Warranty Question

[Merrigan]

I bought my Focus a month and change ago. Brand new off the lot, full factory warranty etc. I have a pretty straight forward question. When it comes to doing oil changes, for warranty reasons do I wait until the oil change light comes on in the dash or should I go by what I was told about my old Ford (07 Taurus) and go in every 5000km?

[Sponsor]

[JonathanGennick]

I'll be interested in other's advice here as well. The owner's manual gives a very long service interval for oil changes--surprisingly long. I grew up in the "every 3000 miles" school of thought, so am not yet sure what to make of things.

[Merrigan]

Yeah I'm not to sure about it. With my old Ford I was told every 5000km, with my work trucks depending on the year its when the light comes on and every 5000km. I'm not sure. I'm just over 3000km now so I'd like to know before it's due.

[lddavis]

Do what the owner's manual recommends.

Edmund's: Stop Changing Your Oil / Breaking the 3,000-Mile Habit
http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/stop...-your-oil.html

NY Times: The 3,000-Mile Oil Change Is Pretty Much History
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/11/yo...pagewanted=all

[VenomRogue]

I give a damn what articles say.

I wont go over 5000 miles on an oil change.

The oil might last for 10k before an oil change, but the filter likely does not. Having seen what some filters look like after being pulled out of BMW and Mercedes for their 10-15k oil changes, no thanks.

[misfire]

I believe the owners manual says ever 7,500 miles. I do mine every 5,000 miles.

[6769MOPARS]

Originally Posted by misfire

I believe the owners manual says ever 7,500 miles. I do mine every 5,000 miles.

5000 miles or 7500kms is what I do on ours.

[Anthony14]

Does it matter how often you change your oil in terms of time and not miles?
I only drive about 4,000 a year.

[Raven0215]

Originally Posted by Anthony14

Does it matter how often you change your oil in terms of time and not miles?
I only drive about 4,000 a year.

I don't have my focus yet but both of my previous card (honda and pontiac) that had change oil lights stated that if your service light doesn't come on within 1 years time you should change your oil once a year

[suss6052]

Originally Posted by Anthony14

Does it matter how often you change your oil in terms of time and not miles?
I only drive about 4,000 a year.

Manual says up to 10k/1 year, so if you aren't driving very much it might be best to still change it every 6 months and at a maximum of 1 oil change per year (stretching the interval based on time not mileage.