for build quality are thiose that stand up to short journeys. And cope with infrequentish oil changes.

See the LONG thread on Focus TDCI engines in Technical...

Edited by madf on 20/08/2014 at 15:22

After we destroyed an (original) Mini engine through oil changes every two years and 4,000 miles we changed to a regime of once a year for oil and filter changes.

That would be because the oil you were using was a traditional mineral oil that is not designed for Long Life intervals. The last Mini we had was a 1984. It still needed an oil change every 6 months or 6,000 miles. The oil in a Mini led a hard life, it had to lubricate the gearbox and diff as well as being pumped around the engine.

Not surprised you destroyed an engine. You were well outside what could be expected.