Apexlate

The family and I just completed a 6000 mile road trip. I changed the oil before leaving with Mobil 1 5w-40 and Mann filter. I'm trying to decide if I should change the oil again or not. The car will be used for short trips for the most part for the next several months. I appreciate your input to help make the decision.
Btw, the E350 wagon is a fantastic road car. I really enjoyed driving it on mountain roads. I was a little concerned it would lack oomph on hill climbs but it had plenty of power. Cheers!

Senecat

Change oil every 5k mi.

Crito

I was lost in deep thought on this issue driving my 5.0L SVR across country recently. It cruised comfortably at 80 MPH doing just under 2000 RPMs. I recall driving a Geo Metro with a 1.0L 3 cylinder and I'm sure it'd be doing at least 4000 RPMs at that same speed. The result of three hours of thinking about it between fill-ups is miles isn't as important as revolutions but that number would be stoopid big so 5K sounds good to me too.

streborx

I cast another vote for oil & filter changes every 5K miles.

Arrie

5000 miles between oil changes is good but in this case 6000 miles road trip probably was almost all hwy driving meaning that the 6000 miles really count only as 2000 miles comparing to city/mixed driving.

But, as oil is cheap why not stick to the 5000 miles schedule. It is the lowest cost insurance for the engine by far.

I drive 85% hwy and change oil at 5000 miles, filter at 10000 miles. I even had my ASSYST PLUS re-programmed for 5000 miles on my S550 that is my daily driver now.

Bhopkins

I have had excellent success with following the MB 10k mile oil change interval. My E350 has about 107k miles on the odometer, and it has been getting M1 0W-40 Euro with the Purflux filter since I bought the car at about 47k miles. A few days ago, I put a bore scope down through the oil fill opening, and took pictures inside the engine. Every interior surface that I could view were absolutely spotless. Not a trace of varnish or sludge to be seen anywhere.

As long as you are using a quality oil like Mobil 1 or Castrol, that meets the 229.5 or 229.51 specification, there is absolutely no reason to change any more often that specified in the MB service manual for this engine. That is, except for satisfying your own OCD issues of needing the change oil more often.

CaliBenzDriver

Your owner manual mentions various parameters to deal with oil service.

If your mileage is stop-n-go around town that's sever condition... 6KMi.

If your mileage is speeding on the highway that's normal conditions.... 8KMi.

If oil is burnt black its properties are degraded. Oil is a cost effective way to ensure good ownership, 2 Gallons at a time.... 3KMi.


What oil to use is a key preference:

• Thin film oil saves gasoline
• Perfect oil yield sealed rings performance
• Viscous oil yield minimal wear

Choice is all about personal priorities.

"High Mileage" formula are available to try reduce oil leaks when high blow-by pops the dipstick.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

What year is your car and what engine does it have? It you have an M276, change the oil AND FILTER every 3000-5000 miles. Make sure the oil is MB 229.5 and API SP approved. APT SP is the new standard for direct injection engines to help prevent Low Speed Pre-Ignition (LPSI) engine damage. Oil and filters are cheap insurance.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

Long drain intervals, e.g., 10k miles, are marketing hype to give the impression that the cost of ownership is low. They are NOT good for engine longevity.

Apexlate

2011 so m272

Apexlate

I'm thinking about 0w-40 as the weather is cooling in my area.

Bhopkins

This is often repeated. But it is hard to imagine that an original purchaser of a $60k - $120k Mercedes is all that concerned about the $300 cost of an extra oil change every 5k miles. There is just no logic behind this claim.

However, all the data I have seen does support that when MB approved oils are used, extended oil changes do a great job of protecting an engine. To suggest that it is necessary to use the same oil change intervals today, that were used in the '80's is to totally ignore all the advancements that have been made in automotive engine lubricants.

BenzV12

I stick to 1 year not just 5K miles or 10 K miles . With modern synthetic oils ,10K miles can should do no harm to the engine namely if you drive the car on highways . My advice is to stick to the manufacturer's specified or approved oil rather than change the oil frequently as well

Raj1471

Imo 5k intervals rather than the MB recommended 10k. I linked a YT video explaining why the more frequent oil change intervals are a benefit...

streborx

A futile debate. No one will convert me to 10K mile intervals. I'll never convert anyone to 5K mile intervals. Fortunately (for now), we're free of government imposed mandates that rule one or the other as being illegal.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

The logic is that people buying a car are going to wonder about a manufacturer recommending 5000-mile oil changes when the rest of the market is recommending 10k, 15k, or even longer change intervals. Not all Mercedes owners are original purchasers. Don't assume that someone who buys a $100k car is flush in cash. And not everyone is eager to spend $300 on an oil change.

I too have seen data that says it's safe to run extended change intervals, but personally I won't do that on my cars, which I keep and drive for a long time. My 2004 Audi TT 225 has over 250,000 miles with the original engine and TURBO. I have religiously changed the oil every 5000 miles or less. Since I no longer commute 130 miles daily, it is unlikely my SL or C-Class will reach those miles in my lifetime.

However, to each his own. If you want to run extended change intervals, please do.

DFWdude

My 2001 C320 left our hands at 180,000 miles. Always used Mobil 1 0W40 -- every 10,000 miles -- without any issues whatever.

My 2016 E350 is now on it's 6th oil change in the 22,000 miles since I've owned it... only because I change the oil once yearly, per MB recommendation.

For me it's not some OCD need to change every 5K miles... Because I change my own oil, my time is far more valuable than any expense involved.

Crito

BITOG has threads going back decades but to save you the trouble, it depends on the quality of the oil and how the vehicle was driven and the only way to know for sure is oil analysis.

mgiara

I agree with the 5k mile squad.

But, I want the engine to last as looooooooong as it possibly can.

Someone on Facebook posted a W212 being driven as a European taxi
Owner said he and his partner change the oil daily since the car is being driven all day and night with no breaks.
It made it to something like half a million miles.

Dave's auto center - same thing. Long service intervals are a bad idea.

DFWdude

I had an acquaintance who owned a Limousine service. They observed a 5K oil change. BUT that was because their Lincoln Continental Town Car drivers started each car between 4-4:30am each morning, and ran short,15-20 mile routes non-stop until the engines were turned off at 2am the following morning. Each car would regularly accumulate 250-400 miles a day (oil change every 2-3 weeks). Some of these Town Cars logged 450,000 miles, spending most of their time idling with the A/C or heating running, waiting at passenger appointments. Call this "Extreme" Police car service.

Change the oil daily and your competition will run you out of the livery business.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

For me, I'm definitely OCD when it comes to oil changes. Changing the oil daily is a bit too much for me, but every 3000 to 5000 miles is super cheap insurance, especially on direct injection engines. Older port injected engines may be less sensitive, but on a GDI and/or turbo engine I want to do what I can to reduce carbon buildup on the intake valves and prolong turbo life.

But, as I said before, do what you want with your car.

Bhopkins

This video is nothing more than click bait, intended to increase Youtube traffic for their channel by talking about a hot topic. Watch the video all the way through, and any critical thinking person will see that the claims made in the video are all based upon terrible assumptions and, at the best, ignorance, and at the worst, a lot of misrepresentations.

Sherwood, the guy in the video, initially claims that the engine has been regularly serviced every 7,500 - 8,000 miles. But later, when he shows us the actual Carfax, we see that there is absolutely no record of any oil change until 53,096 miles.

He "thinks" that during the first 44,000 miles, the oil changes were done as part of the lease agreement. And he "assumes" that after the car came in from the lease, it was serviced before being sold to the 2nd owner. But those 7,500 - 8,000 mile oil changes that he states were followed, don't start until over 53,000 miles are on the engine!

Make your own educated decision on oil change intervals. But please, please, please don't use bad, or rather, terrible information, like this video, to base your decision on.

CaliBenzDriver

Thank you RAJ for sharing oil related video. Most people still don't understand what old oil no longer can do... LUBRICATE + COOL !

Only freeway driving can handle 10kMi
City driving oil change: 3, 4 or 5KMi even for the best oils.

Old oil make the engine run like old leaky engine, the experience most are familiar with and expect.

Apexlate

And I would add clean to lube and cool.

CaliBenzDriver

+1 .... I forgot

The heavy calcium sludge comes from the old oil itself to control oxidized oil acidity.
Once burnt, the oil chemical additives falls out of mix.