I'd personally play it safe and change it like at the 5000 mark

 

It depends on how you drive. If you drive really hard, then change the oil more frequently. If you take it kind of slow, then you can get away with waiting longer in between oil changes. Me personally, I will change it even sooner than 5000, maybe 4000 miles. Better safe than sorry!

 

You should have no problem changing at 6K, a good indicator is oil color on the dipstick. If it's dark and not transparent time to change.

 

Hmmm. I thought I'd throw my two cents in here.

From my understanding (which is pretty limited), the color of the oil is not a good indicator when to change the oil. The best way to see if the oil is still usable to
take a sample of the oil and send it into the lab to get it analyzed.

Here is an old link, but still contains good information about oil changes.

http://www.nordicgroup.us/oil.htm

- For the most part, from what I've browsed on the web, is that synthetic oil (especially Mobil 1) is very good. The oil lasts, but not the oil filter.

- I wish I could send you the posts, but people have been posting 10k - 15k oil changes. They just swap the oil filters between those long intervals.

--- Personally, I do 10K Oil Changes swapping my Purolator Oil Filter out at 5K.
This is for my 2002 WRX Subaru.


As always, feel correct me (in case im posting up the wrong info). Giving away incorrect/wrong info sucks!

- Ulysses

 

In my opinion, I use the factory Subaru filter and Mobil 1 oil. I change it every 3000 miles, no if ands or buts. Some after market oil filters suck and restrict flow of the oil and can kill an engine. Just my prefrence.

 

......completely agree.

 

eveyrone 3000 religously

 

I would just change it every 5,000 (easier numbers to remember rather than intervals of 3,000) . Check that little book that sits in the glove box. It will tell you recommended numbers to change the oil. I think it is something pretty high like 7,000 or something with normal oil. So if you are putting synthetic in you can let it go longer because the oil properties won't break down as fast. But I wouldn't go more than 1,000 or so mile above because of filter malfunctions. If you are using synthetic with a good filter you will have no problems. Newer engines don't need the oil changed as often as the older cars did. Most people that say to change it at 3,000 were taught this by their parents that were running old 60's and 70's cars. Things have changed since then. Subaru's are at about 7,000; Honda's are even around 10,000.

 

what about the amsoil. i just bought the 7500 xt along with their filter (supposedly last 7,500 miles too)? forgot what letter it is but definetely the 7500. it says to change every 7500. im definetely gonna change it sooner but what makes it so different. i think the amsoil is like mobil one except its gl 5 based i think (what mobil 1 use to be?)...... but amsoil also has the 100% synthetic oil that sayd needs to be changed every 25,000 miles.... opinions??

 

Start at the 5,000 mark, then at 5,000 intervals change out everything. No matter how you drive, if you are a commuter it is easier to remember and easier to do than changing out just the filter. For the racers 5,000 on synthetic is a really short amount of time and it will not hurt the engine. My mother's mercedies has mobil 1 stock and it says 25,000 and then 45,000. So in the end it is how you feel. 5,000 feels right to me. Cheers

WRX Rush
Austin