Oil question/discussion

[2tonOfun]

I recently bought an 08 Mercedes C350 for my wife (I got a really good deal).
Anyway, they recommend Mobil1 oil and they recomend oil changes every 13,000 miles.

My personal opinion on this is that MB is just trying to make the maintenance cost for this vehical look more apealing by saying you only need an oil change every 13,000 miles. MB charges about $200.00 for an oil change. I will be doing my own.

But what do you guys think?
This is a pretty high reving V6. It does hold 7 quarts but 13,000 miles?

 

[1990stanggt]

With a car that cost that much, why not go ahead and change the oil every 3000? I use fully synthetic mobil 1 in my 5.0 and it has a 7 quart oil pan too, and I feel sick going only a few hundred over 3000 miles, let alone 13,000. I'd change it every 3000 miles if I were you, regardless of what they say. :rockon:

 

[2tonOfun]

Yeah, I agree. I have just been having this discussion over on the Benz forum about how I don't think it is a good idea to drive any car 13,000 mile between oil changes. But then, I must be a radical because I plan on changing my own oil!!!! woa!
I've had people over there tell me that I should just let a qualified MB mechanic handle that sort of thing:lol:
And then some are saying that you can do dammage by changing the oil too soon. It can get pretty scary over there. I feel like the odd man out.

 

[WhiteBolt]

Modern day synthetic oils have a lot longer change intervals than dino oil used to in the 60's when the urban myth about having to change every 3k miles got started so oil companies could sucker us out of more money.

Just google.... "3000 mile oil change myth", to see what I'm talking about.

 

[2tonOfun]

Yes, I agree. but 10 to 13,000 mile is just too long. I do mine every 5,000 in the L and it looks pretty damned dirty when I do. And the link you posted pretty much supported that idea.
It's just synthetic oil, I've been using it since it came out years ago, it's not wonder fluid that lasts for 13,000 freakin miles. And that Mercedes is just a simple overhead cam V6 that needs clean oil like the rest of us, it's not some high tech super motor.
I would just like to hear some more opinions.

 

[jerardogav]

I believe if you use synthetic oil on a non racing engine it could be changed every 10,000 or 5,000 miles don't remember exactly. I read this on the back of a quart of Mobil 1 oil extended performance. But I would not go over 5,000 miles on a car. I change the oil on my harley every 2,500 miles.

 

[bgstew6]

6-7k for me..
My expy has 138k on ticker
and my Hog has 75k on it...

Never a prob.

Good oil and good filters.

 

[Taunto]

trust me Use the Mobil 1... if anything happens to that car.. first thing they will do at the dealer for warranty is take a sample of the oil in ur car put it in a jar, and ship it out.. they will find out if its mobile 1 or not.. ifs its no... good bye to ur warrany.. happens lots at the dodge dealership i work at since all the srt's call for mobil 1.

 

[2tonOfun]

trust me Use the Mobil 1... if anything happens to that car.. first thing they will do at the dealer for warranty is take a sample of the oil in ur car put it in a jar, and ship it out.. they will find out if its mobile 1 or not.. ifs its no... good bye to ur warrany.. happens lots at the dodge dealership i work at since all the srt's call for mobil 1.

I have always used Mobil1 in all my motors (except when breaking in a new push rod V8). My question was more about the amount of miles MB says you can go between changes. 13,000 seems like too many to me.

 

[bird_jenkins8]

Change mine in the L, GTO, and Cobra every 2,500 - 3,000 miles, no questions asked with Mobil 1....

Have an 08 Infinity G37s that will get the same treatment as well......

13,000 miles seems like a helluva lot of miles to go with no oil change.....

 

[Eds01Lightning]

6 to 7k mile intervals here too. If you are changing syn oil (under normal conditions) less than that you are wasting money/resources imo.