CarGuru

I've got 5,000 miles on the clock, and quite frankly this is the longest I've gone changing the oil in a car. The manual says what 13K or something? I'm getting the itch to change it soon or before 6K miles, just want to know if I'm crazy or if anyone else has changed theirs before the recommended service interval?

What scares me is that there are photos on a BMW forum where a lady waited 13K+ miles before changing the oil and once the tech had the motor torn down there was sludge everywhere...

-Ryan

GDawgC220

If you're going to keep the car for a while, I'd suggest doing 5k oil changes. It's cheap insurance, keeps the motor happy and is easy to do it yourself in 20 minutes.

stephensong

I do not understand, if you purchased a new Mercedes-Benz then you get a free first service which is to be used after 1,000 miles and before 3,000 miles. I had my free first service at the 1,500 mile mark.

This is not a dealer thing, this is supported by Mercedes-Benz. Check out the MBUSA.COM for further info better yet call your dealer.

MBTex

I received a coupon for free first service from my dealer.

stephensong

This has nothing to do with your dealer. Starting in 2005 when MB no longer offered free maintenance, they started this free first service. Point is I purchased the car in VA and had first free service in Portland, OR.

jrct9454

I have no plans to change the oil on ours before the 1 year mark. I've thought about it, but at 5200 miles, we are unlikely to put more than 3k-4k more miles on ours between now and, say, July, by which time we'll be inside 30 days to the 1 year date.

In Europe, 10k-15k miles- [usually more like 15k-25k kms] is simply not unusual with the synthetic oil that is in this car. Americans are, for some reason, hyper about this oil change question.

Understand, I would never stand in anybody's way who wants to change the oil sooner, but it's not really necessary to the long life of this engine. Remember, you've got slightly more than 2 gallons of oil in a 3-3.5 liter engine, that is squeaky clean in emissions. It's the really low level of blowby and exhaust emissions being dumped into the engine these days that makes these long intervals possible.

Still, no harm here....as long as the used oil gets recycled properly. I plan to wait for at least 10k or 1 year on ours.

And the free "first service" you're referring to is actually just an inspection of the car, and a check of the electronics using the OBD plug....took about 15 minutes in our case, accomplished by the dealer in Vegas on our trip [we bought our car at Rasmussen in Portland - the first svc/insp can be done by any dealer]. They top up any fluids that need it, but it does NOT include an oil change, and is really not referred to as a "service" in the book.

MBTex

OK, then I guess I got an extra "perk" from my dealer then because they are giving me my first oil change gratis. It is a dealer thing , not a MBUSA thing. The MBUSA thing is just to make sure the car doesn't have anything unusual happening after the break in period is over.

oblu

I changed the synth oil in my BMW every 5k instead of per the service interval. Every time I did, it came out looking exactly like the new oil I was putting in.

Not a scientific analysis, but I feel like the BMW interval would've been just fine.

Mine's a lease. It's not getting oil changed any more than it has to.

I say that now, but watch I still change it at 5k because I can't live with myself for willingly causing harm to a car.

stephensong

"And the free "first service" you're referring to is actually just an inspection of the car, and a check of the electronics using the OBD plug....took about 15 minutes in our case, accomplished by the dealer" jrcf9454

Didn't you by your car at Portland MB? You should ask what they do for the first free service. At their Wilsonville store, they change the engine i have waited for the service to be completed and the service guy reviewed the service performed. As a tourist in Vagas who knows what they did for you.

Wilsonville performed the same service on my 2005 C230 when it hit 1500 mi.

Jorg

I discussed this with my service manager and he insisted that I stick to the self diagnostic indicator when to change the oil.

He explained to me that the new car comes with a special "run in oil" and changing it too early will do more harm than good.

Since I have no mechanical knowledge, whatsoever, I have to go with his recommendation.

Jorg

delirium

I have heard about this special oil as well, but a lot of people want to change the oil eary because there can be metal shavings from the engine in the oil in the beginning.

stealtheo

It's not really special oil. its special lubricant almost like paste that becomes liquid after first start. this prvents damage the first time engine is started. Has high heat, high friction properties. I have an 02 and 05 MB and have always done the 10K with the 02 and the 13k with the 05 as mfg suggested and have had no problems at all. Oils are not like they were years ago. Full synth will last 10k-12k no problem.
Hey but to each his own. MB would not recommend it if they were not concerned. The car has a 50k warranty. If it was going to be a problem it would happen long before the 50k

sack5000

Don't believe what he says about run in oil. He is taking advantage of your lack of mechanical knowledge. The car has Mobil 1 synthetic in it from the factory. There is a sticker under the hood, peek in there....

RLE

<<I discussed this with my service manager and he insisted that I stick to the self diagnostic indicator when to change the oil. He explained to me that the new car comes with a special "run in oil" and changing it too early will do more harm than good.>>

MB has not used break-in oil for decades+. The guy is either an idiot or a liar. Could be both. Your first oil change is due at 13K miles. Do it sooner (with the filter) or not.

GDawgC220

Most likely it came with M1 0w-40 and what MB recommends you use. If you do some research, M1 0w-40 sheers down to a 30 weight very quickly. I wouldn't trust it to go for long intervals. If you really want to go for long intervals (10k), I would check out oils from Motul, Elf, etc.

Also, remember, long intervals are usually meant for the "best driving conditions" such as no hot temps, no stop and go traffic, no short trips, etc. If you're in traffic a lot, go to the grocery store down the street, etc, all these things degrade the oil and should be changed more often. I believe this is mentioned in the manual as well.

RLE

<<Most likely it came with M1 0w-40 and what MB recommends you use. If you do some research, M1 0w-40 sheers down to a 30 weight very quickly. I wouldn't trust it to go for long intervals. If you really want to go for long intervals (10k), I would check out oils from Motul, Elf, etc.>>

I don't know where your info comes from but it's about two years out of date. When FSS was cancelled and fixed 13K mile oil changes became the rule, first fill and MB dealer oil became M1 5W40 Extended Performance and fleece filters.

Further, I've done the research and your story about M1 0W40 becoming 30 weight "very quickly" is a lot of crap.

Also, do you think Porsche would recommend M1 0W40 for their Carrera GT (plus all the others) if it was going to break down?

GDawgC220

You need to do some more research then...check out the forums dedicated to oil discussion and you'll see facts/results that M1 0w-40 sheers to a 30 weight. Do you know how much money Mobil and other oil companies pay to get that MB and other automobile manufacturers to get the stamp of approval on the back of their bottles and to have them put "MB recommends Mobil 1"? Its amazing what money and endorsements between companies can do. There are lots of better oils out there than M1 and can go extended drains.

I'm not saying it won't do the job but it does it poorly...other oils can do better. Obviously, if a auto manufacturer puts "recommends M1 oil" and it breaks the engine, then they'd be liable for that.

jrct9454

There are two topics that generate this kind of back and forth: oil and tires.

In both cases, "expert" opinions are summoned up to justify any and all stances. All I know is that in the EU, these kinds of longer oil change intervals are routine, and in fact, 10k and up has been pretty normal for MB for years [our '02 W203 C240 with the FSS defaulted to 10k or TWO YEARS after every oil change].

If it makes you feel better to dump the oil at shorter intervals, well, do it....I don't believe in the reasons for doing this, but some obviously do.

GDawgC220

Oil changes certainly don't harm the car and can only do good IMO.

The test to do would be for someone to buy two of the same cars, one change at 5k and one change at the 10-13k interval. Open up the engine at 100k and evaluate the differences

For the $36 it costs me to do my own oil change (syn + oem filter) and 20 minutes of my time, its piece of mind and keeps the car happy.

We could definitely go back and forth on this topic forever. Everyone is entitled to do their own thing, its YOUR car Do what you feel is right.

Blk04cobra1

Just do what's recommended by Mercedes-Benz, which is 13k miles...if you do that, then you will have no issues with warranty if something does go wrong.

JimPap

I always question oil change intervals from car manuacturers and oil change service centers.

One says 13K miles and the other says 3.5K miles.

Dema

It doesn't matter, you can change it every 3k miles or 15k miles. If you love your car, why do not do it more frequently? For example I change regular oil in some my other car in 10K miles interval. This car costs now about $1K, so if something happens, I just throw it away. However Mercedes costs much more, so I'd change oil every 5K miles.

JimPap

That's my thinking too.

I'm all past over the top service for a car that can last 20 years and when I trade it in in 7, still not get much for it.

AsianML

I love our cars, but we change our oil at 10k miles for both. Sometimes longer if it's necessary. Does that mean I like them a little bit less? Nope.

I agree with jrct9454's post. Especially with the part about them changing the oil in Europe at 10k+ miles. I know most of you that change at 5k or whatever like to do it for peace of mind, but how about them Mercedes or BMW taxi drivers in Europe? Do you think they'd enjoy having to change the oil every month (even less than that)?

If you really want to know what's best for your car, get a used oil analysis type thing done at 5k miles or 13k miles.

st13phil

FWIW, my wife's R56 MINI Cooper S with its turbocharged 1.6-litre 175bhp motor and variable service interval will get its first oil change at about 19,000 miles according to the service indicator.

Since the late 1980's we've been using 9k mile and longer oil change intervals on our cars in Europe so I've never really understood the American fascination with changing oil at very short intervals. And no, the motors don't fall apart at low mileages. In fact, it's pretty commonplace to see 150k - 200k mile and higher engines that have had nothing more than regular oil and filter changes at 10k mile intervals (or longer) throughout their life.Excellent advice for the cautious and far less wasteful of a finite resource.